Program Length
- 4 Years
Credential
- Bachelor Degree
Options
- Major
- Minor
Fully Available at
- Nanaimo
Partially Available at
- Cowichan
- tiwšɛmawtxʷ (Powell River)
Graduate ready for a career with impact
Are you passionate about building a more stable, just and sustainable world? A Bachelor of Arts with a major or minor in Political Studies can lead to many careers where you can make a positive difference in Canada and around the world. In the Political Studies program, you gain the analytical, communication and leadership skills that are in demand in the public and private sectors.
Learn about leadership
In Political Studies you learn about power, politics, policy and society. And you put what you learn into action while completing your degree. You can practice your leadership and communication skills by taking part in one of the many leadership opportunities available to Political Studies students.
Sign up to learn more
Get real-world experience as you grow into your career
As you work toward your degree, you'll pick up the analytical and practical skills that employers in many sectors need and value.
Leadership opportunities
Build your leadership skills through the Jarislowsky Chair's leadership activities, the Canada-Senegalese climate change projects and the Model UN.
Community involvement
Work with local political and community organizations in courses like Politics in Practice.
Organize events
Gain experience organizing social, community and academic events through our dynamic Political Studies Students' Association.
What can you do with a Political Studies degree?
Political Studies majors and minors can pursue rewarding careers in the public service and the private and non-profit sectors.
- constituency assistant
- parliamentary advisor/aide
- policy analyst
- pollster
- policy advisor
- campaign manager
Learn more about Political Studies careers by visiting Careers for Political Studies grads.
About the program
In the VIU Political Studies program, you'll learn how politics and policy work and affect people's daily lives in Canada and around the world. You'll work with your professors and classmates to investigate important questions such as:
- Who holds power and why?
- How are resources distributed?
- What drives political action?
- How do we solve the major problems that we face at the local, national and international levels?
The Political Studies program offers a wide variety of classes in:
- democracy
- international affairs
- Canadian politics
- leadership
- public administration
- public policy
You'll graduate with the knowledge and skills to help build a safe, fair and sustainable world.
The program covers five key fields of study:
- international relations
- comparative politics
- political theory
- Canadian politics
- public administration and public policy
You'll begin with foundational courses, and in upper-level courses you'll specialize in your areas of interest.
The program also allows you to take courses in other disciplines, making it easy to combine Political Studies with related programs for a joint major or minor.
Courses and Concentrations
Requirements for a Major
Students must fulfill all the Institutional B.A. degree requirements, including Degree English Requirements and courses listed below:
| Years 1 and 2 | Credits |
|---|---|
| Select twenty-one credits of 100-200 level POLI courses as follows: | |
First-year Core Requirements: Take the following six credits: | 6 |
Second-year Core Requirements*: Select at least nine credits from the following list: | 9 |
Methods Course Requirement**: Select three credits from the following list: | 3 |
| Select three additional credits of 200 level POLI courses or PHIL 231 - (Social and Political Philosophy). | 3 |
* Students may take both POLI 200 and POLI 201, but only one can be used to meet the Second Year Core requirement.
* Students may take both POLI 221 and POLI 222, but only one can be used to meet the Second Year Core requirement.
* Students may take both POLI 260 and POLI 265, but only one can be used to meet the Second Year Core requirement.
** The prerequisite for SOCI 250 is SOCI 111 or SOCI 112 (recommended); or any 100-level course in Psychology, Geography, Anthropology, Criminology, or Political Studies; the prerequisite for SSID 250 is any 100-level course in Psychology, Geography, Anthropology, Sociology, Criminology, or Political Studies; the prerequisite for CRIM 220 is CRIM 101.
| Years 3 and 4 | Credits |
|---|---|
| Select thirty* credits of 300-400 level POLI courses. | 30 |
* Up to six of the required thirty minimum credits may be taken from the following: LBST 390 - (Advanced Special Topics in Liberal Studies (Abroad) I; GLST 390 - (Globalization: An Interdisciplinary Inquiry); GLST 391 - (Responses to Globalization); GLST 490 - (Selected Topics in Global Studies); GLST 491 - (Applied Seminar in Global Studies).
Note: These credits may not be used for more than one Major or Minor.
Note: Not all Political Studies courses are offered every year. Students are advised to see a BA Advisor early in their program to ensure timely completion.
Requirements for a Minor
Students must fulfill all the Institutional B.A. degree requirements, including Degree English Requirements and courses listed below:
| Years 1 and 2 | Credits |
|---|---|
| Select fifteen credits of 100-200 level POLI courses as follows: | |
First-year Core Requirements: Select three credits from the following list: | 3 |
Second-year Core Requirements: Select three credits from the following list: | 3 |
| Select nine credits of 100-200 level POLI courses. | 9 |
| Years 3 and 4 | Credits |
|---|---|
| Select eighteen* credits of 300-400 level POLI courses. | 18 |
* Up to three of the required eighteen minimum credits may be taken from the following: LBST 390 - (Advanced Special Topics in Liberal Studies (Abroad) I; GLST 390 - (Globalization: An Interdisciplinary Inquiry); GLST 391 - (Responses to Globalization); GLST 490 - (Selected Topics in Global Studies); GLST 491 - (Applied Seminar in Global Studies).
Note: These credits may not be used for more than one Major or Minor.
Note: Not all Political Studies courses are offered every year. Students are advised to see a BA Advisor early in their program to ensure timely completion.
Admission Information
Domestic Fees
Tuition and Other Mandatory Student Fees
When applying to the program, applicants will be charged a non-refundable application fee.
When applying to graduate, students will be charged a non-refundable graduation and alumni fee.
Some courses have additional fees to pay for extraordinary class–related expenses.
| Fees for One Year* | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition (30 credits x $169.73 per credit) | 5,091.90 |
| Student Activity fee (8 months x $20.37 per month) | 162.96 |
| Student Services fee (8 months x $22.49 per month) | 179.92 |
| VIU Students' Union fee (8 months x $28.87 per month) | 230.96 |
| Health and Dental Plan fee ($285.00 per year) | 285.00 |
| Approximate cost for books and supplies for one year | 1,500.00 |
| Total | 7,450.74 |
The VIUSU Health and Dental Plan fee is assessed for all students enrolled in 6 credits or more per term, or in Trades/Vocational programs of 5 months or longer.
All fees are subject to change without prior notice and are expected to increase by 2% each year on April 1.
International Fees
Tuition and Other Mandatory Student Fees
When applying to the program, applicants will be charged a non-refundable application fee.
When applying to graduate, students will be charged a non-refundable graduation and alumni fee.
Some courses have additional fees to pay for extraordinary class–related expenses.
| Fees for One Year* | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition (30 credits x $815.77 per credit) | 24,473.10 |
| Student Activity fee (8 months x $20.37 per month) | 162.96 |
| Student Services fee (8 months x $22.49 per month) | 179.92 |
| VIU Students' Union fee (8 months x $28.87 per month) | 230.96 |
| Health and Dental Plan fee ($285.00 per year) | 285.00 |
| Approximate cost for books and supplies for one year | 1,500.00 |
| Total | 26,831.94 |
The VIUSU Health and Dental Plan fee is assessed for all students enrolled in 6 credits or more per term, or in Trades/Vocational programs of 5 months or longer.
All fees are subject to change without prior notice and are expected to increase by 2% each year on April 1.
Domestic (Canadian)
| Program Start Date | Accepting Applications | Campus | |
|---|---|---|---|
| to | Nanaimo | ||
|
Next Intake(s):
The Bachelor of Arts Program has four intakes per year; September, January, May, and June.
Application Fee:
46.06
Accepting Late Applications:
Yes
Testing Required:
No
Admissions Officer:
Name: Erica Ellenchuk Phone: 250.746.3512 Email: Erica.Ellenchuk@viu.ca
Comments:
Questions about becoming a student can be directed to the Office of Future Students at 250.740.6672 or email Connect@viu.ca. |
|||
| to | Cowichan - Partially Available | ||
|
Next Intake(s):
The Bachelor of Arts Program has four intakes per year; September, January, May, and June.
Application Fee:
46.06
Accepting Late Applications:
Yes
Testing Required:
No
Admissions Officer:
Name: Erica Ellenchuk Phone: 250.746.3512 Email: Erica.Ellenchuk@viu.ca
Comments:
Questions about becoming a student can be directed to the Office of Future Students at 250.740.6672 or email Connect@viu.ca. |
|||
| Ongoing | tiwšɛmawtxʷ (Powell River) - Partially Available | ||
|
Anticipated intake for someone applying today:
Application Fee:
$46.06
Accepting Late Applications:
Yes
Waitlist:
No
Testing Required:
No
Admissions Officer:
Name: Erin Johnson Phone: 604.485.8033 Email: Erin.Johnson@viu.ca
Comments:
Please consult Student Services/Advising at 604.485.2878 or email PR.StudentAffairs@viu.ca for more information on program or admission requirements. |
|||
| to | Nanaimo | ||
|
Next Intake(s):
The Bachelor of Arts Program has four intakes per year; September, January, May, and June.
Application Fee:
46.06
Accepting Late Applications:
Yes
Testing Required:
No
Admissions Officer:
Name: Erica Ellenchuk Phone: 250.746.3512 Email: Erica.Ellenchuk@viu.ca
Comments:
Questions about becoming a student can be directed to the Office of Future Students at 250.740.6672 or email Connect@viu.ca. |
|||
| to | Cowichan - Partially Available | ||
|
Next Intake(s):
The Bachelor of Arts Program has four intakes per year; September, January, May, and June.
Application Fee:
46.06
Accepting Late Applications:
Yes
Testing Required:
No
Admissions Officer:
Name: Erica Ellenchuk Phone: 250.746.3512 Email: Erica.Ellenchuk@viu.ca
Comments:
Questions about becoming a student can be directed to the Office of Future Students at 250.740.6672 or email Connect@viu.ca. |
|||
| to | Nanaimo | ||
|
Next Intake(s):
The Bachelor of Arts Program has four intakes per year; September, January, May, and June.
Application Fee:
45.16
Accepting Late Applications:
Yes
Testing Required:
No
Admissions Officer:
Name: Erica Ellenchuk Phone: 250.746.3512 Email: Erica.Ellenchuk@viu.ca
Comments:
Questions about becoming a student can be directed to the Office of Future Students at 250.740.6672 or email Connect@viu.ca. |
|||
| to | Cowichan - Partially Available | ||
|
Next Intake(s):
The Bachelor of Arts Program has four intakes per year; September, January, May, and June.
Application Fee:
46.06
Accepting Late Applications:
Yes
Testing Required:
No
Admissions Officer:
Name: Erica Ellenchuk Phone: 250.746.3512 Email: Erica.Ellenchuk@viu.ca
Comments:
Questions about becoming a student can be directed to the Office of Future Students at 250.740.6672 or email Connect@viu.ca. |
|||
| to | Nanaimo | ||
|
Next Intake(s):
The Bachelor of Arts Program has four intakes per year; September, January, May, and June.
Application Fee:
46.06
Accepting Late Applications:
Yes
Testing Required:
No
Admissions Officer:
Name: Erica Ellenchuk Phone: 250.746.3512 Email: Erica.Ellenchuk@viu.ca
Comments:
Questions about becoming a student can be directed to the Office of Future Students at 250.740.6672 or email Connect@viu.ca. |
|||
| to | Cowichan - Partially Available | ||
|
Next Intake(s):
The Bachelor of Arts Program has four intakes per year; September, January, May, and June.
Application Fee:
46.06
Accepting Late Applications:
Yes
Testing Required:
No
Admissions Officer:
Name: Erica Ellenchuk Phone: 250.746.3512 Email: Erica.Ellenchuk@viu.ca
Comments:
Questions about becoming a student can be directed to the Office of Future Students at 250.740.6672 or email Connect@viu.ca. |
|||
International
| Program Start Date | Accepting Applications | Campus | |
|---|---|---|---|
| to | Nanaimo | ||
|
Anticipated intake for someone applying today:
Next Intake(s):
The Bachelor of Arts program has one intake each Fall and one intake each Spring.
Application Fee:
$153
Accepting Late Applications:
Yes
Waitlist:
No
Testing Required:
No
International Admissions Officer Contact:
Name: Elham Akhoundi Phone: 250.740.6400 Email: Study@viu.ca
Comments:
For prospective international applicants, please send your inquiries to WorldVIU@viu.ca. |
|||
| to | Nanaimo | ||
|
Anticipated intake for someone applying today:
Next Intake(s):
The Bachelor of Arts program has one intake each Fall and one intake each Spring.
Application Fee:
$153
Accepting Late Applications:
Yes
Waitlist:
No
Testing Required:
No
International Admissions Officer Contact:
Name: Elham Akhoundi Phone: 250.740.6400 Email: Study@viu.ca
Comments:
For prospective international applicants, please send your inquiries to WorldVIU@viu.ca. |
|||
Take your studies further
A Political Studies degree is a solid base for graduate studies in many areas including:
- political science
- law
- public administration and public policy
- education
- journalism
Learn more
For information on the program, including faculty biographies, news and events, explore the Political Studies department site.