Program Requirements

2024-2025 Academic Year

Undergraduate Academic Calendar information header

Chair

Jeffrey MacLeod, BA (CBU), MA (Acadia), PhD (Western), Professor

Admission Requirements Review sections 2.1.4 Admission Requirements and 2.1.6 Additional Admission Requirements.

Political Studies looks at socio-political change, power, conflict and governance at all levels of society, from the local to the global stage. Political ideas and values mold our society and shape the way we see and think. Political Studies helps you understand why governments make the decisions they do, teaches you to critically evaluate the decisions and allows you to be an informed active citizen. As a political studies student, you will educate yourself in how political systems work, look at the sources of local, national and international conflict and grapple with current issues in political life.

In our programs, we emphasize three important areas of the discipline of political science: Canadian politics (both national and regional), political thought (both classical and contemporary) and international affairs. We encourage our students to sample from all these areas, to help them understand the political significance of globalization.

Note: Any student wishing to major or minor in political studies should consult with the department Chair.

Students may count courses from a major, concentration and/or minor towards a second major, concentration and/or minor; however, students must complete a minimum of 50 percent of unique courses toward the second major, concentration and/or minor, unless otherwise stated in the Undergraduate Academic Calendar.

The degree with a major is intended for those students with a clearly focused interest who wish to gain knowledge in depth of a single discipline.

Students intending to complete the major degree must declare their intention to do so before registering for their sixth unit of coursework. Students who do not make this declaration within this time frame will not be permitted to register for further coursework.

The Mount also offers a limited enrollment internship option.

Students must successfully complete 20.0 units with the following requirements:
❏ a minimum of 8.0 and a maximum of 10.0 units in the major as follows:

  • POLS 1001/CANA 1001
  • POLS 1002/CANA 1002
  • POLS 4401/CANA 4401
  • 1.0 unit in political theory selected from POLS 2208, 2210, 2213, 2214, 3312, 3314 or 3320
  • 1.0 unit in Canadian politics selected from POLS 2201, 2202, 2205, 2219, 2223, 2227, 2530, 3301, or 3306
  • a maximum of 2.0 units of directed study may be counted
  • 4.5 additional units of POLS, 3.0 units of which must be at the 3000 level or above
  • a minimum overall GPA of 2.0 in the required 8.0 units of POLS

❏ a minor consisting of 3.0 units as specified by the department offering the minor. Students must achieve a minimum GPA of 2.0 in the required 3.0 units
❏ students may choose a second 3.0 unit minor in any area that offers a minor
❏ 1.0 unit from each core group A, B, and C listed under Bachelor of Arts (General Studies):

  • Core A – Sciences & Mathematics (1.0 unit)
  • Core B – Social Sciences (1.0 unit)
  • Core C – Humanities (1.0 unit)

❏ at least 9.0 units must be at the 2000 level or above
Note: No more than 4.0 units from professional areas may be counted toward the degree. Courses included in the Applied Human Nutrition science minor will not be counted as professional electives.

Special Studies
Students may count a maximum of 4.0 units of directed/independent/research studies courses towards the degree, with no more than 2.0 units in any single discipline.

Major Certificate

Students who have graduated from Mount Saint Vincent University with a Bachelor of Arts General Studies degree may apply to do a major certificate. Students must fulfill the requirements for the major degree listed above.

The combined major degree is intended for those students who wish to gain in-depth knowledge of two disciplines. Students must declare a major or combined major before registering for their sixth unit of coursework. Students who do not make this declaration within this time frame will not be permitted to register for further coursework.

The Mount also offers a limited enrollment internship option.

Students must successfully complete 20.0 units. In order to complete a combined major in Political Studies, the following requirements must be met:
❏ a minimum of 6.0 units and a maximum of 8.0 units in the Political Studies combined major as follows:

  • POLS 1001/CANA 1001
  • POLS 1002/CANA 1002
  • 1.0 unit in political theory selected from POLS 2208, 2210, 2213, 2214, 3312, 3314 or 3320
  • 1.0 unit in Canadian politics selected from POLS 2201, 2202, 2205, 2219, 2223, 2227, 2530, 3301, 3306, or 4401
  • 3.0 additional units of POLS (Note: A maximum of 1.0 unit of POLS directed study may be counted)
  • of the 6.0 units, at least 2.0 units of POLS must be at the 3000 level or above

❏ a second combined major specified by another program (Biology, Canadian Studies, Chemistry, Communication, Cultural Studies, Economics, English, Family Studies, French, Gerontology, History, Mathematics, Psychology, Sociology/Anthropology, Women’s Studies)
❏ a minimum overall GPA of 2.0 in the required 6.0 units of each combined major
❏ at least 5.0 units of the 12.0 units overall required for the combined majors must be at the 3000 level or above
❏ 1.0 unit from each core group A, B, and C listed under Bachelor of Arts (General Studies):

  • Core A – Sciences & Mathematics (1.0 unit)
  • Core B – Social Sciences (1.0 unit)
  • Core C – Humanities (1.0 unit)

❏ at least 9.0 units of the total 20.0 units must be at the 2000 level or above
Note: No more than 4.0 units from professional areas may be counted toward the degree. Courses included in the Applied Human Nutrition science minor will not be counted as professional electives.

Students wishing to combine an arts major and a science major (e.g. Chemistry and English or Biology and Political Studies)
❏ must meet all of the requirements listed above
and
♦ to complete a BSc (Combined Major) primary science
discipline plus secondary arts discipline

  • must complete a minimum 12.0 units of the total 20.0 units in science disciplines

♦ to complete a BA (Combined Major) primary arts discipline
plus secondary science discipline

  •  must complete a minimum 12.0 units of the total 20.0 units in arts disciplines

To obtain a concentration in Political Studies, students must fulfill the following requirements:
❏ POLS 1001/CANA 1001
❏ POLS 1002/CANA 1002
❏ 0.5 unit selected from POLS 2213, 2214, 3310, 3312, 3314, 3320
❏ 2.5 additional units of POLS, 1.0 unit of which must be at the 3000 level or above

To obtain a minor in Political Studies, students must fulfill the following requirements:
❏ POLS 1001/CANA 1001
❏ POLS 1002/CANA 1002
❏ 2.0 additional units of POLS, 1.0 unit of which must be at the 3000 level or above

Canadian and Regional Politics
POLS/CANA 2201
POLS/CANA 2202
POLS 2205
POLS/HIST 2216
POLS/HIST 2219
POLS/WOMS 2223
POLS/SOAN 2530
POLS/CANA 3301
POLS 3304
POLS/BUSI 3306
POLS 3309
POLS/WOMS 3361
POLS/CANA 4401

Political Theory
POLS/PHIL 2208
POLS/PHIL 2210
POLS/PHIL 2213
POLS/PHIL 2214
POLS 3310
POLS/PHIL 3312
POLS/PHIL 3314
POLS/CULS 3320
POLS 4006
POLS/CANA 4007

International Affairs
POLS 2224
POLS 2227
POLS 2244
POLS/CULS 2246
POLS 3324
POLS 3334
POLS 3344
POLS/WOMS 3391
POLS/SOAN 3543
POLS/ECON 4444

Academic Note: This web-based calendar information is applicable for the 2024-2025 academic year which runs from September 01, 2024 to August 31, 2025.

For information on previous years, please consult the University Academic Calendars web page.

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