Course Listings

The courses listed in this section include all courses approved for the undergraduate curriculum for the 2024-2025 academic year. Not all courses in the approved curriculum will be offered during the year. Students are advised to refer to the course timetables available annually in Mosaic in March and June to determine which specific courses will be offered in the upcoming sessions.
Note: An A/B suffix appearing in a course number indicates that the course may be delivered across more than one term (see Multi-Term Course in the Glossary  of this calendar). The A/B S suffix indicates that the course may be delivered as either a multi-term course or within a single term. 

See also:

• Elective Courses Available To Level I Students  
• Availability of Upper-Level Elective Courses   
• New Courses Approved for Inclusion in the 2024 - 2025 Calendar  

Effective 2023-24:

Looking for CLASSICS (Classics) courses?

• The subject GKROMST (Greek and Roman Studies) has replaced CLASSICS

Please use the revised subject area when searching for courses. Most courses use the same code but with the revised subject area (e.g. CLASSICS 2H03 is now known as GKROMST 2H03). Students having credit in courses using the old subject area may not take the corresponding course under the new designation.
 

Effective 2022-23:

Looking for LABRST (Labour Studies) courses?

• The subject WORKLABR (Work and Labour Studies) has replaced LABRST

Please use the revised subject area when searching for courses. Most courses use the same code but with the revised subject area (e.g. LABRST 2H03 is now known as WORKLABR 2H03). Students having credit in courses using the old subject area may not take the corresponding course under the new designation.

Please note, when searching courses by “Code or Number”, an asterisk (*) can be used as a wildcard character to return mass results. For example, a “Code or Number” search of ” 2* ” can be entered returning all level II courses.

Political Science

Courses in Political Science are administered by the Department of Political Science.
Kenneth Taylor Hall, Room 527, ext. 24741
https://politicalscience.mcmaster.ca/

Department Notes

1. The Department of Political Science offers courses in the fields of Canadian Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, Political Theory and Public Policy, as well as courses that are not field specific. The Department does not require students to concentrate in any field of study. (Please see Department of Political Science in the Faculty of Social Sciences section of this Calendar for specific program requirements.) However, students should note that prerequisites for upper year courses normally come from the specific field of which those courses are part. In some instances, prerequisites call simply for prior coursework in a particular field, in which case students may consult the lists below to determine which courses satisfy these requirements.
2. Not every Political Science course listed in this Calendar is offered every year. Students are advised to consult the Master Timetable published by the Office of the Registrar or contact the Department after April 1st for the list of courses that will be offered in the following academic year.
3. All students are encouraged to seek advice from members of the Department in developing a program of study. All Honours students are strongly advised to discuss their program with an undergraduate advisor to ensure that it meets Departmental requirements.
4. POLSCI 2NN3  and POLSCI 3NN3  or POLSCI 3N06 A/B are required for students in Honours Political Science programs.
5. POLSCI 2O06 A/B  is required for students enrolled in Honours Political Science programs and is recommended for students in the B.A. program.
6. Students should be alerted to those Level II and III courses that are required to qualify for a number of Level IV courses. Students who wish to enter courses but who lack the necessary prerequisites must obtain the permission of the instructor.
7. Some Level III courses do not have course prerequisites. However, students without related Level II courses should contact one of the Department’s undergraduate advisors or the course instructor to determine whether they have the appropriate academic background for any specific Level III course.
8. Political Science Honours and Combined Honours students are encouraged but not required to take one or more of the Level III Honours Issues courses (POLSCI 3B03 , 3H03  and 3J03 ). The topics of the courses will be described on the Department’s website in advance of the date on which registration for them begins. Normally they will correspond to the research interests of the permanent faculty members (if available) who will teach them.

Students are responsible for ensuring that course prerequisites are fulfilled.

1. Canadian Politics
   POLSCI 2C03 , 2D03 , 2K03 , 2F03 , 2LW3 , 2PF3 , 2PP3 , 2U03 , 3BB3 , 3C03 , 3CL3 , 3CS3 , 3EL3 , 3FG3 , 3GG3 , 3IP3 , 3J03 , 3JJ3 , 3K03 , 3OP3 , 3PA3 , 3RF3 , 3Z03 , 4CA3 , 4CF3 , 4ED6 , 4EM3 , 4JS3 , 4LC3 , 4O06 A/B , 4PO3 , 4RR3 , 4UP3  
2. Comparative Politics
   POLSCI 2M03 , 2PF3 , 2PP3 , 2U03 , 2US3 , 2XX3 , 3BB3 , 3CS3 , 3EE3 , 3EL3 , 3G03 , 3GG3 , 3H03 , 3I03 , 3JR3 , 3K03 , 3KK3 , 3LC3 , 3LL3 , 3OP3 , 3PA3 , 3PG3 , 3V03 , 3VV3 , 3Y03 , 4AA6 A/B , 4D06 A/B , 4ED6 , 4EF3 , 4EM3 , 4KC3 , 4LA3 , 4PA3 , 4PO3 , 4Q06 A/B , 4RR3 , 4SS3 , 4UF3 , 4UP3 , 4WS3 , 4YR3  
3. International Relations
   POLSCI 2H03 , 2I03 , 2J03 , 2XX3 , 3B03 , 3EE3 , 3GC3 , 3JR3 , 3K03 , 3KK3 , 3LB3 , 3PA3 , 3PG3 , 3Q03 , 3Y03 , 4D06 A/B , 4DV3 , 4EF3 , 4GC3 , 4GG3 , 4HR3 , 4KB3 , 4NN3 , 4PB3 , 4PE3 , 4QQ3 , 4Y03 , 4YR3  
4. Political Theory
   POLSCI 2O06 A/B , 3CC3 , 3LA3 , 3PB3 , 3PG3 , 3VV3 , 4DV3 , 4FF3 , 4HH3 , 4OL3 , 4PB3 , 4RT3 , 4Y03  
5. Public Policy
   POLSCI 2C03 , 2PP3 , 2U03 , 2EM3, 2LW3 , 3B03 , 3CS3 , 3GC3 , 3IP3 , 3J03 , 3LL3 , 3LP3 , 3PA3 , 3Z03 , 4CF3 , 4ED6 , 4EF3 , 4EM3 , 4G06 A/B , 4JS3 , 4O06 A/B , 4PO3 , 4LC3 , 4RR3 , 4SS3 , 4WS3  

The following courses while satisfying the requirements of the program are not specific to any field of study:
POLSCI 1AA3 , 1AB3 , 2NN3 , 2MN3, 3NN3 , 3PR3 , 3UU3 , 3WP3 , 4AL3 , 4Z06 A/B , 4ZZ3 , 4ZZ6 A/B  

Courses

If no prerequisite is listed, the course is open.