Combined Majors

You can apply for a Combined Major Program at the end of your second year in the Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree.

Combined Major in Economics and Political Science

For frequently asked questions about our Combined Majors, please see our 2025W Prospective Majors FAQ.

Requirements

Students within the Combined Major in Economics and Political Science (ECPO) must complete the following Political Science courses: 

Please note: ECPO Combined Majors are not required to complete POLI_V 110 or POLI_V 380 (core requirements for our other undergraduate programs), because quantitative methods are taught within the ECON requirements of the Combined Major. While an ECPO Combined Major is welcome to complete POLI_V 110, it is not required. This contradicts the information that is listed in the Calendar for “Students Entering [ECPO] After 2025.” Prospective 2026W ECPO Majors should use the guidance listed on our website and in our Admissions FAQ–not in the Calendar–when developing their POLI course plan.

Additionally, ECPO Combined Majors are permitted to take a maximum of two 400-level POLI seminars during their time at UBC. Members of our Undergraduate Advising Team regularly check seminar enrolments to ensure that students do not exceed this seminar registration limit. If you have exceeded this limit, a member of our advising team will get in touch with you to better understand why you have structured your schedule in this way and confirm which of your extra seminars can be dropped from your schedule. If you are not responsive to our first or follow-up attempts to reach you, we may reduce the number of seminars on your schedule without your input.

Admission

In order to be considered for admission into Combined Major in Economics and Political Science, a student must meet the admission requirements for the Major in Economics. Additionally, we would like ECPO applicants to have completed at least nine credits of our 12-credit lower-level POLI requirement (POLI_V 100/101/ 240/3 credits chosen from POLI_V 220 or POLI_V 260), ideally by May 2025.

If you will not complete at least nine credits of ECPO’s 12-credit lower-level POLI requirement by May 2025, you are still welcome and encouraged to apply for this program. 

2025W Application Process

During this admissions cycle, students who are applying for the ECPO Program will only submit one application via the ECON application portal (which opens in March). ECPO applicants will not submit an application to POLI directly.

Combined Major in Philosophy and Political Science

Requirements

Students within the Combined Major in Philosophy and Political Science (PHIPO) must complete the following Political Science courses: 

Please note: PHIPO Combined Majors are permitted to take a maximum of two 400-level POLI seminars during their time at UBC. Members of our Undergraduate Advising Team regularly check seminar enrolments to ensure that students do not exceed this seminar registration limit. If you have exceeded this limit, a member of our advising team will get in touch with you to better understand why you have structured your schedule in this way and confirm which of your extra seminars can be dropped from your schedule. If you are not responsive to our first or follow-up attempts to reach you, we may reduce the number of seminars on your schedule without your input.

Admission

Students who meet our program entry requirements are able to apply for the Combined Major in Philosophy and Political Science by completing our Department’s short Program Entry Survey. 

Program Entry Requirements 

• Enrolled in UBC’s Bachelor of Arts program; and 
• Have third-year standing or above.