Program Requirements

Refer to the SGS Calendar for the various program requirements by field.

Coursework

 

Field: Political Theory 

Completion Requirements

Coursework. Students must complete a minimum of 4.0 full-course equivalents (FCEs) as follows:

  • 2.0 FCEs in Political Theory.
  • At least 1.0 FCE in an area outside Political Theory.
  • The equivalent of 1.0 FCE may be taken in a cognate discipline with the approval of the department.
  • All courses must be chosen in consultation with the MA supervisor.

Programs in which additional requirements or prerequisites must be met may take longer than three sessions to complete.
 

Field: Political Science 

Completion Requirements

Coursework. Students must complete a minimum of 4.0 full-course equivalents (FCEs) as follows:

  • 0.5 FCE: a Political Theory course or a methods course. Students enrolled in a collaborative specialization (CS) may take a theory course, a methods course, or a course that counts towards the CS.
  • At least 0.5 FCE in statistics or research design. POL2503H Thinking Through Research Design and POL2504H Statistics for Political Scientists are among the courses currently offered by the department which meet this requirement.
  • The equivalent of 1.0 FCE may be taken in a cognate discipline with the approval of the department.
  • A research essay (1.0 FCE) within the context of the MA Research Seminars, POL2810Y MA Research Seminar I, or POL2811Y MA Research Seminar II. Students enrolled in a collaborative specialization with a similar requirement are exempted.

Programs in which additional requirements or prerequisites must be met may take longer than three sessions to complete.

 

Major Research Paper (MRP)

The Major Research Paper (MRP) is intended to provide an opportunity for MA students to apply their disciplinary skills/training in developing a substantial original research project. Normally, MRPs are between 10,000 and 15,000 words in length. A three-to-five-page project outline is submitted early in the Winter term, specifying the main research questions, the relationship to existing literature, and the proposed approach and relevant empirical materials. The Master’s Research Seminar instructor has formal supervisory responsibility for guiding and grading MRPs, but students are encouraged to work with faculty specializing in their area of research interest. MRPs frequently build on and extend research papers done within a course framework. Most MRPs are completed over the summer term.