Department of Political Science Mission Statement
Political science is fundamentally a study of power. Political science scholars and students focus on core concepts like authority, legitimacy, liberty, equality, citizenship, governance and justice. Building on philosophical and theoretical foundations, political scientists are able to shed light on pressing questions about nationalism and globalization, the sources of political conflict, the outcomes of distributive justice and the role of collaboration at all orders of governance from local to global. At UTM, political science students learn to tackle key concepts and learn skills through five subfields of the discipline: Political Theory, Canadian Politics, International Relations, Comparative Politics and Public Policy & Administration.
In line with UTM’s core values, the Department of Political Science at UTM embraces community, creativity, communication, innovation and sustainability.
These values are foundational and essential in our teaching and research.
Department of Political Science Program Objectives
- Enable students to understand and navigate the changing political world around them.
- Expose students to the main subfields of political science and provide opportunities for specialization.
- Enable students to be more reflective and engaged local and global citizens using the analytical tools and knowledge they get from a political science education.
Department of Political Science Core Concepts
- Diversity (gender, race, inclusion, minority rights, etc.)
- Justice (rule of law, authority, procedural justice, equity, distribution, etc.)
- Democracy (freedom of speech, free press, elections, etc.)
- Institutions (Parliament, NGOs, courts, etc.)
- Ideologies (liberalism, communism, populism, socialism, etc.)
- Non-institutional politics (social movements, public opinion, markets, norms, etc.)
Department of Political Science Core Skills
- ability to write clearly and communicate ideas and arguments
- gather, interpret and present evidence
- search and find appropriate sources in response to a research question or problem
- read critically and evaluate arguments
- oral presentation/public speaking
- experiential learning