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    * Honours BSocSc Political Science

  Honours BSocSc Political Science

      120 Units

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      * Program Requirements

        Politics is omnipresent in our lives. Political science seeks to describe, analyze, understand and assess the principles and power relations that govern social life. It revolves as much around the structures and institutions that define these relations and principles as around the ideas and practices that drive them. It studies everything that influences political life and institutions (ideologies, groups, social movements, etc.) on a local, regional, national and international scale.

        Our programs offer in-depth training in political science and encourage critical reflection on pivotal issues like citizenship, identity, political participation, globalization and development, governance and the state, and ethics and democracy. A discipline open to many theoretical and methodological approaches, political science constantly exchanges and shares with other fields. At the University of Ottawa's School of Political Studies, you build your knowledge in four subfields of political science: political thought, Canadian and Quebec politics, comparative politics, and international relations and global politics.

        This program is offered in English and in French.

        Learn more about this program

        Co-operative education is available with this program.

        The French immersion stream is available with this program.

      Requirements for this program have been modified. Please consult the 2025-2026 calendars for the previous requirements.

      Course List
        Code          Title                                          Units  
        Basic skills                                               
        ENG 1100      Workshop in Essay Writing                      3 Units
        ENG 1120      Selected Topics in Literature and Composition  3 Units
        Total:        6 Units                                      
        
        Course List
          Code                                                                  Title                                                                          Units  
          Compulsory Courses                                                                                                                                 
          POL 1101                                                              Introduction to Political Science                                              3 Units
          POL 2101                                                              Introduction to Canadian Politics                                              3 Units
          POL 2103                                                              Introduction to International Relations and Global Politics                    3 Units
          POL 2104                                                              Introduction to Comparative Politics                                           3 Units
          POL 2107                                                              Introduction to Political Thought                                              3 Units
          POL 2108                                                              Modern Political Thought I                                                     3 Units
          POL 2156                                                              Foundations of Research in Political Science                                   3 Units
          POL 3102                                                              Modern Political Thought II                                                    3 Units
          Optional Courses                                                                                                                                   
          3 course units from:                                                  3 Units                                                                      
            POL 3370                                                            Qualitative Analysis in Political Science                                             
            POL 3371                                                            Quantitative Analysis in Political Science                                            
          3 course units from the Canadian Politics group:                      3 Units                                                                      
            POL 3125                                                            Urban Politics in Canada                                                              
            POL 3126                                                            Gender and Politics                                                                   
            POL 3128                                                            Quebec Politics                                                                       
            POL 3135                                                            Politics and Francophonie in Ontario                                                  
            POL 3159                                                            Indigenous Politics in Canada                                                         
            POL 3170                                                            Comparative Provincial Politics                                                       
            POL 3171                                                            Immigration, Multiculturalism and Citizenship in Canada and Quebec                    
            POL 3172                                                            Political Participation and Mobilization in Canada                                    
            POL 3174                                                            Federalism                                                                            
            POL 3178                                                            Canadian Foreign Policy and North American Relations                                  
            POL 3182                                                            Indigenous Political Theory                                                           
            POL 4134                                                            Law, Politics, and the Constitution in Canada                                         
            POL 4135                                                            Francophonie, Diversity, Citizenship                                                  
            POL 4150                                                            Electoral Systems and Political Parties                                               
            POL 4154                                                            Parliamentary Government in Canada                                                    
            POL 4162                                                            Health Politics and Policy in Canada                                                  
            POL 4163                                                            Sexual and Gender Diversity Politics                                                  
            POL 4165                                                            Social and Political Thought in Quebec                                                
            POL 4166                                                            Social and Political Thought in Canada                                                
            POL 4194                                                            Indigenous Governance in Canada                                                       
            POL 4301                                                            The Politics of Populism                                                              
            POL 4303                                                            Politics and the Far Right                                                            
            POL 4375                                                            Social Citizenship and the Welfare State: Canada in a Comparative Perspective         
          3 course units from the Comparative Politics group:                   3 Units                                                                      
            POL 3109                                                            Nationalism                                                                           
            POL 3114                                                            Comparative Politics: Asia                                                            
            POL 3115                                                            Comparative Politics of Development                                                   
            POL 3126                                                            Gender and Politics                                                                   
            POL 3144                                                            Comparative Politics: Africa                                                          
            POL 3145                                                            Comparative Politics: Latin America                                                   
            POL 3162                                                            Political Violence                                                                    
            POL 3164                                                            Comparative Politics: Middle East and Arab World                                      
            POL 3177                                                            Politics, Social Movements and Globalization                                          
            POL 3180                                                            Comparative Politics: Europe                                                          
            POL 3181                                                            International and Comparative Politics of Indigenous Peoples                          
            POL 4127                                                            United States Foreign Policy                                                          
            POL 4141                                                            Comparative Politics: United States                                                   
            POL 4145                                                            Comparative Politics: Identity Issues                                                 
            POL 4163                                                            Sexual and Gender Diversity Politics                                                  
            POL 4178                                                            Political Economy of Development                                                      
            POL 4184                                                            Democratization and Authoritarianism                                                  
            POL 4189                                                            Politics of Human Rights                                                              
            POL 4301                                                            The Politics of Populism                                                              
            POL 4303                                                            Politics and the Far Right                                                            
            POL 4375                                                            Social Citizenship and the Welfare State: Canada in a Comparative Perspective         
            POL 4378                                                            Comparative Politics: China                                                           
          3 course units from the International Relations group:                3 Units                                                                      
            POL 3113                                                            Migration, Mobility, Borders and Citizenship                                          
            POL 3123                                                            Gender Studies and Feminist Theories in International Relations                       
            POL 3124                                                            The Politics of Security                                                              
            POL 3175                                                            Ecopolitics                                                                           
            POL 3177                                                            Politics, Social Movements and Globalization                                          
            POL 3178                                                            Canadian Foreign Policy and North American Relations                                  
            POL 3179                                                            International Organizations and Global Governance                                     
            POL 3181                                                            International and Comparative Politics of Indigenous Peoples                          
            POL 4126                                                            Contemporary Geopolitics                                                              
            POL 4127                                                            United States Foreign Policy                                                          
            POL 4138                                                            Empire and Imperialism                                                                
            POL 4170                                                            Politics of Foreign Aid                                                               
            POL 4173                                                            Agri-Food Politics                                                                    
            POL 4176                                                            International Political Economy                                                       
            POL 4178                                                            Political Economy of Development                                                      
            POL 4188                                                            International Relations as Political Theory                                           
            POL 4190                                                            Global Environmental Politics                                                         
            POL 4191                                                            Selected Topics in Critical Security and War Studies                                  
            POL 4192                                                            Selected Topics in International Political Economy and or Global Governance           
            POL 4302                                                            Technopolitics                                                                        
          3 course units from:                                                  3 Units                                                                      
            POL 4310                                                            Honours Seminar in Political Thought                                                  
            POL 4320                                                            Honours Seminar in Canadian Politics                                                  
            POL 4330                                                            Honours Seminar in International Relations and Global Politics                        
            POL 4350                                                            Honours Seminar in Comparative Politics                                               
            POL 4930                                                            Honours Seminar in International Relations and Global Politics                        
          15 optional course units in political science (POL)                   15 Units                                                                     
          6 optional course units in political science (POL) at the 4000 level  6 Units                                                                      
          Total:                                                                60 Units                                                                     
          
          Course List
            Code                                        Title     Units
            Elective courses                                    
            54 elective course units                    54 Units
              or 24 elective course units plus a minor          
            Total:                                      54 Units
            
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