DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE, THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA CALL FOR APPLICATIONS TO TEACH IN:
WINTER SESSION TERM 1 (Sept-Dec 2026)
WINTER SESSION TERM 2 (Jan-Apr 2027)
The department will accept applications until January 10th, 2026.
The Department of Political Science invites applications to teach in the courses and terms listed below. Applicants may apply for more than one session, and must specify which session(s) and term(s) they wish to teach. Preference will be given to applicants with a Ph.D. and experience in teaching at the college or university level, but applicants without a Ph.D. who are ABD will also be considered. The minimum salary for a 3-credit course in the Faculty of Arts is currently $9,559.11.
Almost all of our winter courses will be delivered in person, but there are a few opportunities for online teaching (where specified). We expect to require sessional instructors for 10-12 courses on a variety of topics, dependent on student demand, applicant expertise and experience.
All positions are subject to funding and are governed by UBC’s “Agreement and Conditions of Appointment for Sessional Lecturers.” In accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, priority will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada. Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Métis, Inuit, or Indigenous person.
Winter 2026-27 Terms 1 (Sept-Dec 2026) & Term 2 (Jan-Apr 2027), we seek applications to teach the following courses we may offer. This list is not exhaustive; please consult https://vancouver.calendar.ubc.ca/course-descriptions/subject/poliv for courses the department may offer in 2026-27.
- POLI 100 – Introduction to Politics
- POLI 101 – Introduction to Canadian Politics
- POLI 220 – Choice and Conflict: An Introduction to Domestic Politics around the World (aka Introduction to Comparative Politics)
- POLI 240 – Currents of Political Thought
- POLI 302 – Public Administration
- POLI 306 – Local Government and Politics in Canada
- POLI 321 – Chinese Politics and Development
- POLI 323 – South Asian Government and Politics
- POLI 324 – Southeast Asian Government and Politics
- POLI 328 – Topics in Comparative Politics
- POLI 329 – Gender and Politics
- POLI 333 – Issues in Comparative Politics
- POLI 336 — Associations and the State in Comparative Perspective
- POLI 334 – Comparative Democratization
- POLI 338 – Politics and Development
- POLI 347 – Law and Political Theory
- POLI 350 – Public Policy
- POLI 352 – Comparative Politics of Public Policy
- POLI 361 – International Violence and Its Control
- POLI 363 – Canadian Foreign Policy
- POLI 364 – International Organizations
- POLI 369 – Topics in International Security
- POLI 370 – Topics in International Conflict Management
- POLI 373 – Ethics in World Politics
- POLI 376 – International Law
- POLI 377 – Nuclear Weapons and Arms Control
- POLI 405 – Advanced Topics in Canadian Politics
- POLI 406 – Indigenous Peoples and Canadian Politics
- POLI 420 – Advanced Topics in Comparative Politics
- POLI 462 – International Relations Theory
- POLI 449 – Topics in Political Theory
- POLI 464 – Advanced Topics in International Relations
All applicants should apply only through the Political Science Department’s Internal Resources website at: https://poli.air.arts.ubc.ca/poli-sessional-application-form/
Returning Applicants: those who have taught for us in the last five years, can simply
- Select the courses listed on the online application form that you are interested in teaching, including the session(s) and term(s) you wish to teach
- Upload an updated curriculum vitae
New Applicants: should provide the following application materials:
- Select the courses listed on the online application form that you are interested in teaching, including the session(s) and term(s) you wish to teach
- Upload an updated curriculum vitae. The c.v. must include a list of post-secondary courses taught at UBC and elsewhere.
- And upload the following application materials (in the following order, collated into a single PDF file):
- a letter of application, including a statement on experience with and potential for teaching a diverse student population
- teaching evaluations
- transcript of your academic record if you do not yet hold a Ph.D.
For further information on the sessional program, please contact Jeff Yupitun, Assistant to the Department Head, at polihead.assistant@ubc.ca
Decisions on course offerings will be made once the department has reviewed recent enrolments and assessed student demand. Due to budgetary constraints, the number of positions available is limited. Decisions for Winter 2026-27 Terms 1 and 2 will be shared with successful applicants by March 15, 2026.
