Political Science

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Credential
Associate of Arts Degree
Duration (Minimum)
2 years
Delivery
Full-time
Part-time
Start Date
January
May
September
Study Type
Regular Studies
Department
Department of History, Latin, & Political Science
Enrolment
Open Enrolment
Contact
tevans [at] langara.ca

Can I get a job with a qualification in political science?

Absolutely! Qualifications in political science can lead to a range of careers, not only in directly related fields, but also in law, civil service, politics, journalism, and teaching. Some career options may require further education or training.

For an excellent list of potential careers that a history degree can lead to, see this web page at UBC.

However, even if you do not plan to go into a field that is directly related to the disciplines that we cover, the critical thinking, reading, and writing skills that we teach are universally applicable, and are consequently in high demand by employers.

University Transfer

I am planning on transferring to university. What do I need to get into each program?

The requirements for each institution’s programs differ. Below you will find a list of the first- and second-year requirements for the political science programs at the major universities in BC, correct at the time of writing. If you plan to transfer, we highly recommend checking the links below as you plan your course choices at Langara.

For a more comprehensive guide to course transfer, including information on how our courses transfer to other institutions, see the BC Transfer Guide: https://www.bctransferguide.ca/.

Simon Fraser University, Bachelor of Arts in Political Science

  • At the lower level, students complete a minimum of seven courses, including:
    • POL 100 - Introduction to Politics and Government (3 units (credits), minimum C grade required) (= Langara POLI 1100)
    • POL 200W - Investigating Politics: Research Design and Qualitative Methods (4 units (credits), minimum C grade required) (equivalent course not currently offered at Langara)
    • POL 201 - Introductory Quantitative Methods in Political Science (4 units (credits), minimum C grade required) (equivalent course not currently offered at Langara)
    • POL 210 - Introduction to Political Philosophy (3 units (credits), minimum C grade required) (= Langara POLI 2270)
  • and one of:
    • POL 221 - Introduction to Canadian Government (3) (= Langara POLI 1119)
    • POL 222 - Introduction to Canadian Politics (3) (equivalent course not currently offered at Langara)
    • POL 253 - Introduction to Public Policy (3) (equivalent course not currently offered at Langara)
  • and one of:
    • POL 121 - Political Engagement: From the Streets to the Ballot Box (3) (equivalent course not currently offered at Langara)
    • POL 141 - International Relations (3) (equivalent course not currently offered at Langara)
    • and at least one additional lower division course in political science.
  • A full degree at SFU requires 120 units. 60 of those units must be completed at SFU.
  • SFU also has further requirements for the Political Science major, and a Political Science Honours program.

University of British Columbia – Okanagan, Bachelor of Arts in Political Science

University of British Columbia – Vancouver, Bachelor of Arts in Political Science

  • At the lower-level, Majors must complete the following:
    • POLI_V 100 (= Langara POLI 1100)
    • POLI_V 101 (= Langara POLI 1119)
    • POLI_V 110 (equivalent course not currently offered at Langara)
    • POLI_V 240 (= Langara POLI 1160, 2270, or 2295)
  • In addition to POLI_V 100, 110, 101, and 240, UBC Political Science encourages students to take our other two foundational courses on:
    • Comparative Politics: POLI_V 220 (= Langara POLI 2250)
    • International Relations: POLI_V 260 (= Langara POLI 2240)
  • For more information, see: https://politics.ubc.ca/undergraduate/political-science-programs/major/
  • UBC also has a Political Science Honours program.

University of Northern British Columbia, Bachelor of Arts in Political Science

  • Political Science majors are required to take 51 credit hours in Political Science and related disciplines.
  • Required lower-division courses are as follows:
    • INTS 100 (= Langara POLI 1140)
    • POLS 100 (= Langara POLI 1100)
    • POLS 200 (= Langara POLI 1119)
    • POLS 202 (equivalent course not currently offered at Langara)
    • POLS 230 (equivalent course not currently offered at Langara)
    • POLS 270 (equivalent course not currently offered at Langara)
  • For more information, see: https://www.unbc.ca/calendar/undergraduate/political-science#major

University of Victoria, Bachelor of Arts in Political Science:

Note that 1.5 units at UVic is equivalent to 3 credits at Langara, so you should bear this in mind when calculating your credits.

  • 9.0 units (= 18 credits at Langara) of Political Science courses at the 100 and 200 levels, including at least one of POLI 101 and 201. It is strongly recommended that these courses be taken during the first two years of a student’s program. Students should take a broad range of courses, including at least one on Canadian politics, one on comparative politics, one on international politics, and one in political theory. Some courses on offer will incorporate material from more than one of these fields.
  • UVic Political Science recommends completing the following in the first two years of study:
    • Complete 1 of:
      • POLI 101 - Canadian Politics (1.5) (= Langara POLI 1119)
      • POLI 201 - Canadian Institutions of Government (1.5) (equivalent course not currently offered at Langara)
    • Complete 5 of:
      • POLI 101 - Canadian Politics (1.5) (= Langara POLI 1119)
      • POLI 103 - The Worlds of Politics (1.5) (equivalent course not currently offered at Langara)
      • POLI 104 - Politics of Consumption (1.5) (equivalent course not currently offered at Langara)
      • POLI 201 - Canadian Institutions of Government (1.5) (equivalent course not currently offered at Langara)
      • POLI 202 - An Introduction to Political Theory (1.5) (= Langara POLI 1160 or 2295)
      • POLI 210 - Comparing Politics around the World (1.5) (equivalent course not currently offered at Langara)
      • POLI 211 - European Integration and the European Union (1.5) (equivalent course not currently offered at Langara)
      • POLI 217 - Global Development (1.5) (equivalent course not currently offered at Langara)
      • POLI 240 - International Politics (1.5) (= Langara POLI 1140)
      • POLI 263 - The Politics of Indigenous Peoples (1.5) (equivalent course not currently offered at Langara)
    • Complete 21.0 units of electives
    • Complete 1 of:
      • POLI 263 - The Politics of Indigenous Peoples (1.5) (equivalent course not currently offered at Langara)
      • POLI 363 - Indigenous Politics in Canada (1.5) (equivalent course not currently offered at Langara)
  • For more information, see: https://www.uvic.ca/calendar/undergrad/index.php#/programs/rkJup70zE
  • UVic also has a Political Science Honours program.