Beyond choosing to study Political Science, you’ve got the option to customize how you learn. You can select the length and depth of specialization within your degree — whether it’s a three-year bachelor’s or more intensive four-year honours bachelor’s program. 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.
Bachelor's (BA)
Students must pass at least 90 credits meeting the Faculty's degree and program requirements with a cumulative grade point average of at least 4.00.
General education: a minimum of 21 general education credits
Major credits: students must complete at least 30 credits in political science
Upper-level credits: at least 18 credits at the 3000 or 4000 level.
Credits outside the major: at least 18 credits.
Honours BA
Students must pass at least 120 credits meeting 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
Major credits: students must complete at least 48 credits political science
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. (Note: students who are completing a double major or major/minor are deemed to have fulfilled this requirement.)
Honours Specialized BA
Students must pass at least 120 credits meeting 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
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.
Combine political science with another area of interest
Honours Double Major BA
The Honours BA program may be pursued jointly with approved Honours Double Major degree programs in the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, the Faculty of Health, the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, the Faculty of 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.
Major credits: students must complete at least 48 credits in political science
Honours Double Major Linked BA
Political science may be linked with any Honours Double Major Interdisciplinary BA program in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies. Students must take at least 48 credits in political science and at least 36 credits in the interdisciplinary program. Courses taken to meet political science requirements cannot also be used to meet the requirements of the interdisciplinary program. Students in these interdisciplinary programs must take a total of at least 18 credits at the 4000 level, including at least 12 credits in political science and six credits in the interdisciplinary program. For further details of requirements, refer to the listings for specific Honours Double Major Interdisciplinary BA programs.
Note: in a double major program, a course may count only once toward major credit.
Major credits: the 48 credits in political science
Honours Major/Minor BA
The Honours BA program may be pursued jointly with approved Honours Minor degree programs in the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, the Faculty of Health, the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, the Faculty of 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.
Honours Minor BA
The Honours Minor BA program described may be combined with any approved Honours BA program that offers a major/minor option in the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, the Faculty of Health, the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, the Faculty of 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.
- POLS 1000 6.0
- 12 credits from;
- POLS 2000 6.0,
- POLS 2100 3.0,
- POLS 2201 3.0,
- POLS 2400 3.0,
- POLS 2600 3.0,
- POLS 2990 3.0
- 6 political science credits at the 3000 level
- 6 political science credits at the 4000 level
Internationally oriented degree options
International Bachelors (iBA) Honours
Students must pass at least 120 credits meeting 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
Major credits: students must complete at least 48 credits in political science
In addition, students in the Honours iBA program must fulfill the following requirements:
Required Course: AP/ANTH 2300 3.00 Intercultural Training Skills completed before the term or terms abroad. Note: This course is considered to be outside the major (even for ANTH students).
Language study credits: at least 18 credits in a modern language offered by York University, including the Advanced I university-level course in the chosen language. Up to six (6) language credits may be taken while the student is abroad. Such courses must be approved by the coordinator of the relevant language section in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Linguistics.
If an iBA student is fluent in a language, he/she will undergo an examination to test language proficiency by the Department of Languages, Literatures and Linguistics. Students exempted from one or more of the language courses required for the degree must complete cultural courses related to that language.
Internationally-oriented credits:at least 9 credits of internationally-oriented courses to be completed from the list of pre-approved courses; these courses can be additional courses in your major.
International exchange: at least one full term abroad as a full-time student at one of York University's exchange partners.
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. (Note: for the Honours iBA courses taken outside the major to satisfy the language study requirement and/or the internationally-oriented courses requirement can also be used to satisfy the outside the major requirement. Students who are completing a major/minor are deemed to have fulfilled this requirement.)
Specialized Honours iBA
Students must pass at least 120 credits meeting 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 in the opposite category to the 9.00 credit course in social science or humanities already taken
Major credits: students must complete at least 54 credits in political science
In addition, students in the Specialized Honours iBA program must fulfill the following requirements:
Required Course: AP/ANTH 2300 3.00 Intercultural Training Skills must be completed before the International Exchange/Experience requirement of the degree. Note: This course is considered to be outside the major (even for ANTH students).
Language study credits: at least 18 credits in a modern language offered by York University, including the Advanced I university-level course in the chosen language. Up to six (6) language credits may be taken while the student is abroad. Such courses must be approved by the coordinator of the relevant language section in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Linguistics.
If an iBA student is fluent in a language, he/she will undergo an examination to test language proficiency by the Department of Languages, Literatures and Linguistics. Students exempted from one or more of the language courses required for the degree must complete cultural courses related to that language.
Internationally-oriented credits: at least 9 credits of internationally-oriented courses to be completed from the list of pre-approved courses; these courses can be additional courses in your major.
International exchange: at least one full term abroad as a full-time student at one of York University's exchange partners.
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. (Note: for the Specialized Honours iBA, courses taken outside the major to satisfy the language study requirement and/or the internationally-oriented courses requirement can also be used to satisfy the outside the major requirement).
Honours Major/Minor iBA
The Honours iBA program may be pursued jointly with any Honours Minor BA program in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies.
Note: in a major/minor program, a course may count only once toward major credit or minor credit.