Honours Political Science Specialization in Public Law and Judicial Studies
Hons.B.A.Honours Political Science Specialization in Public Law and Judicial Studies
This specialization examines the role that constitutional, administrative, criminal, and international laws play in limiting or controlling the use of power by governments. It also critically examines the extent to which the judiciary and courts are key players.
The specialization in Public Law and Judicial Studies builds on the same foundations of the Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Science while providing a greater examination of the role of law in democratic systems. In addition to the core courses in the specialization that focus on law and the judicial system, students will also have the opportunity to take courses from across the five sub-fields of political science, including Canadian Politics, Comparative Politics of Developed and Developing Nations, International Relations, Political Theory and Public Policy. The specialization also permits students to explore courses in other areas of the Social Sciences, including Anthropology, Sociology, Economics and Labour Studies.
The specialization degree provides a strong foundation and is ideal for anyone interested in pursuing a career as a lawyer or in other law related occupations, wants a better understanding of the role that law plays in mediating power in our society, and in particular between the state and its citizens, or is interested in the formal legal apparatuses of the state.
Learn more about opportunities to study abroad.
Level 1
POLSCI 1AA3 Government, Politics and Power
POLSCI 1AB3 Politics and Power in a Globalizing World
*Only one course is required for admission to Political Science but both POLSCI 1AA3 and 1AB3 must be completed by the end of Level II.
Level 2
POLSCI 2O06 A/B Political Theory
POLSCI 2C03 Force and Fear, Crime and Punishment
POLSCI 2D03 Canadian Democracy OR POLSCI 2M03 Governance, Representation, and Participation in Democracies
POLSCI 2NN3 Politics by Design
Level 3
POLSCI 3NN3 Statistical Analysis of Primary Data
POLSCI 3CL3 Constitutional and Public Law in Canada
POLSCI 3RF3 The Charter of Rights and Freedoms
9 Units from the Public Law and Judicial Studies Course List
Public Law and Judicial Studies Course List
- LABRST 3C03 Labour and Employment Law
- POLSCI 3C03 Government and Politics of Indigenous People
- POLSCI 3CC3 Political Authority: 20th-Century Political Theory
- POLSCI 3G03 Ethnicity and Multiculturalism: Theory and Practice
- POLSCI 3GG3 Federalism
- POLSCI 3IP3 Intellectual Property
- POLSCI 3JR3 The Rule of Law and Legal and Judicial Reforms in the Developing World
- POLSCI 3K03 Migration and Citizenship: Canadian, Comparative and Global Perspectives
- POLSCI 3KA3 Indigenous Human Rights
- POLSCI 3KK3 Genocide: Sociological and Political Perspectives
- POLSCI 3LP3 Topics in Law and Policy
- POLSCI 3V03 Gender and Politics
- POLSCI 3VV3 Democratic Theory
- POLSCI 3Y03 Democratization and Human Rights
9 units of Level II or III Political Science of which a maximum of 3 units may be from Level II.
Level 4
POLSCI 4JS3 Judicial Studies
POLSCI 4LC3 Research on Law and Courts
6 units of Level 4 Political Science
Students may take a maximum of 12 units of Level IV Political Science and will be removed from any excess units of Level IV Political Science unless permission is granted by the Department. Additional units of Level IV Political Science may not be used as electives.
Enrollment in this program is limited and possession of the published minimum requirements does not guarantee admission. Selection is based on academic achievement but requires, as a minimum, completion of any Level I program with a Grade Point Average of at least 5.0 including a grade of C or greater in one of POLSCI 1AA3 or 1AB3 (or a grade of at least C in POLSCI 1G06 A/B). For continuation in the program, see Minimum Requirements for Entering and Continuing in a Program Beyond Level I in the Faculty of Social Sciences Academic Regulations.
Undergraduate Scholarships, Bursaries and Awards
All undergraduate students accepted for admission to McMaster University are automatically considered for a McMaster University entrance award. Additional entrance awards, in-course scholarships, bursaries and other forms of financial assistance are available to you at various stages of their undergraduate careers.
Each scholarship, bursary, Government Aid or Work Study Program has its own unique application process and requirements. More information on financial aid visit the Student Affairs Office of the Registrar website.
The Clarke Prizes in Advocacy and Active Citizenship
Established in 2014 by Ryan Clarke (Class of '88) and Leanna Clarke to reward distinguished advocacy demonstrated by students at McMaster University who are - or wish to - advocate for some type of meaningful social and/or political change.
Parliamentary Internship Programs
Fall / Winter 2022-2023
Undergraduate Chair
Dr. Todd Alway
alwayto@mcmaster.ca
Political Science Academic Advisor
Dr. Robert O'Brien
obrienr@mcmaster.ca
Recruitment, Awards & Scholarship Coordinator
Dr. Nibaldo Galleguillos
gallegui@mcmaster.ca
Careers, Experiential & Alumni Coordinator
Dr. Lana Wylie
wyliel@mcmaster.ca
Academic Advising
The Academic Advising office is run through the Office of the Associate Dean in the Faculty of Social Sciences. The primary goal of the Advising Office is to provide all Social Sciences undergraduate students with the information and guidance they need to succeed in their academic careers.
Advisors can help you make the right academic decisions by explaining policies and regulations as well as presenting different options and supports available in your studies.
An academic advisor can assist you with:
- Course requirements, dropping and adding courses
- Program selection, application and changes
- Studying abroad
- Transfer credits
- Petitions for missed term work, deferred examinations and special consideration
- Appeals procedures
- Referral to other campus services
Learn more about Academic Advising in the Social Sciences.
• POLSCI 1AA3 - Government, Politics, and Power
• POLSCI 1AB3 - Politics and Power in a Globalizing World
• POLSCI 2C03 - Force and Fear, Crime and Punishment
• POLSCI 2D03 - Canadian Democracy
• POLSCI 2EM3 - Political Economy and the Media
• POLSCI 2F03 - Politics, Power and Influence in Canada
• POLSCI 2H03 - Globalization and the State
• POLSCI 2I03 - Global Politics
• POLSCI 2J03 - Global Political Economy
• POLSCI 2LW3 - Communication Policy and Law
• POLSCI 2M03 - Governance, Representation, and Participation in Democracies
• POLSCI 2MN3 - Reel Politics
• POLSCI 2NN3 - Politics by Design
• POLSCI 2O06 A/B - Political Theory
• POLSCI 2PF3 - Politics of Funny
• POLSCI 2U03 - Public Policy and Administration
• POLSCI 2US3 - US Politics
• POLSCI 2XX3 - Politics of the Developing World
• POLSCI 3B03 - Honours Issues in International Relations and Global Public Policy
• POLSCI 3BB3 - Political Communication: Canada and the World
• POLSCI 3C03 - Government and Politics of Indigenous People
• POLSCI 3CC3 - Political Authority: 20th-Century Political Theory
• POLSCI 3CL3 - Constitutional and Public Law in Canada
• POLSCI 3EE3 - International Relations: North-South
• POLSCI 3FG3 - Public Service Leadership
• POLSCI 3G03 - Ethnicity and Multiculturalism: Theory and Practice
• POLSCI 3GC3 - Global Climate Change
• POLSCI 3GG3 - Federalism
• POLSCI 3H03 - Honours Issues in Comparative Politics
• POLSCI 3I03 - Topics in American Politics
• POLSCI 3IP3 - Intellectual Property
• POLSCI 3J03 - Honours Issues in Canadian Politics and Canadian Public Policy
• POLSCI 3JJ3 - Provincial Politics in Canada
• POLSCI 3JR3 - The Rule of Law and Legal and Judicial Reforms in the Developing World
• POLSCI 3K03 - Migration and Citizenship: Canadian, Comparative and Global Perspectives
• POLSCI 3KA3 - Indigenous Human Rights
• POLSCI 3KK3 - Genocide: Sociological and Political Perspectives
• POLSCI 3LA3 - Religion and Politics
• POLSCI 3LB3 - Globalization and the World Order
• POLSCI 3LC3 - Southeast Asian Politics
• POLSCI 3LL3 - Development and Public Policy
• POLSCI 3LP3 - Topics in Law and Policy
• POLSCI 3NN3 - Statistical Analysis of Primary Data
• POLSCI 3PB3 - Politics from Below
• POLSCI 3PG3 - Political Geography
• POLSCI 3PR3 - Practice of Politics
• POLSCI 3Q03 - The Causes of War
• POLSCI 3RF3 - The Charter of Rights and Freedoms
• POLSCI 3UU3 - Reading Course
• POLSCI 3V03 - Gender and Politics
• POLSCI 3VV3 - Democratic Theory
• POLSCI 3WP3 - Working in Politics
• POLSCI 3Y03 - Democratization and Human Rights
• POLSCI 3Z03 - Canadian Public Sector Management
• POLSCI 4AA6 A/B - Contemporary Politics
• POLSCI 4CA3 - Issues in Canadian Politics
• POLSCI 4CF3 - Canadian Foreign Policy
• POLSCI 4D06 A/B - International Politics
• POLSCI 4DV3 - Death and Violence
• POLSCI 4FF3 - Rights and Justice
• POLSCI 4G06 A/B - Politics of Public Policy
• POLSCI 4GC3 - Advanced Issues in Global Citizenship
• POLSCI 4GG3 - Conceptual Issues in Global Politics
• POLSCI 4HH3 - Critical Theory
• POLSCI 4HR3 - Human Rights
• POLSCI 4JJ3 - Cosmopolitanism
• POLSCI 4JS3 - Judicial Studies
• POLSCI 4KB3 - Non-Western International Relations
• POLSCI 4KC3 - Comparative Democratization
• POLSCI 4KK3 - Advanced Issues in Global Security
• POLSCI 4LA3 - Politics in Latin America
• POLSCI 4LC3 - Research on Law and Courts
• POLSCI 4NN3 - Studies in Global Political Economy
• POLSCI 4O06 A/B - Canadian Politics
• POLSCI 4OL3 - Origins of Law
• POLSCI 4PA3 - Policy Analysis and Implementation
• POLSCI 4PE3 - Global Political Ecology
• POLSCI 4PO3 - Public Opinion
• POLSCI 4Q06 A/B - Comparative Politics
• POLSCI 4QQ3 - Issues in International Politics
• POLSCI 4RR3 - Health Policy in the Industrialized World
• POLSCI 4RT3 - Radical Political Theory
• POLSCI 4SS3 - Public Opinion and Policy
• POLSCI 4UF3 - US Foreign Policy
• POLSCI 4UP3 - Urban Politics in the Post-Industrial Era: Hamilton & Detroit
• POLSCI 4Y03 - Domination and Decolonization
• POLSCI 4YR3 - Child/Youth Rights and Security in Global Political Perspective
• POLSCI 4Z06 A/B - Honours Essay
• POLSCI 4ZZ3 - Experiential Learning in Research
• POLSCI 4ZZ6 A/B - Experiential Learning in Research
- For more information:
-
Department of Political Science
KTH 527
905-525-9140 ext. 24741
binnies@mcmaster.ca
- Length:
- 4 years
- Required Credential:
- High School Diploma or equivalent, with 6 Grade 12 U/M courses including English 4U. The anticipated cut-off required by Ontario High School applicants for admission to Social Sciences I is 78 - 82% (subject to change).
- Program Type:
- Course Based
- Program Options:
- Full-time, Part-time
- Typical Entry:
- September
- Current Deadline:
- April