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Athabasca University

Political Science Major

Regulations effective September 1, 2016.

The BA Political Science major is a valued liberal arts degree that will serve a variety of educational and professional needs in the public, private, and non-profit sectors in Canada and globally.

As a discipline, Political Science is very much concerned with the study of power, authority, and governance in human affairs. In today’s world, forms of power, authority, and governance are changing rapidly and becoming increasingly complex. Governance is no longer confined to the nation-state but involves a range of institutions — public, private, and non-governmental — involved in the process of governing and steering a society at the international, national, and sub-national levels.

Did you know? Athabasca University also offers:

For specific degree requirements view each program page.

Requirements in addition to the general program requirements for the 4-year BA with Major:

  1. A minimum of 45 credits in designated Political Science courses including a minimum of 30 senior (300/400) level credits (a minimum of 12, 400-level credits).
  2. Required core courses: 18 credits in the following designated political science major core courses:
    • 6 senior (300/400) level credits in political philosophy/theory, POLI 355 and POLI 357.
    • 3 senior (300/400) level credits in Canadian politics and government, POLI 309.
    • 3 senior (300/400) level credits in either international and global politics (POLI/INTR 330) or comparative politics (POLI 342), or direct equivalent credit approved by Athabasca University.
    • 6 junior (200) level credits, POLI 277 and 278.
  3. A minimum of 27 credits in the following designated Political Science major elective courses.
    CMNS 401 Cultural Policy in Canada (3)
    GLST/GOVN 403 Public Policy in a Global Era (3)
    GLST/GOVN 440 Global Governance and Law (3)
    GLST/POEC 483 International Political Economy: The Politics of Globalization (3)
    GOVN 301 Governance, the Public Sector and Corporate Power (3)
    GOVN 390 Public Policy and Administrative Governance (3)
    GOVN/HSRV 400 Governance and Leadership (3)
    GOVN 405 Innovative Public Management (3)
    HADM 369 Health Policy in Canada (3)
    POEC 230 Globalization and World Politics (3)
    POEC 393 Canada and the Global Political Economy (3)
    POLI All courses  

 

Information effective Sept. 1, 2016 to Aug. 31, 2017.

Updated April 19 2017 by laurab

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