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Bachelor of Arts, Political Science Major

Regulations effective Sep. 1, 2024.

The mission of the Bachelor of Arts (4-year) is to strengthen your critical and creative thinking by offering a broad range of social, political, and cultural programs of study. A liberal arts education from Athabasca University is designed to broaden your perspective on local and global affairs, encourage community and social involvement, and prepare you for lifelong learning and occupational diversity.

The Bachelor of Arts (4-year) provides students with a broad, flexible education that allows them to develop, understand, and disseminate knowledge, to think critically, and to build on these abilities. In addition, the four-year degree fully prepares students for most graduate programs. Graduates of the Bachelor of Arts (4-year) with a Major are expected to have gained sufficient analytical and critical thinking skills to be able to engage in independent research in their chosen major. Athabasca University does not offer an Honours BA.

Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts (3-year) program who wish to transfer to the Bachelor of Arts (4-year) program must complete a new Undergraduate General Application Form. Previous education will be reassessed and students will be notified of the results.

Political Science Major

AU's Major in Political Science is a valued liberal arts degree that will serve a variety of educational and professional needs in the public, private, and non-profit sectors in Canada and globally.

As a discipline, Political Science is very much concerned with the study of power, authority, and governance in human affairs. In today’s world, forms of power, authority, and governance are changing rapidly and becoming increasingly complex. Governance is no longer confined to the nation-state but involves a range of institutions — public, private, and non-governmental — involved in the process of governing and steering a society at the international, national, and sub-national levels.

Planning your program

Our online program plans can assist you in selecting the courses needed to fulfill your program requirements.

Athabasca University has developed program learning outcomes that describe the career options that may be available to you upon graduating. 

Program requirements

Students complete the program regulations in effect at the time of their enrolment.

Although you may change majors, a major must be selected when you enrol in the Bachelor of Arts (4-year) program.

You are strongly encouraged to register in ENGL 255 early in your program. The English writing skills requirement is waived for students enrolling in the second undergraduate degree.

The degree conversion provision is available to Athabasca University students who have been awarded a three-year AU degree and wish to convert to a four-year degree. For more information about this regulation, please review the Undergraduate Degree Conversion From Three- to Four-Year Program Policy

Students must meet the following English writing skills requirement:

  • hold credit in ENGL 255 (Students are strongly encouraged to register in ENGL 255 early in their program.);
    or
  • have a grade of B- (70 per cent) or better in an Athabasca University English course above the preparatory (100) level;
    or
  • receive credit for an English course in which a grade of B- or better was achieved.

Students in the Bachelor of Arts (4-year) program, as either a first or second undergraduate degree, generally have the option to combine two majors if they wish. Students who undertake double majors must fulfill all requirements for both majors. Depending upon the majors chosen, this may greatly restrict course selection (particularly in the second undergraduate degree program) or require the completion of more than 120 credits. Students considering enrolling in double majors should consult with an Athabasca University advisor for assistance in selecting their programs and courses.

You may change majors at any time. You will be placed in the current regulations. If you wish to remain in the regulations that were in effect at the time of your original enrolment, contact Admissions and Evaluations Services. Please reference the appropriate Calendar, e.g., 2012-2013 regulations. To request a change of major, complete and submit a new Undergraduate General Application Form. No fees are required.

In the Bachelor of Arts (4-year), students have the option of taking a minor in addition to their major. Although students must declare a major when they become BA (4-year) program students, they may declare a minor at any point in their studies. A BA minor comprises 30 credits distinct from the major in a related discipline in the Humanities or Social Sciences offered at Athabasca University. At least 15 of the 30 minor credits must be at the 300 or 400 level. If they choose a minor, students must still complete all requirements of the major. No course can be used to complete requirements for both the major and the minor. The minor will be recorded on the transcript. Available BA minors are:

  • Anthropology
  • Canadian Studies
  • English
  • French
  • Global Studies
  • Heritage Resources Management
  • History
  • Humanities
  • Inclusive Education
  • Labour Studies
  • Philosophy
  • Political Economy
  • Political Science
  • Psychology
  • Public Administration
  • Sociology
  • Women’s and Gender Studies

Program structure

Program structure
Total credits in the program 120
Minimum credits required
At the senior (300 or 400) level
(including 18 credits at the 400 level)		 75
In the major (compulsory)
* may be higher depending on the specific requirements of the major		 45*
Minimum senior-level credits in major (including a minimum of 12 credits at the 400 level) 30
Arts (Humanities and social sciences) 96
  • Humanities, a minimum of
  • Social science, minimum of
 18
18
Science 6
Residency requirement. A minimum of 30 credits must be obtained through Athabasca University. 30
Graduation with Distinction or Great Distinction. At least 24 credits must be obtained through Athabasca University in order to be considered. 24
Minor (optional)
Minimum credits in the minor
(including a minimum of 15 credits at the 300 and 400 level)		 30
Students may not apply a course to both the major and the minor.
Maximum credits allowed
In any one discipline 60
Applied studies 18
At the preparatory level 6
At junior level in any one discipline 15
Maximum Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition credits 9

Additional Political Science Major requirements

Requirements in addition to the general program requirements for the Bachelor of Arts (4-year) with Major:

  • A minimum of 45 credits in designated Political Science courses including a minimum of 30 senior (300/400) level credits (a minimum of 12, 400-level credits).
  • Required core courses: 18 credits in the following designated political science major core courses:
    • 6 senior (300/400) level credits in political philosophy/theory, POLI 355 and POLI 357.
    • 3 senior (300/400) level credits in Canadian politics and government, POLI 309.
    • 3 senior (300/400) level credits in either international and global politics (POLI/INTR 330) or comparative politics (POLI 342), or direct equivalent credit approved by Athabasca University.
    • 6 junior (200) level credits, POLI 277 and 278.
  • A minimum of 27 credits in the following designated Political Science major elective courses.
    electives
    CMNS 401 – Cultural Policy in Canada (3)
    GLST/GOVN 403 – Public Policy in a Global Era (3)
    GLST/GOVN 440– Global Governance and Law (3)
    GLST/POEC 483 – International Political Economy: The Politics of Globalization (3)
    GOVN 301 – Governance, the Public Sector and Corporate Power (3)
    GOVN 390 – Public Policy and Administrative Governance (3)
    GOVN/HSRV 400 – Governance and Leadership (3)
    GOVN 405 – Innovative Public Management (3)
    HADM 369 – Health Policy in Canada (3)
    POEC 230 – Globalization and World Politics (3)
    POEC 393 – Canada and the Global Political Economy (3)
    All POLI courses

Second undergraduate degree

Students are not permitted to obtain a second undergraduate degree in the same field or related field as their first undergraduate degree. Students who have completed a previous undergraduate degree must enter the second undergraduate Bachelor of Arts (4-year) degree and follow these regulations. The English writing skills requirement is waived for students enrolling in the second undergraduate degree.

Program structure

Program structure
Total new credits not applied from a previous degree
* May be higher depending on the specific requirements of the major.		 60*
Minimum credits required
At the senior level (including 18 credits at the 400 level) 48‡
‡ May be higher depending on the specific requirements of the major.
Arts (Humanities and social science) 48
  • Humanities
  • Social science
9
9
Science 6
Residency requirement. A minimum of 30 credits must be obtained through Athabasca University. 30
Graduation with Distinction or Great Distinction. At least 24 credits must be obtained through Athabasca University in order to be considered. 24
Maximum credits allowed
In any one discipline 45
Applied studies 12
At the preparatory level 0
At junior level in any one discipline 12
Maximum Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) credits
** A maximum of 39 PLAR credits is allowed if you declare a Labour Studies major.		 9**
Major (compulsory)
Minimum senior (300 or 400) level credits in major (including 12 credits at the 400 level) 30
Information effective Sep. 1, 2024 to Aug. 31, 2025.

Updated July 26, 2024 by Office of the Registrar (calendar@athabascau.ca)

https://www.athabascau.ca/calendar/ e4d550b80a2a55fc5964e4ff660b5b9f