IX. Graduate Programs

Political Science

MA Program

The MA program revolves around the field of Rights, Justice, Citizenship, and Identity while allowing flexibility for students to pursue their various interests. Within the broader framework of Rights, Justice, Citizenship and Identity, the Department has particular strengths in Public Policy and Administration and Global Justice and Politics and offers a number of courses related to those topics.

Our broad range of course offerings and routes to complete the degree allow students to tailor their experience towards their future employment or academic goals. Graduates of the program are engaged in a wide range of careers with academic institutions, government and public sector agencies, non-governmental organizations, and industry.

Application Procedure

Program offices should be consulted for admission deadlines and required documents https://www.uoguelph.ca/polisci/masters/how-apply . Complete application submission instructions can be found at http://www.uoguelph.ca/graduatestudies/apply

Graduate students are admitted each Fall semester.

Admission Requirements

The department requires an Honours BA degree (4 years) in political science (or its equivalent) with at least a 'B+' average for consideration for admission to the program. A methodology course equivalent to The Systematic Study of Politics, POLS*3650, in the Department of Political Science undergraduate program, is necessary for admission to the graduate program. Students not satisfying this requirement may be admitted with the provision that it be satisfied by completing the requisite extra course.

Program Requirements

Students enroll in one of three study options: 1) course work only, 2) course work and major research paper or 3) course work and thesis.

Thesis

In order to satisfy the degree requirements, the student will complete three courses plus the Communications seminar (POLS*6900), the Research Design and Methods course (POLS*6940) and complete a Thesis.

Three courses with at least two of them from the following core courses:

POLS*6050 [0.50] The Politics of Identity
POLS*6130 [0.50] Rights and Public Policy
POLS*6150 [0.50] Constitutionalism and Judicial Politics
POLS*6400 [0.50] Citizenship and Social Policy
POLS*6510 [0.50] Political Participation and Engagement
POLS*6730 [0.50] Development and Global Justice

Plus

POLS*6900 [0.25] Communications
POLS*6940 [0.75] Research Design and Methods

or an approved equivalent from another department

A thesis of approximately 10,000 to 15,000 words (approximately 80 to 100 double-spaced pages). The written thesis is defended in an oral examination.

Course Work and Major Research Paper

In order to satisfy the degree requirements, the student will complete four courses plus the Research Design and Methods course POLS*6940, a Communications seminar POLS*6900, for a total of six courses and complete the Major Research Paper POLS*6970.

Four courses with at least two of them from the following core courses:

POLS*6050 [0.50] The Politics of Identity
POLS*6130 [0.50] Rights and Public Policy
POLS*6150 [0.50] Constitutionalism and Judicial Politics
POLS*6400 [0.50] Citizenship and Social Policy
POLS*6510 [0.50] Political Participation and Engagement
POLS*6730 [0.50] Development and Global Justice

Plus

POLS*6900 [0.25] Communications
POLS*6940 [0.75] Research Design and Methods

or an approved equivalent from another department

POLS*6970 [1.00] Major Paper

The research paper is approximately 10,000 to 12,500 words (approximately 40 to 50 double-spaced pages).

Course Work

In order to satisfy the degree requirements, the student will complete the Research Methods course POLS*6940 and the Communications seminar POLS*6900, plus five additional courses.

Five courses with at least three of them from the following core courses:

POLS*6050 [0.50] The Politics of Identity
POLS*6130 [0.50] Rights and Public Policy
POLS*6150 [0.50] Constitutionalism and Judicial Politics
POLS*6400 [0.50] Citizenship and Social Policy
POLS*6510 [0.50] Political Participation and Engagement
POLS*6730 [0.50] Development and Global Justice

Plus

POLS*6940 [0.75] Research Design and Methods

or an approved equivalent from another department

POLS*6900 [0.25] Communications
University of Guelph
50 Stone Road East
Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1
Canada
519-824-4120