Why study this program?
The Department of Political Science offers programs leading to the Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science, and the Master of Arts in Policy Studies.
The following fields of study are offered in the master’s and doctoral programs: Canadian politics, comparative politics, gender and politics, international relations, and political philosophy/theory.
Entrance Requirements
The Department’s minimum admission requirements are an undergraduate degree with an average of 3.3 in the last two years of undergraduate work (or graduate work) at the University of Alberta, or an equivalent qualification from a recognized institution.
For all programs, an undergraduate degree in Political Science or close cognates such as International Relations or International Political Economy is strongly preferred. Applicants with other undergraduate majors should normally have at least equivalent to 30 units of graded credits of coursework in Political Science.
For the MA in Policy Studies, an undergraduate degree in Public Policy is also acceptable. For the MA in Policy Studies course-based route, relevant work experience in the policy community is required.
A TOEFL score of 100 (Internet-based) or an equivalent score on a test acceptable to GPS is required where applicable.
A statement of intent, a writing sample, and a CV are also required.
For more information on the University’s commitment to the recruitment, retention, and graduation of Indigenous students, see Indigenous Applicants.
A PhD student with an MA or equivalent in political science is normally required to complete a minimum of 18 units at the graduate level. Students will normally be required to complete the core courses in each of their two chosen fields of concentration. Students must take and pass written comprehensive examinations in any two of the following five fields: Canadian politics; comparative politics; gender and politics; international relations; political philosophy/theory. The student’s supervisor or supervisory committee may also determine that a special skill or area is essential to the student’s program and may require additional coursework. It is normally expected that all coursework will be complete within two terms and that students would take comprehensive exams and defend their dissertation proposals during the second year in the program.
Students will also be expected to prepare a thesis proposal for oral candidacy examination. This normally occurs within eight months of passing the comprehensive exams, i.e., within the third year of the program. The thesis proposal must be approved and the oral candidacy examination passed before students become full doctoral candidates.
Before defending the thesis each student must demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English. Students taking Canadian politics as a field will normally be required to take French.
All candidates for the PhD must prepare an acceptable thesis embodying the results of their research. Candidates will be examined orally on their thesis results.
The minimum period of residence is two academic years of full-time attendance at the University of Alberta.
Courses
Graduate courses can be found in Course Listings, under the subject heading Political Science (POL S).
A number of graduate assistantships are available for qualified students.
For general information, please visit the Tuition and Fees page on the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research site.The Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research administers over $29 million each year in scholarships, awards, and financial support for graduate students, as well as financial and loan advising. Additional scholarships are also available for specific faculties and programs.
Please refer to the detailed program information or email psgrad@ualberta.ca.
General inquiriesPlease check out some of our most frequently asked questions (FAQS) to see if your question has been answered, or contact the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies (GPS) during our office hours.
Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research (FGSR)
Killam Centre for Advanced Studies
2-29 Triffo Hall
University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E1