Applied Politics (MAP)

The coursework option provides students a variety of courses in fulfilment of their degree requirements.

Students wishing to complete coursework only option must take:

• PO601: The Craft of Political Science
• PO602: Applied Political Analysis
• Six additional half-credit courses that match students’ area of interest (see course offerings).

The Policy Analysis is a 50-page project that provides students with the opportunity to carry out a professional policy analysis on an existing policy, working under the supervision of two faculty members (an advisor and second reader).

Students are required to submit a seven- to 10-page proposal that identifies the policy issue or problem to be examined, outlines a short summary of background information consisting of a few key facts that are important for understanding the context of the policy problem to be studied and provides a brief discussion of the evaluative framework to be applied.

Students are expected to defend their research proposal before a committee (graduate officer, one member of the graduate affairs committee, and the proposed advisor). Upon successful defence of the proposal, students will be eligible to register in PO695 to complete the Policy Analysis Option and will be expected to orally defend their final piece of work upon its completion by the end of August.

Students wishing to complete the policy analysis project must take:

• PO601: The Craft of Political Science
• PO602: Applied Political Analysis
• PO604: Applied Public Policy Analysis
• Three additional half-credit courses. For example, students who wish to pursue an interest in public policy might take PO692U: Patterns of Provincial Politics in Canada; PO691C: Policy Research in Action; and PO650: International Human Rights, the Law and Governance.

The Public Opinion Project is a 25- to 30-page paper (not including the required survey instruments) that provides students with an opportunity to undertake the design of a major public opinion project involving the administration of a survey working under the supervision of two faculty members (an advisor and second reader).

Students are required to submit a seven- to 10-page proposal that includes a brief discussion of the research question, an explanation of the project design and details of the survey methodology to be employed. Students are expected to defend their research proposal before a committee (graduate officer, one member of the graduate affairs committee, and the proposed advisor).

Upon successful defence of the proposal, students will be eligible to register in PO695 to complete the Policy Analysis Option and will be expected to orally defend their final piece of work upon its completion by the end of August.

Students wishing to complete the journal article project must take:

• PO601: The Craft of Political Science
• PO602: Applied Political Analysis
• PO633: Public Opinion and Survey Design
• Three additional half-credit courses.

The Research Paper is approximately 50 pages in length, and provides students with an opportunity to carry out empirical research on a topic of their choice, working under the supervision of two faculty members (an advisor and second reader).

Students are required to submit a seven- to 10-page proposal that includes a brief discussion of the research question, succinctly articulates a central hypothesis, and situates the research question within an area of scholarly literature and area of debate. Students are expected to defend their research proposal before a committee (graduate officer, one member of the graduate affairs committee, and the proposed advisor) in December.

Upon successful defence of the proposal, students will be eligible to register in PO695 to complete the Research Paper Option and will be expected to orally defend their final piece of work upon its completion in late August.

Students wishing to complete the journal article project must take:

• PO601: The Craft of Political Science
• PO602: Applied Political Analysis
• Four additional half-credit courses that match students’ area of interest (see course offerings).

The Journal Article Option is reserved for students with an A- and above standing (unless otherwise approved) and provides students with the opportunity to write a 30- to 35-page document in journal-article format, working under the supervision of two faculty members (an advisor and second reader).

Students are required to submit a seven- to 10-page proposal that includes a brief discussion of the research question, succinctly articulates a central hypothesis and situates the research question within an area of scholarly literature and area of debate. Students are expected to defend their research proposal before a committee (graduate officer, one member of the graduate affairs committee, and the proposed advisor).

Upon successful defence of the proposal, students will be eligible to register in PO695 to complete the Journal Article Option. Students will receive feedback through a simulated peer-review process of their work (normally over the summer term), with written feedback provided and a discussion of the feedback with the committee by the end of August. Students will be encouraged to submit their completed article to an academic journal.

Students wishing to complete the journal article project must take:

• PO601: The Craft of Political Science
• PO602: Applied Political Analysis
• Four additional half-credit courses that match students’ area of interest (see course offerings).

• A four-year (honours) undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in political science or a related field.
• A minimum B average in your last two years of undergraduate study.
• An honours graduate from a program other than political science may be admitted if evidence justifying admission is offered and the student has completed a minimum of two courses in political science, one of which must have a social science theory component; research methods is strongly recommended.
• Applications are reviewed by the graduate program committee, which considers all prior university grades, statement of interests, a writing sample and letters of reference.

After you have submitted your OUAC application, paid the non-refundable application fee, and Laurier has received your application, you'll receive an email from gradadmissions@wlu.ca advising you to upload the additional required documentation to Laurier’s Online Registration and Information System (LORIS).

Please note, the application process and the uploading of supplemental documentation, which includes references, typically takes two weeks. To avoid disappointment, please apply early.

An application for admission to our Master of Applied Politics program must include:

• The Application Summary, which is generated after you complete your OUAC application (log back in to OUAC to retrieve it).
• Transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work. Documents must be dated within the past six months.
• A completed statement of intent.
• A resume of your academic and work experience. Include a history of your publication and scholarly paper activity and any other information you feel will interest the admissions committee.
• A sample of your scholarly writing (8-10 pages in length or longer), preferably from a third- or fourth-year undergraduate course.
• Completed reference forms. Two academic references are required. Note: Reference forms are electronically submitted to Laurier by the referee and do not need to be uploaded.
• A completed Authorization of Information Release (AIR) form is required if you have engaged the services of an education agent/agency. Upload it to your application checklist when you identify your agent in the OUAC application. Visit Step 2 for more information about the AIR.

Visit our Graduate Admissions Toolkit for more information about applying.

Proficiency in written and spoken English is essential to graduate studies at Laurier. Applicants whose language of instruction during their previous postsecondary education was not in English must submit evidence of proficiency in English. If applicable, results from accepted testing services must be uploaded to LORIS.

Would you like to work for the federal, provincial or municipal government? Or, are you interested in working in the non-profit sector with organizations that do advocacy, humanitarian work, or policy research? Maybe you are leaning toward the private sector, a position in business-government relations? If so, the Master in Applied Politics (MAP) will prepare you.

The MAP is not your traditional political science degree because it offers a strong policy orientation as well as opportunities for faculty-supervised placements with government, non-government and advocacy organizations. It aims to help you think strategically as you prepare for the job market, all while emphasizing the goals and values of a strong liberal arts education.

On policy, students learn how governments generate ideas related to the environment, housing, national defence, health, and more. You will examine how governments roll out policies and how they use public opinion data to determine their course of action. You will also explore how researchers and groups outside government evaluate the government’s work, policies, and programs.

As for hands-on experience, the MAP offers “applied/practical” components, including a placement in the community (in government or the not-for profit sector). Our master's students worked with the City of Kitchener (participating in an environmental audit for the city), the Region of Waterloo (working on housing policy), and Ploughshares (working on international regulation of so-called killer robots and government policy on the violent conflict in Yemen).

The MAP also emphasizes career readiness. It offers a specialized course that focuses specifically on the tools needed to transition into the political science-related workforce: résumé writing; effective use of social media such as LinkedIn; interview skills; and more. The goal of this course is to insert the career development process directly into the MAP’s academic experience. This is also accomplished through our practitioner-in-residence, Dr. John Milloy, who brings real-life experience to the classroom through a series of skills-building workshops. Professor Milloy was a senior advisor to the prime minister, a member of provincial parliament, and a cabinet minister for many years.

Many apply to law school early, before finishing their undergraduate degree. But having a master's degree under your belt before you apply can be valuable for future employment once you finish law school. The degree can make you stand out when looking for articling positions as well. It could also serve to boost your GPA, if needed.

The Master in Applied Politics (MAP) is the perfect training ground for a legal career. Here are just a few reasons why:

• The rigor associated with our capstone courses is used in law school reference letters to signal that the student will come to law school with some high-end capacity for critical and conceptual thinking.
• Completing the MAP allows you to demonstrate you are ready for a more intensive learning environment, and able to read and assess material at a higher level to identify core arguments and understand/challenge their logic – all of which are needed to do well in law school.
• The MAP also provides you with a little more time to decide which aspects of the law you wish to engage with, as you learn about the output side of law, which is related to public policy.
• Many want legal training because they hope to work in government. Combining the MAP with law would be an excellent grounding for government work as well as work in an international organization.

If you envision a PhD as part of your career objectives, this program will provide the needed tools. The Master in Applied Politics (MAP) will ensure you are prepared to undertake research in your chosen area of interest.

The MAP offers two courses that are particularly geared to providing you with the tools and skills needed to pursue a PhD. For example, our course PO601: The Craft of Political Science introduces you to the theories and methods typically used by political scientists to research, test, and answer questions related to politics. The course explores the approaches political scientists might use to determine whether foreign aid works, or if we should trust the polls released before election day, or how to explore why some countries are more welcoming to refugees than others. Most importantly, it will help you to formulate the research question that will anchor your PhD application.

In addition, our course PO602: Applied Political Analysis focuses specifically on research methods. It helps you determine how to go about exploring various kinds of political science research questions. The course not only introduces you to the methods political scientists use, but it will also serve as an important resource as you apply for admission to a PhD program. Applications to doctoral studies include a research proposal. The “methodological” section of your research proposal, as well the methodological section of any PhD grant proposal you submit, are major and fundamental parts of the application process. This course will give you the tools to craft both.

The MAP also gives students heading for a PhD the opportunity to craft a research paper in journal article format. This is excellent preparation for graduate school, where publishing your work in scholarly journals is key. You work under the supervision of two faculty members (an advisor and second reader) in order to craft a research question, succinctly articulate a hypothesis and situate the research question within an area of scholarly literature and area of debate. You will receive feedback through a simulated peer-review process of your work, with written feedback provided, and through a discussion of the feedback with the committee your advisors. You will be encouraged to submit your article to an academic journal.

Are you already in government, the not-for-profit sector, or the private sector and want to enhance your CV or boost your chances for promotion or career flexibility? This degree is for you.

Credentials are important for career advancement. The Master in Applied Politics (MAP) can give you the credentials you need to climb higher on your chosen career ladder or move laterally into a related field. Because this program focuses on skills-building, it builds on what you have already gained through your work experience. It will also introduce you to key theoretical and academic debates in a way that is both accessible and relevant to real-world political contexts.

The MAP offers a strong focus on public policy and, more specifically, research as it relates to policy choices and programs. Research isn’t only a university-based activity. Governments, political advocacy organizations, social research councils, unions, social service delivery organizations, think tanks, policy institutes, all research independently or in connection with academics. These institutions evaluate the effectiveness of government programs; analyze and develop new policies; engage in public lobbying; and conduct surveys.

Our courses build the skills you will need to pursue these activities. For example, taking the course PO690: Research Practicum would round out your work experience and further build your skills. This course delivers the opportunity to participate in, and contribute to, a research project in a community setting. It is a chance to apply what you have learned in political science courses to real world experiences. For example, in 2018 our master's worked with the City of Kitchener (participating in an environmental audit for the city), the Region of Waterloo (working on housing policy), and Ploughshares (working on international regulation of so-called killer robots and government policy on the violent conflict in Yemen).

One of our main goals has been to insert the career development process directly into the MAP’s academic experience. The Research Practicum does this, but we also have a practitioner-in-residence, Dr. John Milloy, who brings real-life experience to the classroom through a series of skills-building workshops. Professor Milloy was a senior advisor to the prime minister, a member of provincial parliament, and a cabinet minister for many years.