Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA)
Needles Hall, second floor, room 2201
Program information
| Department/School | Political Science |
|---|---|
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
| Admit term(s) | Fall (September - December) |
| Application and document submission deadline(s) |
Domestic applicants: May 1 (for admission in September)** International applicants: February 1 |
| Delivery mode | On-campus |
| Program type | Master's, Research |
| Length of program | 12 months (full-time) |
| Registration option(s) | Full-time, Part-time |
| Study option(s) | Thesis, Master's Research Paper |
Watch the How to apply to Waterloo graduate studies video
Due to funding restrictions, the Faculty of Arts is currently limiting the number of international students we can admit. Please contact the department's Associate Chair, Graduate Studies prior to applying to discuss your interest in this program.
What does it take to get in?
Minimum admission requirements
- An Honours Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in Political Science with at least a 78% overall standing.
- Statement of Research.
- Students with an Honours BA in a related discipline will be considered for admission but may be required to complete further work in Political Science before proceeding. Students with a General Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Political Science may be admitted to a qualifying program, and then apply for admission to the Master of Arts (MA) program after completion of that program.
- Probationary students admitted to the program must achieve at least 75% in 2 predetermined courses in order to continue in the Winter term. Normally a student will not continue on probationary status for more than two terms.
- Transitional students admitted are normally required to complete additional predetermined undergraduate or graduate courses and achieve at least a 75% average.
Supervisors
- Review the finding a supervisor resources
Application material
- Resume
- Supplementary information form (SIF)
- The SIF contains questions specific to your program, typically about why you want to enrol and your experience in that field. Review the application documents web page for more information about this requirement
- If a statement or letter is required by your program, review the writing your personal statement resources for helpful tips and tricks on completion
- Transcript(s)
- Writing sample
- References
- Three references are required, normally from academic sources
- Proof of English language proficiency, if applicable
- TOEFL 90 (writing 25, speaking 25), IELTS 7.0 (writing 6.5, speaking 6.5).
How much will it cost?
- Use the student budget calculator to estimate your cost and resources
- Visit the graduate program tuition page on the Finance website to determine the tuition and incidental fees per term for your program
- Review the study and living costs
- Review the funding graduate school resources for graduate students
What can you expect at Waterloo?
- Review the degree requirements on the Graduate Studies Academic Calendar, including the courses that you can anticipate taking as part of completing the degree
- Students have the option to apply to transfer to a co-op option after beginning this program
- Check out profiles of current graduate students to learn about their experience at Waterloo
- Check out Waterloo's institutional thesis repository - UWspace to see recent submissions from the Department of Political Science graduate students
- Check out the Waterloo campus and city tours
- Review the Department of Political Science website to see information about supervisors, research areas, news, and events
This program page is effective September 2023; it will be updated annually. Any changes to the program page following this date will be indicated with a notation. **Application deadline extended in January 2024.
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