Alex Michalos, Professor Emeritus
Gary Wilson, Professor and Chair
Michael Murphy, Professor
Boris DeWiel, Associate Professor
Fiona MacDonald, Associate Professor
Walter Babicz, Adjunct Professor
Alberto De Feo, Adjunct Professor
Tracy Summerville, Adjunct Professor
Jason Lacharite, Senior Instructor
Jason Morris, Senior Instructor III
Website: www.unbc.ca/political-science
Major in Political Science (BA)
Joint Major in Anthropology and Political Science (BA)
Joint Major in Economics and Political Science (BA)
Joint Major in English and Political Science (BA)
Joint Major in Environmental and Sustainability Studies and Political Science (BA)
Joint Major in Geography and Political Science (BA)
Joint Major in Global and International Studies and Political Science (BA)
Joint Major in History and Political Science (BA)
Joint Major in Political Science and Women's Studies (BA)
Minor in Political Science
Besides literacy and numeracy, citizenship and diplomacy are fundamental skills needed to achieve a good quality of life. Citizenship includes both the rights and duties of membership in a political community. Diplomacy is the art and practice of reaching agreements through negotiation. A healthy democracy requires the active and informed participation of its citizens, but this is only possible with a good understanding of its political institutions, processes and issues. Political Science is the discipline devoted to the systematic investigation of citizenship and diplomacy in local, national and international communities.
To achieve its purposes, the Department of Political Science offers the opportunity to study political philosophy, comparative politics, Canadian government, international politics and public administration. The latter field is offered in the Local Government Administration Certificate, which focuses on municipal and local government administration.
Majors in Political Science must take a minimum of 51 credit hours in Political Science or other designated disciplines.
The minor requires a minimum of six Political Science courses. Students may also choose to complete the certificate in public administration.
Political Philosophy
Political philosophy investigates normative questions about political life: What is the best form of government? What is justice? Is there an inherent right to self-government?
Comparative Politics
Comparative politics examines the relationships between government and society around the world. This includes studies of individual countries such as Russia or the United States, as well as political issues such as the role of government in the economy, transitions to democracy or aboriginal-state relations across sets of countries.
Canadian Government
The study of Canadian government investigates the conflicts and challenges within Canadian society and the institutions of government at federal, provincial, local and First Nations levels. This includes such topics as Canadian political culture, federalism, political economy and the Charter.
International Politics
International politics examines politics among nations and will cover a wide variety of topics such as Canadian Foreign Policy, International Organizations as well as a diversity of theoretical approaches.
Major in Political Science
Political Science majors are required to take 51 credit hours in Political Science and related disciplines.
The Political Science major offers a foundation in four fields of political science: Canadian Government, Comparative Politics, International Relations and Political Philosophy.
The minimum requirement for completion of a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Political Science is 120 credit hours.
Program Requirements
Lower-Division Requirement
100 Level
| INTS 100-3 | Introduction to Global Studies |
| POLS 100-3 | Contemporary Political Issues |
200 Level
| POLS 200-3 | Canadian Government and Politics |
| POLS 202-3 | Canada in Comparative Perspective |
| POLS 230-3 | International Relations |
| POLS 270-3 | Political Philosophy: Antiquity to Early Modernity |
Upper-Division Requirement
| POLS 303-3 | Democracy and Democratization |
| POLS 320-3 | Canadian Politics and Policy |
| POLS 370-3 | Political Philosophy: Early Modernity to Post-Modernity |
Nine credit hours of 400-level Political Science courses
Six additional credit hours of upper-division Political Science courses
Nine credit hours of upper-division Global and International Studies courses
Elective and Academic Breadth
Students take electives at any level in any subject sufficient to ensure completion of a minimum of 120 credit hours. This include taking any additional credits necessary to meet the Academic Breadth requirement of the University (see Academic Regulation on Academic Breadth).
Joint Major in Anthropology and Political Science (BA)
See Calendar entry under Anthropology.
Joint Major in Economics and Political Science (BA)
See Calendar entry under Economics.
Joint Major in English and Political Science (BA)
See Calendar entry under English.
Joint Major in Environmental and Sustainability Studies and Political Science (BA)
See Calendar entry under Environmental and Sustainability Studies.
Joint Major in Geography and Political Science (BA)
See Calendar entry under Geography
Joint Major in Global and International Studies and Political Science (BA)
See Calendar entry under International Studies.
Joint Major in History and Political Science (BA)
See Calendar entry under History.
Joint Major in Political Science and Women's Studies (BA)
The Political Science/Women’s Studies Joint Major equips students to understand the relationship between the study of the literature and its women’s studies context. The degree is particularly attractive to students who intend to pursue a career in teaching or further studies in political science or women’s studies.
The minimum requirement for completion of a Bachelor of Arts with a Joint Major in Political Science and Women’s Studies is 120 credit hours.
Program Requirements
Lower-Division Requirement
| ECON 205-3 | Statistics for Business and the Social Sciences |
| or STAT 240-3 | Basic Statistics |
| POLS 100-3 | Contemporary Political Issues |
| POLS 200-3 | Canadian Government and Politics |
| POLS 202-3 | Canada in Comparative Perspective |
| POLS 230-3 | International Relations |
| POLS 270-3 | Political Philosophy: Antiquity to Early Modernity |
| WMST 100-3 | Introduction to Women's Studies |
Three additional Women's Studies courses (9 credit hours) at the 100 or 200 level.
Upper-Division Requirement
| HIST 311-3 | History of Feminism |
| INTS 308-3 | Gender and International Studies |
| POLS 320-3 | Canadian Politics and Policy |
| POLS 370-3 | Political Philosophy: Early Modernity to Post-Modernity |
| WMST 302-3 | Women and the Contemporary World |
| WMST 307-3 | Qualitative Research Methods |
Three additional Political Science courses (9 credit hours) at the 400 level.
Additional Requirement
Three of the following:
| ANTH 401-3 | Anthropological Perspectives on Inequality |
| ANTH 406-3 | Feminist Perspectives in Anthropology |
| ECON 301-3 | Women and the Economy |
| ENVS 309-3 | Gender, Environment and Sustainability |
| FNST 407-3 | First Nations Perspectives on Race, Class, Gender and Power |
| HIST 309-3 | Women in Canada |
| HIST 453-(3-6) | Topics in the History of Gender |
| HIST 454-(3-6) | Topics in Women's History |
| NURS 412-3 | Women and Health |
| WMST 303-3 | Lesbian and Bisexual Lives |
| WMST 312-3 | An Introduction to the History of Gender |
| WMST 411-3 | Contemporary Feminist Theories |
| WMST 413-3 | Topics in Aboriginal Women's Studies |
| WMST 420-3/ENGL 410-3 | Contemporary Women's Literature |
| WMST 498-(3-6) | Selected Topics in Women's Studies |
Elective and Academic Breadth
Electives at any level in any subject sufficient to ensure completion of a minimum of 120 credit hours, including any additional credits necessary to meet the Academic Breadth requirement of the University (see Academic Regulation on Academic Breadth).
Minor in Political Science
This minor provides students with a foundation in each of the fields of Canadian Politics, Comparative Politics, and Political Theory, as well as permits some specialization in upper-division courses.
A minor in Political Science requires students to take at least six Political Science courses (18 credit hours), at least four of which must be upper division.
A maximum of two courses (6 credit hours) used to fulfill program requirements for a major or another minor may also be used to fulfill requirements for a minor in Political Science.
To fulfill the minor, students must successfully complete the following courses:
| POLS 100-3 | Contemporary Political Issues |
One of the following:
| POLS 200-3 | Canadian Government and Politics |
| POLS 202-3 | Canada in Comparative Perspective |
| POLS 270-3 | Political Philosophy: Antiquity to Early Modernity |
and four upper-division courses in Political Science.
Alternative courses may be substituted for the above with the written permission of the Department Chair or Faculty Dean.
Updated: June 26, 2024