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Department of Political Science | Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Simon Fraser University Calendar | Summer 2025

Political Science Major

Bachelor of Arts

Program Declaration

Students can apply for the political science major program after completing the following four political science courses with minimum C grades:

POL 100 - Introduction to Politics and Government (3)
POL 200W - Investigating Politics: Research Design and Qualitative Methods (4)
POL 201 - Introductory Quantitative Methods in Political Science (4)
POL 210 - Introduction to Political Philosophy (3)

Program Requirements

A minimum of 120 units, including a minimum of 45 upper division units, as specified below.

Lower Division Requirements

Students complete a minimum of seven courses, including

POL 100 - Introduction to Politics and Government (3)
POL 200W - Investigating Politics: Research Design and Qualitative Methods (4)
POL 201 - Introductory Quantitative Methods in Political Science (4)
POL 210 - Introduction to Political Philosophy (3)

and one of

POL 221 - Introduction to Canadian Government (3)
POL 222 - Introduction to Canadian Politics (3)
POL 253 - Introduction to Public Policy (3)

and one of

POL 121 - Political Engagement: From the Streets to the Ballot Box (3)
POL 141 - International Relations (3)

and at least one additional lower division course in political science.

Upper Division Requirements

Students cannot complete upper division courses until lower division prerequisites are complete. Specified prerequisites or department permission is required for course entry.

Students complete a minimum of 45 upper division units including at least 32 political science units, no fewer than 16 of which must have a POL designation. Eight of these 32 political science units must be at the 400-level.

Students may also apply the following courses toward their major requirements.

GEOG 381 - Territory, Power, State (4) or GEOG 381W - Territory, Power, State (4)
GSWS 350 - Public Policy for Women (4)
IS 302 - Humanitarian Intervention: An Introduction (4)
IS 303 - Ethnic Minorities, Identity Politics, and Conflict in Southeast Asia (4)
IS 304 - Russian Foreign and Security Policies (4)
IS 313W - Nationalism, Democracy and Development in Modern India (4)
IS 314 - National, Regional, and International Politics in Southeast Asia (4)
IS 315 - Introduction to Middle East Politics (4)
IS 322 - Central Asia: Conflict and Security (4)
IS 410 - Politics, Institutions and Development (4)
IS 414 - Current Regional Issues in Southeast Asia (4)
IS 415 - Islamist Trend in Middle East Politics (4)
LBST 310 - The Politics of Labour (3)
SA 302W - Global Problems and the Culture of Capitalism (SA) (4)

NOTE: SFU students accepted in the accelerated master’s within the Department of Political Science may apply a maximum of 10 graduate course units, taken while completing the bachelor’s degree, towards the upper division electives of the bachelor’s program and the requirements of the master’s degree. For more information go to: https://www.sfu.ca/gradstudies/apply/programs/accelerated-masters.html.

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Degree Requirements

For all bachelor of arts (BA) programs, students complete 120 units, which includes

  • at least 60 units that must be completed at Simon Fraser University
  • at least 45 upper division units, of which at least 30 upper division units must be completed at Simon Fraser University
  • at least 60 units (including 21 upper division units) in Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences courses
  • satisfaction of the writing, quantitative, and breadth requirements
  • an overall cumulative grade point average (CGPA) and upper division overall CGPA of at least 2.0, and program CGPA and upper division program CGPA of at least 2.0 on the course work used to satisfy the minimum program requirements. FASS departments may define additional GPA requirements for their respective programs.

Writing, Quantitative, and Breadth Requirements

Students admitted to Simon Fraser University beginning in the fall 2006 term must meet writing, quantitative and breadth requirements as part of any degree program they may undertake. See Writing, Quantitative, and Breadth Requirements for university-wide information.

WQB Graduation Requirements

A grade of C- or better is required to earn W, Q or B credit

Requirement

Units

Notes
W - Writing

6

Must include at least one upper division course, taken at Simon Fraser University within the student's major subject; two courses (minimum three units each)

Q - Quantitative

6

Q courses may be lower or upper division; two courses (total six units or more)
B - Breadth

18

Designated Breadth

Must be outside the student's major subject, and may be lower or upper division:

Two courses (total six units or more) Social Sciences: B-Soc
Two courses (total six units or more) Humanities: B-Hum
Two courses (total six units or more) Sciences: B-Sci

6

Additional Breadth

Two courses (total six units or more) outside the student's major subject (may or may not be B-designated courses, and will likely help fulfil individual degree program requirements).

Students choosing to complete a joint major, joint honours, double major, two extended minors, an extended minor and a minor, or two minors may satisfy the breadth requirements (designated or not designated) with courses completed in either one or both program areas.

Residency Requirements and Transfer Credit

  • At least half of the program's total units must be earned through Simon Fraser University study.
  • At least two thirds of the program's total upper division units must be earned through Simon Fraser University study.

Elective Courses

In addition to the courses listed above, students should consult an academic advisor to plan the remaining required elective courses.