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Political Science (MA)

Our MA program in political science will develop your analytical capacities, theoretical understanding and research skills.

You’ll engage in coursework as you research and write an original thesis or major research paper. You can focus your research on a variety of topics such as Indigenous land claims and treaty rights, social movements, privacy and surveillance, democracy and international law.

You have the option of combining this program with the interdisciplinary Cultural, Social and Political Thought MA or the graduate certificate in Indigenous Nationhood.

Expected length Project or thesis Course-based
1-2 years (3-6 academic terms) Yes Yes

Quick facts

Program options:
Master's
Study options:
Full-time study
Program delivery:
On-campus
Dynamic learning:
Co-op optional

Outcomes

Graduates with an MA in Political Science will:

  • have demonstrated analytical capacities, theoretical understanding and research skills necessary for further work as a political scientist
  • have demonstrated a degree of mastery over a body of scholarship within the discipline
  • have shown they can apply that knowledge to a study that they have defined and focussed well
  • pursue careers in policy analysis, diplomacy, journalism, social activism, policy advocacy or public service

Find a supervisor

All graduate students must have a faculty member who serves as their academic supervisor. When you apply:

  • you are advised to list a potential supervisor on your application
  • one faculty member must agree to be your supervisor and recommend your admission

To find a supervisor, review the faculty contacts. When you've found a faculty member whose research complements your own, contact them by email.

A. Claire Cutler

Professor International relations theory, international law and organization

Amy Verdun

Professor & Undergraduate Director Comparative politics, European integration, political economy

Andrew Wender

Associate Teaching Professor, Undergraduate Advisor and Director, Religion, Culture and Society Program Political theory, politics and religion, politics of the Middle East

Avigail Eisenberg

Professor Democratic theory, normative political theory, history of ideas (19th-20thC), pluralism, identity politics

Feng Xu

Associate Professor and Graduate Director Comparative politics, gender, migration and citizenship, Global South (East Asia)

Jamie Lawson

Associate Professor Canadian politics, political economy, environmental politics

Justin Leifso

Assistant Professor Canadian politics; Canadian public policy; Neoliberalism

Kelly Aguirre

Assistant Professor Indigenous politics; decolonial and critical theory

Lois Harder

Professor and Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences Citizenship law, social policy, regulation of intimate life.

Mara Marin

Assistant Professor Political theory, feminist theory, critical race theory, critiques of capitalism

Marlea Clarke

Associate Professor Comparative politics, political economy of development, Global South (Africa)

Matt James

Associate Professor Reparations, social memory, social movements, transitional justice

Michelle Bonner

Professor Comparative politics, democracy, human rights, Global South (Latin America)

Oliver Schmidtke

Professor and Director, Centre for Global Studies Citizenship and immigration, European integration

Rita Dhamoon

Associate Professor Feminist and gender theory, critical race politics, anti-colonial and decolonial theory, Canadian politics

Sarah E. Sharma

Assistant Professor International political economy; global environmental governance; global north-global south relations

Scott Watson

Associate Professor and Chair International relations theory, securitization, migration

Simon Glezos

Associate Professor Political theory, international relations theory, theories of the state

Will Greaves

Associate Professor Global Security, International Relations, Arctic Politics, Canadian Foreign Policy, Environmental Politics

Show me program details

Providing you accurate admission requirements, application deadlines, tuition fee estimates and scholarships depends on your situation. Tell us about yourself:

Ready to apply?

You can start your online application to UVic by creating a new profile or using an existing one.

Apply now    How to apply

Need help?

Contact Rachel Richmond at poligrad@uvic.ca or 250-721-7486.

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