Why Windsor?
The Department of Political Science at Windsor gives students the chance to be part of a growing and vibrant academic community. The department has exceptional resources available to fund its M.A. students, and offers two exciting paths to pursue graduate work:
an M.A. degree, which can generally be completed in one calendar year (September to September) through the completion of courses and either a major research paper or a master's thesis;
and the M.A. internship option, a unique program that combines M.A. coursework with a 6-month paid internship to complete the degree with valuable hands-on work experience with employers including municipal governments; government agencies; local, provincial and national politicians; and non-governmental agencies such as the Alzheimer Society.
Our quick reference brochures are now available. Please select each link for a PDF version.
World Class Scholars
The department currently has over a dozen full-time faculty members, all of whom are actively engaged in research. Joining the M.A. program will give you the opportunity to participate in and learn from the wide array of research undertaken by our faculty. You can learn more about individual faculty members and their ongoing research from the bios listed on our faculty page.
The department is also home to two major research centres: the Jerusalem Old City Initiative and the Cross-Border Institute. Several graduate students have worked with the Jerusalem Old City Initiative since its inception, and have participated in high-level meetings and ongoing research projects tied to Track II diplomatic efforts centered on the status of Jerusalem. If you are interested in learning more about JOCI and graduate opportunities available in connection with this initiative, please contact Dr. Tom Najem.
The Cross-Border Institute is housed within the Department of Political Science and is headed by Dr. William Anderson. This ambitious research center puts students at the center of North America's transportation infrastructure, and within sight of the world's busiest border crossing at the Ambassador Bridge. Funding opportunities are available. Students interested in pursuing an M.A. in political science with a focus on transportation policy should contact Dr. Anderson.
Excellent Funding Opportunities
The university and the department are committed to funding students in the M.A. program. Over the past several years, the department has been able to offer a graduate teaching assistantship to all students who entered the M.A. program full-time. Starting in 2020-2021, we have also revamped our departmental entrance scholarships in order to attract the best possible students to Windsor.
Finally, the university offers the possibility of a Tuition Scholarship to students who enter with an undergraduate cumulative average of A- or better. Read more about funding and scholarships.
An Internship Success Story
Corey Shenken, (BA 2016, MA 2017)
Corey Shenken crunches the numbers. As a project Coordinator and Researcher for Workforce WindsorEssex, Corey spends his days diving into the pools of data that define our region. A Toronto native, Corey came to embrace Essex County after relocating to pursue a pair of Political Science degrees at UWindsor. Now well-versed in cross-border politics and international labour migration, Corey works to build meaningful, substantive partnerships between our local employment planning council and the community. He has worked on projects related to the recent multinational NAFTA renegotiations, his employer's Redefining Retirement initiative and the Gordie Howe International Bridge project. It all started with an internship.
Great Career Prospects
Graduates from our M.A. program have an exceptional record following completion of their degrees. Our graduates work for Canadian MPs and Senators, in the provincial legislature, and for a number of municipal governments. Many also work for federal government agencies such as CSIS, Health Canada, and the diplomatic service. Others have gone on to become lawyers and journalists, while still others go on to Ph.D. programs. Recent graduates of the program have gone on to undertake Ph.D. research at Carleton University, the University of Victoria, the University of Michigan, and the University of Chicago, among others. The skills you will develop in our M.A. program will assist you in securing a place in a Ph.D. program.
For more information please contact:
Graduate Secretary
Chrysler Hall North 1149
519-253-3000 ext 2348
polscigrad@uwindsor.ca
Dr. John Sutcliffe, Graduate Program Chair
Professor, Political Science
Chrysler Hall North 1155
519-253-3000 ext 2361
sutclif@uwindsor.ca