Political Science
Critical thinking in action
Political science is the study of power, authority and governance in human affairs. We examine the social, economic, cultural, historical, geographical and other forces that generate conflicts in and between societies.
Do you want to understand how decisions are made at different levels of government? Are you curious about how social justice issues affect you and the world?
Join us and learn how to evaluate different points of view and think critically about the world around you.
Study political science at UVic
From small class sizes to hands-on and international learning, learn why you should study political science at UVic.
News & Stories
POLI Speakers Series: Jan. 27 2:30 pm Dr. Pauliina Patana
January 7, 2026
Dr. Pauliina PatanaAssociate Professor, School of Foreign Service Georgetown University "Stuck: Place, Mobility and the Radical Right in the Knowledge Society" Tuesday, January...
2026 summer courses
January 7, 2026
Learn more about our 2026 summer courses. Timed-ticket registration starts Monday, March 9. Questions? Contact our POLI Undergraduate Adviser - Scott Watson.
Political Science Weekly Digest for Friday, January 2, 2026
January 2, 2026
We acknowledge and respect the Lək̓ʷəŋən (Songhees and Xʷsepsəm/Esquimalt) Peoples on whose territory the university stands,...
VICMUN conference - Saturday, February 28, 2026
December 1, 2025
UVic's Model UN (MUN) Club, sponsored by the Department of Political Science, is holding their annual VICMUN conference on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. MUN was re-established after the Covid-19...
Congratulations to Oliver Schmidtke on recent award
November 26, 2025
Oliver has been awarded the Humboldt Research Award (Humboldt-Forschungspreis) by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation which is one of Germany’s most prestigious international research...
News
Faculty of Social Sciences
The Faculty of Social Sciences is a dynamic and multi-faceted community of people. We have more than 140 regular faculty members, 200 additional adjunct, emeritus and sessional faculty, and approximately 30 support employees. Our student community includes roughly 400 graduate students and more than 4,500 undergraduate students.
