IX. Graduate Programs
Political Science
Courses
Note
A number of graduate courses are cross-listed with intensive, senior undergraduate seminars. In these cross-listed offerings,
which are identified as such in the course descriptions below, course and grading expectations will be tailored to graduate
students.
| POLS*6050 The Politics of Identity U [0.50] |
| This course engages theoretical approaches of identity and identity politics in the global north and/or south. Topics may
include contestation over indigenous, racial, ethnic, cultural, sexual, gender, and women’s rights.
|
| Department(s): |
Department of Political Science |
| POLS*6120 Theories of International Relations U [0.50] |
| This course examines Western and non-Western theories of international relations, such as realism, liberalism, and constructivism,
as well as Marxist, critical, indigenous and gender approaches. It will engage with established and emerging theories, exploring
contestation and debates within the discipline.
|
| Department(s): |
Department of Political Science |
| POLS*6130 Rights and Public Policy U [0.50] |
| Students will study how individual rights can be restricted, protected or expanded through public policy, and how rights considerations
and discourse may shape policy and the policy process.
|
| Department(s): |
Department of Political Science |
| POLS*6150 Constitutionalism and Judicial Politics U [0.50] |
| This course investigates how the constitution and the judiciary affect political processes and decision-making, and how politics
shape constitutions and judicial process. Canadian or comparative examples will be examined.
|
| Department(s): |
Department of Political Science |
| POLS*6160 Multi-Level Governance in Canada U [0.50] |
| This course considers the evolving relationship among levels of government in Canada. The growth of cities, the growth of
policy responsibilities of provinces, the influence of international organizations, and the development of First Nations government
in Canada all challenge the conventional study of federal-provincial relations in Canada. From year to year, this course examines
one or several of these contemporary dynamics. Offered in conjunction with POLS*4160. Extra work is required for graduate
students.
|
| Restriction(s): |
Credit may be obtained for only one of POLS*4160 or POLS*6160 |
| Department(s): |
Department of Political Science |
| POLS*6170 Courts and Parliament U [0.50] |
| The course critically examines the complex relationship between the judiciary and representative institutions. By comparing
the treatment of current political controversies (assisted suicide, prostitution, drug treatment), students will better appreciate
the often-subtle exchanges between the two institutions and further enhance their research abilities in regards to both legal
and legislative processes. Offered in conjunction with POLS*4070. Extra work is required for graduate students.
|
| Restriction(s): |
Credit may be obtained for only one of POLS*4070 or POLS*6170 |
| Department(s): |
Department of Political Science |
| POLS*6180 Women, Justice and Public Policy U [0.50] |
| This course will use gender-based analysis in examining a series of justice and public policy issues affecting the lives of
women, including equality rights, pay and employment equity, domestic violence, sexual assault, family policy, health care
policy, and pornography. Offered in conjunction with POLS*4100. Extra work is required for graduate students.
|
| Restriction(s): |
Credit may be obtained for only one of POLS*4100 or POLS*6180 |
| Department(s): |
Department of Political Science |
| POLS*6200 Law and Politics U [0.50] |
| This course explores advanced topics in law and politics depending on the interests of the instructor. Potential topics include
investigating the law and politics of social change or analyzing debates about the political power of courts in Canada or
in comparative perspectives. Offered in conjunction with POLS*4050. Extra work is required for graduate students.
|
| Restriction(s): |
Credit may be obtained for only one of POLS*4050 or POLS*6200 |
| Department(s): |
Department of Political Science |
| POLS*6210 Conceptions of Canada U [0.50] |
| This course will explore evolving conceptions of Canadian identity and nationalism through consideration of political culture,
institutions and constitutional arrangements. Possible topics include: multiculturalism, aboriginal identity and community,
Quebec nationalism, social citizenship, rights and representation, as well as Canada's global role and significance.
|
| Department(s): |
Department of Political Science |
| POLS*6380 State-building and Regime Change U [0.50] |
| Students will explore theories of states, regimes, state-building, regime change, and democratization. The course critically
engages dominant debates and reviews empirical examples.
|
| Department(s): |
Department of Political Science |
| POLS*6390 Resource Scarcity and Conflict U [0.50] |
| This course examines domestic, international and global dimensions of environmental governance and resource conflict, as well
as stakeholder perspectives on resource politics. Topics may include climate change; the resource curse; commodity production,
trade and consumption; food and human security; political ecology and extractive industries.
|
| Department(s): |
Department of Political Science |
| POLS*6400 Citizenship and Social Policy U [0.50] |
| Students will study citizenship and the allocation of social goods through social policies. Normative debates, theoretical
frameworks, and empirical perspectives in a range of social policy fields – such as health care, pensions, childcare, education,
and housing - may be examined.
|
| Department(s): |
Department of Political Science |
| POLS*6510 Political Participation and Engagement U [0.50] |
| Students will study how individual citizens engage in the political process. Informal channels such as social movements or
more formal organizations such as interest groups and political parties may be examined.
|
| Department(s): |
Department of Political Science |
| POLS*6520 International Political Economy U [0.50] |
| The course relies on theoretical approaches in IPE to examine relationships between politics and economics across national
and regional levels. The evolution of the global political economy and its governance structures is explored, as well as contemporary
debates about globalization and state and non-state actors’ responses. Issue-areas may include: money and power, technology,
trade, development and the environment. Offered in conjunction with POLS*4200. Extra work is required for graduate students.
|
| Restriction(s): |
Credit may be obtained for only one of POLS*4200 or POLS*6520 |
| Department(s): |
Department of Political Science |
| POLS*6530 Human Rights, Ethics and Development U [0.50] |
| This course will examine the political and ethical consequences of adopting a human rights framework in national and international
contexts by both state and non-state actors. This subject will be explored from a range of historical, theoretical and practical
perspectives. Offered in conjunction with POLS*4300. Extra work is required for graduate students.
|
| Restriction(s): |
Credit may be obtained for only one of POLS*4300 or POLS*6530 |
| Department(s): |
Department of Political Science |
| POLS*6540 Topics in Comparative Politics U [0.50] |
| This course considers theories and problems in comparative politics and government in developing and industrialized countries.
The geographical and theoretical focus of the course will reflect the interests of the instructor. Offered in conjunction
with POLS*4710. Extra work is required for graduate students.
|
| Restriction(s): |
Credit may be obtained for only one of POLS*4710 or POLS*6540 |
| Department(s): |
Department of Political Science |
| POLS*6550 Topics in Public Management U [0.50] |
| This course will examine various topics related to governance, such as public management reform, public sector leadership,
third sector organizations or budgeting and human resources. Offered in conjunction with POLS*4250. Extra work is required
for graduate students.
|
| Restriction(s): |
Credit may be obtained for only one of POLS*4250 or POLS*6550 |
| Department(s): |
Department of Political Science |
| POLS*6560 Topics in Public Policy U [0.50] |
| This course will examine various public policy issues such as social policy or health care policy in a Canadian or comparative
context. Offered in conjunction with POLS*4260. Extra work is required for graduate students.
|
| Restriction(s): |
Credit may be obtained for only one of POLS*4260 or POLS*6560 |
| Department(s): |
Department of Political Science |
| POLS*6570 International Relations of the Middle East U [0.50] |
| This course is designed as an advanced introduction to the international relations of the Middle East. The course focuses
on theories of international relations and their applicability to specific case studies of Middle Eastern politics. The course
provides a critical examination of conflicts in the region, and contextualizes those conflicts within both realist and neo-realist
theories of international relations. Offered in conjunction with POLS*4730. Extra work is required for graduate students.
|
| Restriction(s): |
Credit may be obtained for only one of POLS*4730 or POLS*6570 |
| Department(s): |
Department of Political Science |
| POLS*6580 Topics in International Relations U [0.50] |
| This course considers theories and problems in the field of International Relations. The theoretical and/or geographical focus
of the course will reflect the interests of the instructor. Offered in conjunction with POLS*4720. Extra work is required
for graduate students.
|
| Restriction(s): |
Credit may be obtained for only one of POLS*4720 or POLS*6580 |
| Department(s): |
Department of Political Science |
| POLS*6590 Advanced Topics in Rights and Liberties U [0.50] |
| The course explores rights and liberties from various perspectives depending on the interests of the instructor. Potential
topics include exploring the political, social, and legal factors and theories that explain the development of rights and
liberties; rights and liberties in a comparative and international context; or the philosophical and policy debates surrounding
rights and liberties. Offered in conjunction with POLS*4740. Extra work is required for graduate students.
|
| Restriction(s): |
Credit may be obtained for only one of POLS*4740 or POLS*6590 |
| Department(s): |
Department of Political Science |
| POLS*6630 Approaches to Public Policy U [0.50] |
| This course introduces students to the main theoretical approaches utilized in understanding public policy making and outcomes.
Throughout the course, particular attention is paid to varying conceptions of institutions, ideas and interest and the role
of these conceptions in various explanations of policy change and stasis.
|
| Department(s): |
Department of Political Science |
| POLS*6640 Canadian Public Administration: Public Sector Management U [0.50] |
| This course examines the growth of the administrative state in Canada, especially in the post World War II period. It critically
reviews issues such as the concept of public sector management, the delegation of authority, personnel management, accountability
and the ethics of ministers and officials to Parliament and the publi
|
| Department(s): |
Department of Political Science |
| POLS*6730 Development and Global Justice U [0.50] |
| Students will study Western and non-Western theoretical perspectives on the politics of development and global justice. Topics
may include human rights and development, global inequality, environmental justice, indigenous politics, humanitarian ethics,
intercultural competency, and faith-based development.
|
| Department(s): |
Department of Political Science |
| POLS*6820 PhD Canadian Politics U [0.50] |
| Students will help to identify and critically engage with key scholarship in the field of Canadian Politics. The course will
provide a breadth of understanding of the field, but a portion of the Canadian reading list can be tailored to the student's
particular interests.
|
| Department(s): |
Department of Political Science |
| POLS*6830 PhD Field Course in Comparative Politics U [0.50] |
| Students will help to identify and critically engage with key scholarship in the field of Comparative Politics. The course
will provide a breadth of understanding of the field, but a portion of the reading list can be tailored to the student's particular
interests.
|
| Department(s): |
Department of Political Science |
| POLS*6840 PhD Field Course in Gender, Race, Indigeneity, and Sexuality U [0.50] |
| Students will help to identify and critically engage with key scholarship relating to Gender, Race, Indigeneity and Sexuality.
The course will provide a breadth of understanding of the field, but a portion of the reading list can be tailored to the
student's particular interests.
|
| Department(s): |
Department of Political Science |
| POLS*6850 PhD Field Course in International Relations U [0.50] |
| Students will help to identify and critically engage with key scholarship relating to International Relations. The course
will provide a breadth of understanding of the field, but a portion of the reading list can be tailored to the student's particular
interests.
|
| Department(s): |
Department of Political Science |
| POLS*6860 PhD Field Course in Law and Politics U [0.50] |
| Students will help to identify and critically engage with key scholarship relating to Law and Politics. The course will provide
a breadth of understanding of the field, but a portion of the reading list can be tailored to the student's particular interests.
|
| Department(s): |
Department of Political Science |
| POLS*6870 PhD Field Course in Public Policy and Governance U [0.50] |
| Students will help to identify and critically engage with key scholarship relating to Public Policy and Governance. The course
will provide a breadth of understanding of the field, but a portion of the reading list can be tailored to the student's particular
interests.
|
| Department(s): |
Department of Political Science |
| POLS*6900 Communications F-W [0.25] |
| This course trains students in crucial academic skills, in particular writing and presentation skills. Some course elements
may be offered through workshops in conjunction with other units, such as the Learning Commons.
|
| Department(s): |
Department of Political Science |
| POLS*6940 Research Design and Methods U [0.75] |
| This course focuses on the elements of designing and writing a research question and proposal. It examines the principles
of research design and research ethics, and surveys the strengths and weaknesses of a variety of methods of data collection.
|
| Department(s): |
Department of Political Science |
| POLS*6950 Specialized Topics in Political Studies U [0.50] |
| This course is intended to be an elective course for students wishing to pursue an area of investigation not covered in the
other courses offered by the department. This course may also be chosen by students who want to further pursue a subject area
to which they were introduced in a previous course.
|
| Department(s): |
Department of Political Science |
| POLS*6960 Directed Readings U [0.50] |
| This is an elective course for students wishing to pursue an area of investigation not covered in other courses offered by
the department. This course may also be chosen by students who want to further pursue a subject area to which they were introduced
in a previous course.
|
| Department(s): |
Department of Political Science |
| POLS*6970 Major Paper U [1.00] |
| The major paper is an extensive research paper for those who do not elect to complete a thesis. It may be taken over two semesters.
The length of the major paper is not to exceed 10,000 words.
|
| Department(s): |
Department of Political Science |
Students should also consult the fourth year undergraduate course selection. Graduate students, with the approval of the instructor
and the Graduate Program Coordinator, may take a fourth year undergraduate course in the Political Science Department. This
course is taken as POLS*6950 Specialized Topics. Course requirements are modified so that they are comparable to other courses
offered at the graduate level.
