Political Science

Political Science is a multi-faceted discipline covering many areas of specialization. While students can choose from a wide variety of first and second-year political science courses at Langara College, they will develop a common set of skills designed to enable them to gain an enriched appreciation of the complexity of political life, while developing an enhanced ability to think critically about the world in which we live. With the informed perspectives that the discipline gives us, we are better able to make decisions when we vote and when we advocate for ourselves and others.

Political science courses at Langara are also intended to provide a preparation for subsequent courses at the senior undergraduate level which build and reinforce levels of experience gained at this stage.

Taking our courses will also help you to develop a core of essential skills that employers want and that are vital for being a responsible member of modern society. You will learn to read with understanding so you can critically evaluate conflicting evidence. In an increasingly complex world it is imperative that citizens know how to evaluate data, to assess differing viewpoints, to understand the importance of context in shaping events and attitudes, and to think and reason in a logical manner. Through regular written assignments and discussions you will refine your communication skills as you learn to look with a critical eye at the world around us, and especially the activities of those who govern us and others.

Studying political science at Langara

Students at Langara generally take political science courses for one or more of three reasons: as part of the Associate of Arts degree at Langara; with a view to university transfer; or as electives to fulfill requirements of other programs. For more on university transfer of courses, see the “Career Pathways” tab. For more requirements for the Associate of Arts degree in Political Science, see the “Courses” tab.

When should I take courses?

While many of our courses are offered at least once a year, this is not always the case. Some courses (especially second-year ones) are offered only once every two years, and sometimes more rarely. Thus if there is a particular course that you are interested in and you see it being offered next semester, you should seriously consider taking it if you can. If you want to check when a course is next going to be available, it would be worth your while to email the department chair or coordinator (listed in the orange section above) to find out.

Note that we welcome both first- and second-year students into our second-year courses. Second-year courses address material that is often more complex in nature than that found in first-year courses, or explore a topic that may be less familiar to a modern western audience. If you have questions about whether a particular course may be suitable for you, please email the department chair or coordinator.