Beyond choosing to study political science, you’ve got the option to customize how you study. You can choose the length and depth of specialization within your degree — whether it’s a four-year honours bachelor’s program or if you’re weighing two subjects of interest but can’t make a decision, you’re able to declare a major, which would be your primary area of study, as well as a minor, or secondary subject. Or give them equal billing and go for a double major. Whatever path you envision, you’ll have choices to accommodate you along the way.
If you began your degree in Fall 2021
Specialized Honours BA
Students must successfully complete (pass) at least 120 credits which meet the Faculty's degree and program requirements with a cumulative grade point average of at least 5.00.
Honours BA: 120 Credits
Students must successfully complete (pass) at least 120 credits which meet the Faculty's degree and program requirements with a cumulative grade point average of at least 5.00.
Honours Double Major BA
The Honours BA program described above may be pursued jointly with approved Honours Double Major degree programs in the Faculties of the Environment and Urban Change, Health, Liberal Arts and Professional Studies, Science, the School of the Arts, Media, Performance and Design, or the Lassonde School of Engineering. For further details on requirements, refer to the listings for specific Honours programs that may be pursued jointly with other Faculties.
Note: in a double major program, a course may count only once toward major credit.
Honours Major/Minor BA
The Honours BA program described above may be pursued jointly with approved Honours Minor degree programs in the Faculties of the Environment and Urban Change, Health, Liberal Arts and Professional Studies, Science, the School of the Arts, Media, Performance and Design, or the Lassonde School of Engineering. For further details on requirements, refer to the listings for specific Honours programs that may be pursued jointly with other Faculties.
Note: in a major/minor program, a course may count only once toward major credit or minor credit.
If you began your degree before Fall 2021
Specialized Honours BA
Important: In some cases, new GLBL courses, listed on the Courses web page, should be used as substitutes for the POLS courses normally fulfilling Global Political Studies major credit requirements.
For information about these and other important changes to Global Political Studies that affect you, read the degree requirements below carefully prior to enrolling in courses. Consult Lissa Chiu, Student Success & Academic Advisor, at lchiu@yorku.ca, for advice about meeting your degree requirements given these changes.
Graduation requirement: students must successfully complete (pass) at least 120 credits which meet the Faculty's degree and program requirements with a cumulative grade point average of at least 5.00.
General education: a minimum of 21 general education credits as follows:
- 6.00 credits in natural science (NATS)
- A 9.00 credit approved general education course in the social science or humanities categories
- A 6.00 credit approved general education course an the opposite category to the 9.00 credit course in social science or humanities already taken
Major credits: 60 credits including:
- AP/POLS 1000 6.00 (cross-listed to: AP/PPAS 1000 6.00)
- AP/POLS 2900 6.00 (Note: Substitute AP/POLS2000 6.00 from Fall 2021) (cross-listed to: AP/PPAS 2900 6.00):
- AP/POLS 2940 6.00
- AP/POLS 2950 6.00
Note: AP/POLS 2000, 2940 and 2950 are no longer offered. For information about substitute courses, contact the Department's Advisor (lchiu@york.ca).
- 15 credits chosen from the AP/POLS 3200 series or AP/POLS 4200 series of courses, including at least six credits from the AP/POLS 4200 series:
- Three credits chosen from the AP/POLS 3400 series of courses, which may also include AP/POLS 3900 3.00
- Three credits chosen from the AP/POLS 3500 series of courses:
- Six credits chosen from the AP/POLS 4400 or AP/POLS 4500 series of courses;
- Three additional credits chosen from the AP/POLS 3400, APIPOLS 3500, AP/POLS 4400 or AP/POLS 4500 series of courses, which may also include AP/POLS 3900 3.00;
- AP POLS 4985 6.00 (Note: Substitute AP/GLBL 4000 6.00 for AP POLS 4985 6.00 from Fall 2021)
Upper-level credits: at least 36 credits at the 3000 or 4000 level, including at least 18 credits at the 4000 level.
Credits outside the major: at least 18 credits
Internationally Oriented Degree Options
For students beginning the program Fall 2021 or later.
Specialized Honours iBA
Students must successfully complete (pass) at least 120 credits which meet the Faculty's degree and program requirements with a cumulative grade point average of at least 5.00.
In addition, students must fulfill international degree requirements
Honours iBA
Students must successfully complete (pass) at least 120 credits which meet the Faculty's degree and program requirements with a cumulative grade point average of at least 5.00.
In addition, students must fulfill international degree requirements
Honours Major/Minor iBA
The Honours iBA program described above may be pursued jointly with any Honours Minor BA program in the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies.
Note: in a major/minor program, a course may count only once, toward major credit or minor credit.
In addition, students must fulfill international degree requirements