You can apply for the honours program in Political Science at the end of your second year in the Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree.
Admission Requirements
The 2023W application portal for our Honours programs will close on May 15, 2023.
Students with an average of 80% or higher are encouraged to discuss the Honours program with our Undergraduate Advisor and consider applying.
Although only a limited number of students can be accepted into the Honours program, all applicants will be given serious consideration. In exceptional cases, Majors students may be allowed to transfer to the Honours Program at the end of their third year.
As part of your application, you will be asked to provide supplementary materials: a brief resumé (no more than 2 pages) and a 250-word description of your special interests in political science, your interests outside the discipline (including your outside reading), and your ultimate career plans.
The required courses in the 54 Credits are the same as the Political Science Major.
Degree Requirements
Graduation in the honours program normally requires an 80% grade in at least one political science course during the fourth year, a minimum grade of 75% in POLI 492, and a 75% overall average in the final two years.
Honours students must complete at least 60 but not more than 72 credits of political science in their 120 credits for the BA degree. At least 48 of these credits must be in courses numbered 300 or above, including these required courses: POLI 340, POLI 380, POLI 390, POLI 492, and at least 6 additional credits of political science seminars at the 400 level.
Entering the fourth year of the honours program requires an 80% grade in at least one political science course during the third year, a minimum grade of 75% in POLI 390, and a 75% average overall in the third year. Occasionally outstanding students from the third-year major program may be admitted directly to the fourth-year honours program.
Students not meeting these standards, but nevertheless satisfying all other university requirements for graduation, will be awarded a BA in the major program.
Degree Requirements for the Honours in Political Science with International Relations Program
Please note, the graduation requirements for the Honours in Political Science with International Relations are slightly different, both at the lower level and the upper level.
First 60 Credits
Students take the following courses:
- POLI 100, POLI 101, POLI 110, and POLI 260, plus one other 200-level Political Science course
- ECON 101 and 102
- HIST 102 or 103
- 12 credits of a language other than English, in addition to the Faculty of Arts language requirement. The language may be the one used to satisfy the Faculty of Arts requirement carried to a higher level, or it may be an additional language. This requirement may be completed in the third and/or fourth year.
60-120 Credits
Students take the following courses:
- POLI 340, 380, 390*, 492*
- 12 credits from: POLI 360-373, 460-466, of which at least 3 must be from 460-464, 466
- ECON 355
- HIST 425 or 432
*POLI 390 is a one-term, six-credit seminar
*POLI 492 is a year-long, 12 credit course in which honours students develop research skills and write an original thirty-five-page thesis