The faculty of Political Science at Waterloo specializes in both global and Canadian politics, as well as politics and business, and public policy. Advisors are here to guide you through our different undergraduate degree options and diverse range of graduate programs. Let us help you find what works best for your current work/study schedule while being sure to set you up to achieve your future goals. Advisors also offer course planning advice and degree assessment tools. Be sure to check in with them throughout your degree.
Student life is not all about academics. Join us for events and functions and get involved in the undergraduate student society or get involved with the graduate student journal. Make time to seize these opportunities to make lasting connections with your fellow students.
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 your 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
Political Science Celebration of Research
The Political Science faculty celebrates recent research publications.
The Canada-EU Strategic Partnership as an Alternative Global Governance Coalition
The EU-Canada partnership serves as a crucial operation for global governance, though it cannot replace United States leadership or function as a standalone global order. While the coalition has achieved notable milestones, it ultimately struggles with structural limitations.
This will be a joint event co-sponsored by Political Science and the Global Institutions, Diplomacy, and Justice Research Cluster at the Balsillie School of International Affairs
Clare McKendry
EVENT RESCHEDULED
Fieldwork on the Frontline: Methodological Lessons, Challenges, and Insights from Security Research in Taiwan
News
Founding PSCI faculty member and Waterloo's first Black professor passes away
Dr. Locksley Edmondson, the first Black professor at Waterloo, died on August 18, 2026 in Ithaca, New York, at age 92.
Applications for sessional instructors for the spring 2026 term
We are seeking qualified instructors to teach: PSCI231, PSCI 252 and PSCI 257 in the spring 2026 term.
Meet Eleanor McGrath
She is a fourth-year Political Science PhD student conducting research in reproductive health. Eleanor shares her graduate studies experience in the Political Science department.
“My dissertation is about the lack of complete and accurate data on maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity in Canada, the absence of a national program of investigations into maternal deaths, and why we haven’t been able to fix it since it was first identified as a problem over 100 years ago.” The topic emerged during coursework when she read about efforts to improve data collection. “I was shocked that this was such a problem here and given that I also have a personal connection to the issue, this became my thesis research topic.”
Read more about Eleanor’s research and student life experience: https://uwaterloo.ca/arts/blog/lived-experience-legislative-impact
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.