MA Stream in Politics of Global Challenges

PhD candidate Mehdi Hashemi
Originally from Iran, PhD candidate Mehdi Hashemi says he appreciates the welcoming and diverse environment he found at UVic. His research looks at Islamic movements and foreign fighter recruitment.

Explore critical global challenges in migration, surveillance and democracy while earning your master's degree in one year.

Our specialized stream in the Politics of Global Challenges (PGC) provides you with advanced training in theoretical and methodological approaches to addressing critical global political challenges. The stream equips students to be researchers, scholars and advocates active in advancing alternative and innovative solutions to problems of global importance.

Apply now:

Apply online through the Graduate Studies website.

Deadlines:

Canadian and international applicants: January 15

Learn more:

Dr. Feng Xu, Grad Advisor
or 250-472-4263


Ms. Rachel Richmond, Grad Secretary
or 250-721-7486

The PGC stream is a research project-based degree and offers a focused program of study. The program is centred on four key global challenges:

  1. migration and contested borders
  2. political economy and development
  3. (in)security and surveillance
  4. democracy, diversity and human rights

You'll specialize in one of these challenges and should have a good grounding in your chosen area. Please see the research interests of associated faculty for the types of questions that might work well with these challenge areas.

The research project-based degree is intended to both train students for careers outside academe and prepare those interested in continuing on to a PhD. It is structured to be completed in a single academic year (September-August). You'll also have the opportunity to apply for internship opportunities through the Centre for Global Studies, Centre for Asia-Pacific Initiatives or Centre for Studies in Religion and Society.

We encourage applicants from all subfields of political science to apply. For details about the program requirements, please refer to the UVic Academic Calendar.

PGC ELECTIVES:

Migration and Contested Borders
 512 – Migration, Nationalism and Identity in Asia (Xu)
524 – The Politics of Colonialism (Dhamoon)
533 – Migration and Refugees (Schmidtke)

Political Economy and Development
514 – Politics of the European Union (Schmidtke, Verdun)
533 – International Political Economy and the Environment (Sharma)
542 – International Law (Cutler)

(In)Security and Surveillance
533 – Nationalism and Violent Conflict (Watson)
533 – Understanding Global Security (Greaves)

Democracy, Diversities, and Human Rights
533 – The Politics of Historical Injustice and Memory (James)
533 – Violence to Indigenous Lands and Bodies (Aguirre)
533 – Democracy and Populism (Schmidtke)
536 – Politics of Human Rights in New Democracies (Bonner)