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Department of Political Science Masters Program
Our Masters programme emphasizes intellectual challenge and academic engagement, and welcomes students with interests in all five fields of undergraduate and graduate instruction. Students may follow one of three streams: extended essays/project, thesis or field exams. Programme requirements are designed to allow students to complete their degrees within as little as 10 months, though our average completion time over the past several years has been closer to 16 months. M.A. students typically act as Teaching Assistants for 100 and 200 level lecture courses for at least one semester.
Our M.A. graduates have done well in finding employment across the country and sometimes internationally. Those who go on to further studies elsewhere have entered law schools as well as Ph.D. programs across Canada and abroad. Our students have successfully pursued doctoral programmes at places such as the University of Toronto, the University of Western Ontario, the University of Chicago, Queen's University, University of London (UK), the University of Rochester (US), the University of British Columbia, the London School of Economics and the University of Essex (UK).
M.A. Extended Essays/Project Stream
Students are admitted to this stream unless they specify another choice. It requires the completion of six courses and either one research project paper or two extended essays [the latter in two fields of study]. Students must take POL 801 and either POL 802 or POL 803, and courses must include at least two of the three fields of study offered by the Department. A research project paper will be an original work of approximately 60 pages (plus bibliography). It is based primarily on secondary sources, utilizes relevant existing theory, and is defended at an oral examination. Each extended essay is expected to elaborate on research undertaken in course work. Students choosing this stream can reasonably expect to finish their programme within one year, unless they choose to take a Co-op placement for one or even two semesters.
M.A. Thesis Option
Students must apply to the Graduate Committee for transfer to the thesis stream. To complete the thesis option, a student must finish four courses, write a thesis of 75-100 pages, and defend it at an oral examination. Students must take POL 801 and either POL 802 or POL 803, and other graduate courses from at least two of the fields of study offered by the Department. The thesis stream will normally be completed within four semesters, except in cases where take Co-op placements or additional certificate programs. Students in this stream are expected to complete their course work in the first two semesters, and write and defend their thesis by the end of their fourth semester.
M.A. Field Exam Stream
Students must apply to the Graduate Committee for transfer to the Field Exam stream. In this option, a student must complete seven courses [across at least two of the fields of study offered by the Department] and write two field exams, in one major and one minor area. Students must take POL 801 and either POL 802 or POL 803. Students can complete the M.A. programme in as little as 10 months in this stream.
MA Course work
- Students may supplement POL graduate courses with up to 3 courses in other cognate units at SFU [eg. School of International Studies, School of Public Policy). Such arrangements require permission of both a student’s supervisor and the graduate committee.
- MA students make take suitably modified 400 level seminar courses and/or directed studies courses with permission of the instructor and the student’s supervisor.
- Students are strongly advised to meet with their supervisor early in the first semester to plan course work for the full programme.