With four central strengths — Canadian Politics, Global Politics, Politics & Business, and Public Policy & Administration — Political Science at Waterloo offers innovative specializations and career-relevant minors that explore Ideas for Changing the World.
Our undergraduate BA degree in Political Science teaches our students how to navigate the challenges of the global political landscape and to respond to our complex future. The degree emphasizes both classroom learning – with award-winning instructors – and experiential learning in the real world – to promote the development of a range of important skills, such as communication, collaboration, creativity, self-management, self-assessment, time-management, long-term and critical thinking, and strategies for lifelong learning.
At the graduate level, we offer a MA and a PhD in Political Science (with co-op options), and a Master of Public Service. Our instructors also form the core of faculty who teach courses and supervise students in the MA and PhD in Global Governance, which is housed at the Balsillie School of International Affairs.
Discover our programs
Undergraduate studies
Navigate and respond to the challenges of the global political landscape with a major, minor or specialization in Political Science.
Master of Arts in Political Science
Gain a deeper understanding of global politics at multiple scales (domestic, regional, global) while developing analytical and professional skills for success in yoru career.
PhD in Political Science
Enjoy greater flexibility in core research activities and professional development for both academic and non-academic career paths, experiential and teaching options.
Master of Public Service
Gain the knowledge, skills, and work experience you need for a public service career at any level of government in Canada.
Global Governance programs
Our interdisciplinary Master and PhD programs focus on advanced research, writing and analytical skills to help you prepare for careers in academics or the public, private and civil sectors.
Events
Tic Talk Tuesdays
Every Tuesday, the PSCI Chair, Faculty, Undergraduate & Graduate students and staff are invited to gather together to catch up on and to discuss the latest news and events happening around us - whether from across our campus, in our communities or around the globe!
All Are Welcome!
Graduate Programs in Public & International Affairs
Admissions representatives from Columbia University SIPA in New York City, Johns Hopkins SAIS and Georgetown Walsh School in Washington, D.C., and Tufts Fletcher in Boston will host a graduate school presentation on:
- The application process
- Admissions requirements
- Financial aid and scholarships
- Career opportunities
Speaker Series Event
Wikipedia is where students and professors everywhere often go for fact checking regularly. In his new article in the American Political Science Review, Professor Sverrir Steinsson of the University of Toronto examines the amazing transformation of Wikipedia from a site of dubious origin into today’s undisputed source of credible information.
Professor Steinsson finds that the rise of Wikipedia as a source of objective information is mainly the result of extreme ideologues quitting Wikipedia en masse.
The Department of Political Science acknowledges that we are living and working on the traditional territory of the Attawandaron (also known as Neutral), Anishinaabe, and Haudenosaunee peoples. The University of Waterloo is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land promised to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River.