UofM Course Calendar 2008-2009: Graduate Studies

Faculty of Graduate Studies
Section 6: Programs in Graduate Studies

6.66 Political Studies

Acting Head: George MacLean
General Office: 532 Fletcher Argue
Telephone: (204) 474 9733
Fax: (204) 474 7585
Email: Political_Studies@UManitoba.CA
Website: umanitoba.ca/arts/political_studies

Academic Staff

Program Information
The Department of Political Studies offers students a Pre-Master’s program, a Master of Arts degree program, as well as a Masters in Public Administration program jointly offered with the University of Winnipeg (see Section 69 in this calendar). The program provides a solid basis for those wishing to go to doctoral studies, or for those interested in careers in law, government, the private and voluntary sectors and international organizations.

With fourteen full-time faculty members and approximately forty graduate students per year, the low student to faculty ratio provides an excellent opportunity for students to work closely with faculty in the department and for flexibility in the design of programs of study. A further attraction lies in the department’s links with the Centre for Defence and Security Studies, a research institute focused on the area of security, strategic and defence studies. Since 1985, graduate students in the department have organized the annual Political Studies Students’ Conference in association with the Centre for Defence and Security Studies with invited speakers including distinguished academics and specialists from across Canada and from abroad. The Duff Roblin Professor of Government and the Duff Roblin Political Studies Fellowship (established in 1998) advance the study of Canadian politics within the department and amongst its students.

Fields of Research
The department offers courses at the pre-Master's and Master's levels in five areas of concentration: Canadian politics, international relations, public administration, political theory and comparative politics.

Canadian Politics, including government institutions, public policy, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and anti-discrimination legislation, indigenous politics & governance; and political parties;
International Relations including defence and security studies, foreign and defence policy; international political economy; Globalization and international organizations and policy, and colonization and decolonization;
Comparative Politics including parties and politics, political economy, women in politics, middle east politics, politics in India, politics in Britain and politics of development, indigenous politics & indigenist theory;
Public Administration including comparative public Administration, human resources development, provincial and local administration, government reform, accountability, and performance measurement;
Political Theory including contemporary and early modern political thought, feminist political thought, autobiography and the political philosophy of Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Simone de Beauvoir.

Research Facilities
As a provincial capital, Winnipeg offers important advantages for undertaking research in politics. Key research libraries are housed at the University of Manitoba and the Manitoba Legislative Library, both official repositories for Canadian publications. The University of Manitoba Archives and Special Collections, and Provincial Archives provide a wealth of material on Manitoba, Prairie and Canadian politics. Additionally, the university’s data library and the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research provide access to electronic data sources, including Statistics Canada and census data, as well as public opinion and election surveys. The University of Manitoba is also a member of the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute whiich enhances the Library collection on India and supports graduate research. Finally, the Centre for Defence and Security Studies supports an extensive library of journals, periodicals, and texts in the fields of international relations, security studies, and foreign policy.

M.A. in Political Studies

Admission
In addition to the admission requirements of the Faculty of Graduate Studies found in the Graduate Studies Regulations Section of this Calendar, admission to the Master's program in Political Studies is through successful completion of the pre-M.A. program, as outlined below, or by completion of a B.A.(Honours) program in Political Studies. Applicants possessing a B.A.(Honours) are expected to have maintained a grade point average of 3.5 (B+) in their last 36 credit hours in Political Studies courses, to have completed a course in Political Theory, and to have maintained a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 (B). Students who have a B.A.(Adv.) with a course selection pattern and performance comparable in quality to that of a B.A.(Hons.) student will also be considered. Applicants possessing a B.A. (Honours) in another discipline with a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 (B+) will be considered for direct entry into the program, primarily on the basis of their completion of Political Studies or directly related courses.

The pre-Master’s program is designed for students who do not meet the requirements for admission to the Master’s program. To be eligible for pre-Master’s study, applicants will normally possess a general Bachelor’s degree with a major in Political Studies (30 credit hours including one course in Political Theory), with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 (B). Applicants possessing a general B.A. in another discipline with a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 (B+) will also be considered for direct entry into the pre-Master’s program, primarily on the basis of their completion of Political Studies or directly related courses.

Admission to the pre-Master’s program does not guarantee future admission to a MA program in Political Studies; students in the pre-Master’s program are required to follow the normal application procedures for entry into the Master’s program.

Application Deadline
Department deadline for applications for Regular Session (September) for International students is January 15 and for Canadian/U.S. students June 1.

Program Requirements
In addition to the minimum course requirements of the Faculty of Graduate Studies found in the Graduate Studies Regulations Section of this Calendar, students in the Master’s program must complete either: 12 credit hours of 7000-level courses in Political Studies and a thesis requiring some original research in primary sources; or 24 credit hours of 7000-level courses, a research paper demonstrating familiarity with secondary sources, two written comprehensive exams, and an oral examination. All students must maintain an overall average of “B+” with no grade below a “B” in their coursework to remain in the program.

A student in the pre-Master’s program will normally be required to successfully complete 24 credit hours at the 4000 level in Political Studies. Under special circumstances, the substitution of 6 credit hours at the 4000 level in an ancillary subject or at the 3000 level in Political Studies may be allowed. Decisions regarding the substitution of courses for the fulfilment of the program requirements rest with the Department’s Graduate Committee and must be obtained in writing.

Students in the pre-Master's program must achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 (B+) with no grade lower than a B (3.0 grade points) in course work to be eligible for admission into the Master's program.

More information may be found in the Supplementary Regulations pertaining to the Master of Arts and pre-Master’s Programs in Political Studies.

Second Language Reading Requirement: Yes

Expected Time to Graduate: Two years

Ph.D.
The Department of Political Studies does not offer a Ph.D. Program.


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