Political Science
Political Science explores power in all its forms. Although power relationships suffuse all of social life, we most often focus upon power and authority as exercised through governments and states, and, in the international arena, between governments and states. Thus, Political Science invites you to explore the forces that shape our lives through public rule, as well as non-state actors - such as corporations, social movements, non-governmental organizations, and terrorist groups - who seek to use their power to change the world.
In Political Science at KPU, you will approach the world of power through:
- North American studies, with special attention paid to Canadian politics, including the Charter of Rights, multiculturalism, local government, and foreign policy; as well as American and continental politics.
- International studies, including international organizations (such as the UN), human rights issues, international political economy, cross-border identities, human security, and international law.
- Regional studies, including South Asia and South-East Asia politics, Indian politics, Chinese politics, and European politics (such as the EU).
- Applied and experiential courses that give you the chance to develop hands-on skills in oratory, public debating, diplomacy, and real-world policy work.
Finally, courses in comparative politics and political thought will round out your mastery of power and politics.
Who Studies Political Science?
As a student of Political Science, you want to understand and master the world of power. Since power and public rule intersect with questions of law, history, philosophy, and economics, Political Science appeals to those looking to bring together a range of interests in order to master the problems facing our world. These include issues of government, law, and policy, international conflict and diplomacy, human rights, and social change.
Department's website: kpu.ca/arts/political-science
Political Science instills a range of transferable skills that are highly desirable in many fields of professional life. It is s a well-rounded and applicable course of study that successfully prepares students for many rewarding careers. Specifically, graduates with a B.A. in Political Science often find careers in:
- The public sector (government departments and semi-independent agencies);
- The foreign service and diplomacy;
- Partisan politics (e.g., as speechwriters, policy advisors, researchers, or candidates);
- International agencies and non-governmental organizations;
- Law (law schools accept more graduates from Political Science than any other field);
- Independent research organizations and think tanks;
- Advocacy groups;
- Journalism;
- Education (for example, political science qualifies as a teachable major for secondary social studies):
- Labour unions;
- Business;
- Innovative tech corporations which seek critical and open minds to safely guide them through their envelope-pushing endeavours
The breadth of the discipline prepares students extremely well and places them in an advantageous competitive position for graduate study, whether in Political Science, law, or related fields.
Visit the BC Transfer Guide - bctransferguide.ca - for information about course transfer in B.C.
POLI 1110 3 credits
Political Ideologies and Worldviews
Students will examine the political ideologies and worldviews that have played important roles in shaping the political landscape, influencing the political attitudes and actions of individuals, groups and societies. Students will also explore the historical context within which ideologies and worldviews developed, and engage the ideas of key thinkers in each ideological tradition.
Level: UG
POLI 1120 3 credits
Canadian Politics and Government
Students will survey Canadian politics and government. They will explore Canada's political culture, its constitution, federalism, and relations with Indigenous peoples, as well as its institutions of government, including parliament, crown, prime minister and cabinet, bureaucracy, and the courts. Students will also investigate the mechanisms that help to mobilize citizens and link them to government, such as political parties, elections, interest groups and social movements. Students will thus acquire an enhanced command of their political environment and an enriched understanding of dilemmas facing Canada as a diverse liberal-democratic community.
Level: UG
POLI 1123 3 credits
Politics in the City
Students will study the evolution of politics at the municipal level in Canada, including political parties and civic movements, the local management of services, labour relations, lobby groups, budgeting, and policy making. They will examine the relationships between municipal governments and the provincial and federal governments, and explore other topics of current interest relating to city politics in Canada.
Level: UG
POLI 1125 3 credits
Introduction to Political Science
Students will examine the fundamental concepts and phenomena of political life. They will explore such core concepts as power, authority, legitimacy, states, ideology, and political culture; analyze different approaches to organizing political systems (e.g., authoritarian and democratic); and investigate various institutions of government, such as constitutions, legislatures, executives, and judiciaries. Students will examine mechanisms for mobilizing civic participation, including political parties, elections, interest groups, and social movements, and survey the international context within which states operate.
Level: UG
POLI 1145 3 credits
Comparing Politics and Societies: An Introduction to Comparative Politics
Students will study key topics in the field of comparative politics, focusing on the institutional, political, cultural, and economic dynamics that shape contemporary political life in different societies.
Level: UG
POLI 1150 3 credits
Introduction to International Relations
Students will be introduced to academic tools such as core concepts and schools of thought, in order to make sense of the complex world of international politics. Students will explore a broad range of historical and contemporary topics, including the role and importance of various state, inter-governmental and non-state actors, the promotion of international order, and salient features of the international political economy.
Level: UG
POLI 2100 3 credits
Sustainability and Government
Students will explore environmental sustainability as an issue in Canadian politics. They will examine the evolution of the environmental movement in Canada, and study the linkages between environmental concerns and Canadian political culture, parties, advocacy organizations, federal-provincial-indigenous self-government relations, domestic and foreign policy, and other areas of interest.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): Any 6 credits at 1100-level or higher
POLI 2121 3 credits
Law and Politics: The Charter of Rights and Freedoms
Students will study the concepts of rights and freedoms as they have been treated historically in Canada, and will analyze the place of rights in Canadian law prior to the entrenchment of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. They will examine the Charter and the role of the courts with emphasis on the Supreme Court, methods of jurisprudence, and will discuss the place of rights and courts in a democratic society and in relation to legislature. Students will study the legalization of politics and politicization of the judiciary to better understand recent developments in Canadian law and politics regarding rights.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 3 credits of 1100 level POLI courses
POLI 2122 3 credits
Political Leadership: The Prime Ministers of Canada
Students will explore the careers and legacies of Canadian prime ministers. They will examine general understandings of political leadership, the evolution of the prime ministership, the role of prime ministers in shaping Canada's political development, controversies surrounding the legacies of various prime ministers, debates over prime ministerial power, and the nature of political leadership in our parliamentary system.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 3 credits from courses in POLI at the 1100-level or higher, or HIST 1114
POLI 2131 3 credits
Politics of the European Union
Students will examine the politics of the European Union (EU), a regional inter-governmental organization as well as an unprecedented form of governance. Students will explore the structure, institutions, and operations of the European Union from the perspective of the individual member states, the EU as a whole, and from the viewpoint of international organizations and non-member states (with particular emphasis on the Canadian perspective). Students will also learn about challenges and issues faced by the European Union in the 21st century.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 3 credits from courses in POLI
POLI 2140 3 credits
Comparative Politics of Asia
Students come to understand political forces and the issues – both domestic and foreign – which shape the political systems of Asia. Students are introduced to the government and politics of key states in Asia, as well as the external relations that shape their domestic politics. Students learn about the dynamics that shape the character and quality of contemporary Asian political systems, the underlying assumption being that "they who know only one country, know no country well."
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 3 credits of 1100-level POLI courses
POLI 2150 3 credits
States, Markets, Globalization: Global Political Economy
Students will acquire a detailed conceptual framework for the analysis of the global political economy. They will study the dynamic interaction among states, societies, firms, and markets at the global level. Students will focus on major global political economy perspectives and theories, and learn to apply these to issue areas including monetary and financial relations, international trade, foreign investment, foreign debt, and development finance.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 3 credits of 1100-level POLI courses
POLI 2155 3 credits
War, Crime, and Violence: Contemporary Political Conflict
Student will examine general sources of conflict from a Levels of Analysis framework, together with approaches to conflict management. The examination will be based on specific case studies, with a focus on the phenomena of war, crime, and violence, particularly in the post-Cold War era.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 3 credit of 1100-level POLI courses, or HIST 2335
POLI 2200 3 credits
Classic Thinkers: History of Political Thought
Students will survey the development of political theory in the western tradition, ranging from the thought of Plato and other ancient thinkers to the works of modern liberal-democratic thinkers such as Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Burke, Mill, Nietzsche, and others. They will acquire a foundation in the great debates of western political life.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 3 credits from courses in POLI, PHIL, or HIST at the 1100 level or higher, or permission of the instructor
POLI 2235 3 credits
British Columbia Government and Politics
Students will examine British Columbia's political culture and various elements affecting it, such as immigration, Indigenous land claims, primary and secondary resource industries, federal-provincial relations, interest group behaviour, union activity, environmental issues, political parties, and government policy-making.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 3 credits of 1100-level POLI courses.
POLI 3100 3 credits
American Government and Politics
Students will examine the institutions and processes associated with the federal government of the United States. They will study the executive, legislative and judicial branches, as well as the party system, the electoral system and election finance. Students will analyze the policy making process in America, employing examples of both foreign and domestic policy to highlight the important role played by pressure groups, corporations and the media.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): Any 18 credits of 1100-level or higher, including any 3 POLI credits (POLI 1110 or 1125 or 1145 recommended)
POLI 3122 3 credits
Introduction to Canadian Foreign Policy
Students will examine the history and current state of the foreign and defence policies of Canada. They will also study the following specific areas: domestic and foreign influences on policy, governmental structures affecting policy, the interplay of trade, defence and diplomatic decision-making. Students will appraise recent policy initiatives with a view to developing an understanding of Canada's place in the global community.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): Any 18 credits of 1100-level or higher, including any 3 POLI credits (POLI 1110 or 1120 recommended)
POLI 3125 3 credits
Visions of Nationhood: Canada, Indigenous Peoples, and Québec
Students will examine diverse visions of nationhood in Canadian political discourse. They will probe competing conceptions of Canada, and explore the challenges to these conceptions posed by Québecois and Indigenous nationhoods, as well as the intersections between multicultural pluralism and nationality in Canada.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 18 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher, including 3 credits from courses in POLI
POLI 3131 3 credits
The Politics of Continental Integration
Students will examine the phenomenon of continental integration, paying particular attention to North America as a contested site of integration. Students will investigate the status of North American integration and analyze debates around the merits and demerits of deepening it, using the European Union as a key point of comparison. Students will also analyze affinities and tensions between regional, continental, and global forms of integration, and assess the implications of North American integration in a particular issue areas or sectors of the economy.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 18 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher, including 3 credits from courses in POLI
POLI 3146 3 credits
Government and Politics of India
Students will examine the sources and nature of conflict, power and political change in India, developing a critical understanding of the historical, cultural, institutional and economic forces that shape contemporary Indian political life. They will analyze themes of development and modernization as they apply to India and the wider South Asian region, critically analyze the advantages and disadvantages of democracy in a developing society, and examine challenges facing India in the twenty-first century.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 18 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher, including 3 credits from courses in POLI
POLI 3147 3 credits
Foreign Policies of the Major Powers
Students will acquire a comparative framework of foreign policy as practiced by the major powers in the world. They will analyze the types of powers, various foreign policies, styles of foreign policy, constellation of the major powers and the target audience of the major powers. Students will review case studies on the challenges arising to, and by, the major powers. They will explore, debate, and compare theories to develop a solid grasp of the different theoretical perspectives of the foreign policies of major powers, and establish their own theoretical preferences.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): Any 18 credits of 1100-level or higher, including 3 credits of POLI 1125 or 1145 or 1150
POLI 3150 3 credits
American Foreign Policy
Students will examine historical influences upon modern US Foreign Policy as well as the leading factors that shape this foreign policy. Students will assess the foreign and domestic challenges faced by the U.S. government and the major interest groups that dominate US foreign policy. Students will assess relevant theory, such as Realism and Human Security, as well as influential global actors such as the United Nations, World Trade Organization, European Union and China. Cold War politics will be examined, as well as post-Cold War interactions. Students examine US International Relations from the perspective of foreign and defense policy, national security, and climate change.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): Any 18 credits of 1100-level or higher, including 3 credits of POLI 1125 or 1145 or 1150
POLI 3160 3 credits
International Organizations
Students will examine the major principles and issues related to the creation and role of international organizations. Students will focus on the historical and contemporary debates on the theories, sources, conditions and influences of international organizations, with particular reference to the United Nations. Some of the substantive areas to be addressed will include: international and regional security, trade, development, environment, human rights, reform, and global governance. The course is intended to provide students with a theoretical and practical understanding of the role of international organizations in contemporary international politics.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 18 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher, including one of the following: POLI 1125, 1145, 1150 or 2100
POLI 3170 3 credits
International Peacekeeping
Students will examine the complex dimensions of peacekeeping operations in the world. They will explore the origin and evolution of what is now called 'peace operations' in Global Politics undertaken by international organizations, particularly the UN and regional organizations, and critically examine their philosophies and strategies. Students will analyze case studies, assess the strengths and weaknesses of peace operations overall, and evaluate the lessons to be learned from past operations.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): Any 18 credits of 1100-level or higher, including 3 credits of POLI 1125 or 1145 or 1150
POLI 3240 3 credits
Chinese Government and Politics
Students will be introduced to China’s political and economic development. There are three broad themes to the class: (a) a historical overview; (b) political institutions and policymaking; and (c) the challenges of governance. Students will learn about important events in Chinese politics and economics from 1949 to the present. They will then turn to the political institutions and structures of governance established with the founding of the People’s Republic of China, and the evolution of these institutions in the post-Mao reform era. Finally, students will examine contemporary challenges in the governance of a range of issues in China, from environmental concerns to socio-economic inequality.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): POLI 1145 and 6 credits from courses in POLI at the 1100 level or higher
POLI 3500 3 credits
Public Debates in Politics
Students will explore the theory and practice of political debate, examining fundamental principles of rhetoric and oratory, and examples of famous historical debates, before conducting their own formal debates around important political issues. Students will, under the supervision of the instructor, identify the issues to be debated, conduct rigorous scholarly research on their chosen topics, develop debating strategies, and moderate and conduct their own debates.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 18 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher, including 3 credits from courses in POLI
Attribute: ARTS
POLI 4110 3 credits
Applied Public Policy Seminar
Students will examine complex public policy issues with a focus on sustainability, such as the climate emergency, the housing crisis, the biodiversity crisis, and Indigenous sovereignty. They will study theories of change, applied to current political events and issues. Students will explore how equity, jurisdiction, stakeholder analysis and other evaluation tools are integrated into decision-making. Students will produce professional deliverables, including recommendations for action. They will develop their own position on a topic, and engage with the real world as a change agent. NOTE: Students may earn credit for only one of POLI 4110 or POST 4110 as they are identical courses.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 45 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher, including one of POST 3110, POST 3300 or any course in POLI at the 3000 level
Cross-listing: POST 4110
Attribute: ARTS
POLI 4120 3 credits
Indigenous Peoples in Canada: Politics and Policy
Students will examine the relations between Indigenous peoples and the Canadian political order, ranging from: theoretical and legal approaches to indigeneity;varying views of Canada as a settler, colonial, and multinational state; the evolving constitutional status of Indigenous peoples; the fiduciary duties of the Crown, treaties and treaty-making; approaches to Indigenous autonomy and self-government; the legacy of residential schools, Indigenous political organization and mobilization; the political economy of Indigenous peoples in Canada; and debates over 'reconciliation.' In the process, students will consider specific policy debates, such as those surrounding Indigenous health and education, natural resources, and water and the environment, as well as various government approaches to 'managing' Indigenous issues. NOTE: this is a seminar course.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 45 credits from courses at the 1100-level or higher, including 3 credits from a course in POLI
Attribute: ARTS
POLI 4125 3 credits
The Politics of Multiculturalism in Canada
Students will critically explore the political issues raised by Canada's experience with cultural and religious diversity, informed by theoretical approaches to the wider themes of culture and religion in politics. They will examine the evolution of Canada's policy of official multiculturalism and the broader meanings attached to the term 'multiculturalism,' considering, in the process, liberal, nationalist, and radical critiques of multiculturalism in theory and practice. Students will also critically engage theoretical issues around the relationship between religious and cultural pluralism, and debates over the role of religion in the public life of a pluralistic society such as Canada. Note: This is a seminar course.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 45 credits at 1100-level or higher, including 3 POLI credits (POLI 1120 recommended)
POLI 4145 3 credits
Cross-Border Politics
Students will analyze cross-border regions in international politics, exploring cross-border dynamics in the Americas, including the Pacific Northwest (Cascadia), as well as in Western and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. They will address the challenges of multi-level governance in the 21st century in the context of case studies of peaceful cross-border regions, such as climate change. Students will analyze the political, social, economic and environmental impacts of cross-border integration. Note: This is a seminar course.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 45 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher, including 3 credits from POLI
Attribute: ARTS
POLI 4190 3 credits
Selected Topics in Canadian Politics
Students will engage in an intensive study of an important selected issue, or related set of issues, in Canadian politics, as chosen by the instructor. Students will conduct readings, research, and class discussion at an advanced undergraduate level and be expected to demonstrate an effective mastery of the topic in question. NOTE: Students may take this course multiple times for further credit on different topics. NOTE: This is a seminar course.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 45 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher, including 3 credits from courses in POLI
Attribute: ARTS
POLI 4191 3 credits
Selected Topics in International Politics
Students will engage in an intensive study of an important selected issue, or related set of issues, in international politics, as chosen by the instructor. Students will conduct readings, research, and class discussion at an advanced undergraduate level and be expected to demonstrate an effective mastery of the topic in question. NOTE: Students may take this course multiple times for further credit on different topics. NOTE: this is a seminar course.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 45 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher, including 3 credits from courses in POLI
Attribute: ARTS
POLI 4210 3 credits
Democracy: Classic and Contemporary Debates
This course invites students to critically examine democratic thought and practice. By exploring classical and current debates in democratic theory, students can come to understand the nature and foundation of democratic beliefs and some of the critiques of democracy both ancient and modern. Students will also explore the affinities and tensions between democratic ideals and other ideological commitments, and some contemporary visions of democracy. Note: This is a seminar course.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 45 credits at 1100-level or higher, including 3 POLI credits (POLI 1110 highly recommended)
POLI 4330 3 credits
International Human Rights
Students will explore the history and current state of the international human rights regime. They examine a variety of issues relating to human rights including the concept of human rights and its theoretical underpinnings, the categories of rights, the mechanisms available for implementation, as well as issues relating to their effectiveness. Furthermore, students will learn about why human rights violations continue to occur in many regions of the world, including the sources of such violations and why repression occurs. They will come to understand the emergence and evolution of the current international human rights regime, and the conditions promoting or hindering the implementation of international human rights norms. Note: This is a seminar course.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 45 credits at the 1100-level or higher, including 3 POLI credits
POLI 4335 3 credits
The Politics of Radical Islamism
Students will explore the politics of radical Islamism, analyzing the development, aims, and objectives of various Islamist militant movements. Students will critically examine the role played by regional and international powers in the rise of Islamist groups and selected other variants of radicalized political Islam, before considering the future prospects of radical Islamist politics.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 45 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher, including 3 credits from courses in POLI
POLI 4340 3 credits
Public International Law
Students will examine conceptual, theoretical, and case study approaches to international law. Students will explore the distinction between public and private international law. They will analyze the application of international law at the national level, with special emphasis on the incorporation of international law within the laws of Canada. The United Nations (UN) will be studied including major treaties and conventions. Students will examine the challenges of international treaty making, legal compliance and enforcement, international dispute resolution, and the relationship between international law and international relations. Note: This is a seminar course.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 45 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher, including one of the following: POLI 1110, 1125, 1145 or 1150
POLI 4420 3 credits
Current Issues in Public Policy and Administration
Students will acquire a detailed factual and conceptual framework for the analysis of specific topics within the discipline of public policy and administration. They will critically examine such subjects as the role of government, government intervention, the role and structure of government bureaucracies, interest and pressure groups, the management of the political process, and the relationship between public and foreign policy. Note: This is a seminar course.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): Any 3000 level POLI course
POLI 4500 3 credits
Model United Nations
Students will explore international organizations and parliamentary procedure with a particular focus on the United Nations (UN). They will use a "learning by doing" approach to gain valuable experiences in engagement with foreign policies, UN functions and structure, research skills, public speaking, diplomacy, and negotiation and compromise. Students will examine the history and mandate of the UN's various principal organs and agencies through readings, case studies, role-playing and simulations. All students enrolled in this course will be required to participate in KPU's Model United Nations (KMUN) Conference which will take place on the last day of class in the classroom. KMUN will be an opportunity for students to apply their knowledge of the UN to real-world issues and to demonstrate their understanding of parliamentary procedure.
Level: UG
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