The Department of Political Science offers programs of study that lead to the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Master of Arts (M.A.), and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.).
Students wishing to enter the Honours program must make an online application to the Department prior to registering for their third year.
For information on advanced degrees, see graduate Political Science.
Visit the Department for details on current offerings.
Admission
Students may declare a Major in Political Science upon attaining Year 2 standing (completion of 27 credits).
Admission to the Honours program in Political Science requires that a student will have completed at least 54 credits applicable to the Bachelor of Arts.
Admission is not automatic to the Honours program in Political Science. Due to a limited number of spaces, some applicants who satisfy the minimum prerequisites may not be admitted.
Students contemplating the Honours program in Political Science are encouraged to seek information and advice from the Department at the end of their first year. Applicants to the Honours program must apply online at the end of the academic year in which they accumulate 54 credits. The online application will be available after February 1 from the Department website. Applications are due by May 15 prior to registering for the third year. Applicants should arrange for transcripts from all post-secondary institutions they have attended, other than UBC, to be sent to the Department office as promptly as possible.
Major in Political Science
The Major in Political Science requires at least 42 credits in Political Science courses in the overall 120 credits for the B.A. At least 30 of these credits must be courses numbered 300 or above, including any 300-level or above courses taken to meet the area of focus requirements. The Bachelor of Arts Writing and Research Requirement can by fulfilled by taking any 400-level POLI_V course.
Students will choose one of the following areas of focus:
- Major in Political Science
- Major in Political Science – Area of Focus: Politics, Policy and Administration
Major in Political Science
Lower-level Requirements
12 credits at the 100- and 200- level, including the following courses:
- POLI_V 100
- POLI_V 101
- POLI_V 110
- POLI_V 240 (or 340)
Students who have not completed POLI_V 240 may substitute POLI_V 340 for POLI_V 240, although they are still required to complete a total of 12 POLI_V credits at the 100- and 200-level.
Upper-level Requirements
30 credits of Political Science courses numbered 300 or higher, which must include:
Students will not get credit for both POLI_V 380 and any of the courses on the Science Credit Exclusion Lists in counting up the required 120 credits needed to graduate.
To satisfy the Bachelor of Arts Writing and Research Requirement, students must take at least one 400-level POLI_V course.
Major in Political Science - Area of Focus: Politics, Policy and Administration
Lower-level Requirements
12 credits at the 100- and 200- level, including the following courses:
- POLI_V 100
- POLI_V 101
- POLI_V 110
- POLI_V 220
Upper-level Requirements
30 credits at the 300- and 400- level, including the following courses:
3 credits chosen from:
- ECON_V 310 or ECON_V 311 (or equivalents ECON_V 101 or ECON_V 102)
Students who take one of the 100-level courses will need to take an additional 300 or 400-level POLI_V course.
9 credits:
- POLI_V 380
- POLI_V 302
- POLI_V 350
6 credits (2 courses) chosen from the list of approved Politics, Policy and Administration (PPA) designated courses:
- POLI_V 303, POLI_V 304, POLI_V 308, POLI_V 328, POLI_V 338, POLI_V 348, POLI_V 351, POLI_V 352, POLI_V 363, POLI_V 366, POLI_V 405, POLI_V 422, POLI_V 439, POLI_V 450
12 credits of Political Science courses numbered 300 or higher, which may include additional PPA designated courses.
Students will not get credit for both POLI_V 380 and any of the courses on the Science Credit Exclusion Lists in counting up the required 120 credits needed to graduate.
To satisfy the Bachelor of Arts Writing and Research Requirement, students must take at least one 400-level POLI_V course.
Combined Major in Political Science and Economics
Information about this program (including admissions and course requirements) can be found on the Economics section of the calendar.
Combined Major in Political Science and Philosophy
Information about this program (including admissions and course requirements) can be found on the Philosophy section of the calendar.
Honours Programs in Political Science
Students with a grade of 80% or above in at least one Political Science course and an overall GPA of at least 80% are encouraged to discuss the Honours program with a Political Science advisor and to consider applying. Although only a limited number of students can be accepted into the Honours program, all applications will be given serious consideration.
Promotion to the fourth year of the Honours program requires an 80% grade in at least one Political Science course during the third year, a minimum grade of 75% in POLI_V 390, and a 75% average overall in the third year.
Occasionally outstanding students from the third-year Major program may be admitted directly to fourth-year Honours.
Graduation in the Honours program normally requires an 80% grade in at least one Political Science course during the fourth year, a minimum grade of 75% in POLI_V 492, and a 75% overall average in the final two years.
Students not meeting these standards but nevertheless satisfying all other university requirements for graduation will be awarded a B.A. in the Major program.
Honours students must complete at least 60, but not more than 72 credits of Political Science in their 120 credits for the B.A. At least 48 of these credits must be in courses numbered 300 or above.
First 60 Credits
As for Major students.
60-120 Credits
Honours students are required to complete POLI_V 340, 380, one semester of 390 (6 credits), 492 (12 credits), plus at least 6 additional credits of Political Science seminars at the 400-level. Otherwise, they are free to take any Political Science courses for which they have the prerequisites, so long as they take at least 60 but not more than 72 credits of Political Science, and at least 48 of their Political Science credits are from courses numbered 300 or above.
Honours in Political Science with International Relations
The Honours in Political Science with International Relations Program is a 78-credit interdisciplinary program that is made-up of 24 lower-level credits, 6 language credits at any level, and 48-credits of upper-level credits.
This program is administered by the Department of Political Science (not by the International Relations Program), and students must apply directly to the Department of Political Science for admission. See Admission and Promotion and Honours Programs in Political Science for more details on admissions.
Lower-level requirements
- POLI_V 100, POLI_V 110, and POLI_V 260, plus one other 100/200-level POLI_V-coded course
- ECON_V 101 and 102
- HIST_V 102 or 103
Upper-level requirements
- POLI_V 380, 390, 492 and 6-credits of any 300-level POLI_V-coded course.
- 12 credits from: POLI_V 360-379, 460-469, of which at least 3 must be from 460-464, 466
- ECON_V 355
- HIST_V 425 or 432
Language requirement
Honours in Political Science with International Relations (PSIR) students are required to complete 6 credits of coursework in one language other than English. The language courses can either be at the upper or lower-level, including any coursework completed prior to admission. These credits must be completed by all PSIR major students and cannot be waived based on prior language study or an existing language competency.
Courses taken to complete the PSIR language requirement can also be used to fulfil the Language as Meaning Breadth Area of the Bachelor of Arts’ Ways of Knowing Breadth Requirements.
If a student has already commenced language studies prior to entering UBC and wishes to continue at a higher level they should consult the administering department to confirm the procedure for placement.
Minor in Political Science
A Minor consists of at least 30 credits, but not more than 42 credits of Political Science courses, of which at least 18 must be numbered 300 or above. POLI_V 101 must be included among the courses taken. Departmental permission is not required to undertake a Minor in Political Science.
Courses by Sub-Field
The Department offers courses in the following sub-fields of Political Science: Canadian Politics; Comparative Politics, International Relations; Political Behaviour, Political Theory, and Public Policy.
The Department posts detailed information online concerning courses for the upcoming year, beginning in late May.