Graduate Course Descriptions
Graduate Courses
POLS*6940 Research Design & Methods [0.75]
This course focuses on the elements of designing and writing a research question and proposal. It examines the principles of research design and research ethics, and surveys the strengths and weaknesses of a variety of methods of data collection.
POLS*6900 Communication Skills [0.25]
This course trains students in crucial academic skills, in particular writing and presentation skills.
POLS*6130 Rights, Justice and Public Policy [0.50]
Students will study how individual rights can be restricted, protected or expanded through public policy, and how rights considerations and discourse may shape policy and the policy process.
POLS*6150 Constitutionalism and Judicial Politics [0.50]
This course investigates how the constitution and the judiciary affect political processes and decision-making, and how politics shape constitutions and judicial process. Canadian or comparative examples will be examined.
POLS*6510 Political Participation and Engagement [0.50]
Students will study how individual citizens engage the political process. Informal channels such as social movements or more formal organizations such as interest groups and political parties may be examined.
POLS*6050 The Politics of Identity [0.50]
This course engages theoretical approaches of identity and identity politics in the global north and/or south. Topics may include contestation over indigenous, racial, ethnic, cultural, sexual, gender, and women’s rights.
POLS*6400 Citizenship and Social Policy [0.50]
Students will study citizenship and the allocation of social goods through social policies. Normative debates, theoretical frameworks, and empirical perspectives in a range of social policy fields – such as health care, pensions, childcare, education, and housing - may be examined.
POLS 6730 Development and Global Justice [0.50]
Students will study Western and non-Western theoretical perspectives on the politics of development and global justice. Topics may include human rights and development, global inequality, environmental justice, indigenous politics, humanitarian ethics, intercultural competency, and faith-based development.
POLS*6630 Approaches to Public Policy [0.50]
The course introduces students to the main theoretical perspectives on public policy and public policymaking. Canadian or comparative examples will be examined.
POLS*6640 Canadian Public Administration [0.50]
This course examines the changing nature of the administrative state in Canada. It critically reviews the evolution from traditional public administration to new public management to new public governance. Topics include the changing nature of accountability, service delivery, the nature of the citizen-state relationship, and public sector values and ethics.
POLS*6120 - Theories of International Relations [0.50]
This course examines Western and non-Western theories of international relations, such as realism, liberalism, and constructivism, as well as Marxist, critical, indigenous and gender approaches. It will engage with established and emerging theories, exploring contestation and debates within the discipline.
POLS*6390 Resource Scarcity & Conflict [0.50]
This course examines domestic, international and global dimensions of environmental governance and resource conflict, as well as stakeholder perspectives on resource politics. Topics may include climate change; the resource curse; commodity production, trade and consumption; food and human security; political ecology and extractive industries.
POLS*6520 International Political Economy U [0.50]
The course relies on theoretical approaches in IPE to examine the relationships between politics and economics across national and regional levels. The evolution of the global political economy and its globalization and state and non-state actors' responses. Issue areas may include: money and power, technology, trade, development and the environment.
POLS*6380 State-Building and Regime Change [0.50]
Students will explore theories of states, regimes, state-building, regime change, and democratization. The course critically engages dominant debates and reviews empirical examples.
POLS*6500 Qualitative and Quantitative Data Analysis [0.50]
This course introduces both qualitative and quantitative methods of data analysis. Students will engage theoretical material on the subject and train data analysis skills in practice.
POLS*6210 Conceptions of Canada [0.50]
This course will explore evolving conceptions of Canadian identity and nationalism through consideration of political culture, institutions and constitutional arrangements. Possible topics include: multiculturalism, aboriginal identity and community, Quebec nationalism, social citizenship, rights and representation, as well as Canada's global role and significance.
POLS*6550 Topics in Public Management [0.50]
This course will examine various topics related to governance, such as public management reform, public sector leadership, third sector organizations or budgeting and human resources.
POLS*6530 Human Rights, Ethics, and Development [0.50]
This course will examine the political and ethical consequences of adopting a human rights framework in national and international contexts by both state and non-state actors. This subject will be explored from a range of historical, theoretical and practical perspectives.
POLS*6170 Courts and Parliament [0.50]
The course critically examines the complex relationship between the judiciary and representative institutions. By comparing the treatment of current political controversies (assisted suicide, prostitution, drug treatment), students will better appreciate the often-subtle exchanges between the two institutions and further enhance their research abilities in regards to both legal and legislative processes.
POLS*6580 Topics in International Relations [0.50]
This course considers theories and problems in the field of International Relations. The theoretical and/or geographical focus of the course will reflect the interests of the instructor.
POLS*6540 Topics in Comparative Politics [0.50]
This course considers theories and problems in comparative politics and government in developing and industrialized countries. The geographical and theoretical focus of the course will reflect the interests of the instructor.
POLS*6590 Advanced Topics in Rights and Liberties [0.50]
This course explores advanced topics in law and politics depending on the interests of the instructor. Potential topics include investigating the law and politics of social change or analyzing debates about the political power of courts in Canada or in comparative perspectives.
POLS*6570 International Relations of the Middle East [0.50]
This course is designed as an advanced introduction to the international relations of the Middle East. The course focuses on theories of international relations and their applicability to specific case studies of Middle Eastern politics. The course provides a critical examination of conflicts in the region, and contextualizes those conflicts within both realist and neo-realist theories of international relations. The course also provides a critical examination of the Arab-Israeli crisis, with a focus on peace negotiations. The course is offered as a seminar, with a heavy emphasis on class participation. Students participate in a simulation of an Arab-Israeli peace negotiation.
POLS*6200 Advanced Topics in Law and Politics [0.50]
This course explores advanced topics in law and politics depending on the interests of the instructor. Potential topics include investigating the law and politics of social change or analyzing debates about the political power of courts in Canada or in comparative perspectives.
POLS*6180 Women, Justice and Public Policy [0.50]
This course will use gender-based analysis in examining a series of justice and public policy issues affecting the lives of women, including equality rights, pay and employment equity, domestic violence, sexual assault, family policy, health care policy, and pornography. How do current policies that developed out of neoliberalism influence the lives of women in different ways than men? How can/should they be changed to recognize the different life experiences of women as distinguished from men? The primary focus of the topics covered in this course will be Canadian, although the experiences in other countries will be covered, particularly as it relates to "best practices," where appropriate.
POLS*6160 Multi-level Governance in Canada [0.50]
This course considers the evolving relationship among levels of government in Canada. The growth of cities, the growth of policy responsibilities of provinces, the influence of international organizations, and the development of First Nations government in Canada all challenge the conventional study of federal-provincial relations in Canada. From year to year, this course examines one or several of these contemporary dynamics.
POLS*6560 Topics in Public Policy [0.50]
This course will examine various public policy issues such as social policy or health care policy in a Canadian or comparative context.
POLS*6590 Advanced Topics in Rights and Liberties [0.50]
The course explores rights and liberties from various perspectives depending on the interests of the instructor. Potential topics include exploring the political, social, and legal factors and theories that explain the development of rights and liberties; rights and liberties in a comparative and international context; or the philosophical and policy debates surrounding rights and liberties.
POLS*6960 Directed Readings [0.50]
This is an elective course for students wishing to pursue an area of investigation not covered in other courses offered by the department. This course may also be chosen by students who want to further pursue a subject area to which they were introduced in a previous course.
Doctoral Field Courses
POLS*6820 PhD Field Course in Canadian Politics [0.50]
Students will help to identify and critically engage with key scholarship in the field of Canadian Politics. The course will provide a breadth of understanding of the field, but a portion of the reading list can be tailored to the student's particular interests.
POLS*6830 PhD Field Course in Comparative Politics [0.50]
Students will help to identify and critically engage with key scholarship in the field of Comparative Politics. The course will provide a breadth of understanding of the field, but a portion of the reading list can be tailored to the student's particular interests.
POLS*6840 PhD Field Course in Gender, Race, Identity and Sexuality [0.50]
Students will help to identify and critically engage with key scholarship in the field of Gender, Race, Identity and Sexuality. The course will provide a breadth of understanding of the field, but a portion of the reading list can be tailored to the student's particular interests.
POLS*6850- PhD Field Course in International Relations [0.50]
Students will help to identify and critically engage with key scholarship in the field of International Relations. The course will provide a breadth of understanding of the field, but a portion of the reading list can be tailored to the student's particular interests.
POLS*6860 PhD Field Course in Law and Politics [0.50]
Students will help to identify and critically engage with key scholarship in the field of Law and Politics. The course will provide a breadth of understanding of the field, but a portion of the reading list can be tailored to the student's particular interests.
POLS*6870 PhD Field Course in Public Policy and Governance [0.50]
Students will help to identify and critically engage with key scholarship in the field of Public Policy and Governance. The course will provide a breadth of understanding of the field, but a portion of the reading list can be tailored to the student's particular interests.