Memorandum
To:
Dr. Adam Baxter-Jones, Chair, CGSR Executive Committee
CC:
Dr. Dionne Pohler, Chair, Graduate Programs Committee
From:
Graduate Programs Committee of CGSR
Date:
November 13, 2015
Re:
Master of Arts in Political Studies – credit unit reduction in project-option
_________________________________________________________________
The Graduate Programs Committee met on November 2, 2015, to consider a 6 credit unit reduction to the minimum
credit unit requirements in the project option in the Master of Arts in Political Studies program.
The proposal is to align the program requirements with comparator institutions with a goal of reducing overall time in
program and allowing the program to be more competitive in recruitment efforts. It was noted that the project option
had been approved recently for implementation; however, the proponents provided sufficient rationale to warrant the
credit unit reduction at this time. The Graduate Programs Committee passed the following motion:
Motion: To recommend approval of a minimum of 18 credit units of coursework in the projectoption in the Master of Arts in Political Studies program.
Eglington/Whiting CARRIED
If you have any questions, please contact Kelly Clement at Kelly.clement@usask.ca or 306-966-2229.
:kc
To:
Dr. Dionne Pohler, Chair, Graduate Programs Committee, College of Graduate
Studies and Research
CC:
Dr. Adam Jones-Baxter, Dean, College of Graduate Studies and Research
Dr. Trever Crowe, Associate Dean, College of Graduate Studies and Research
Dr. Kalowatie Deonandan, Head, Department of Political Studies
From:
Dr. Neil Hibbert, Graduate Chair, Department of Political Studies
Date:
October 5, 2015
Re:
Revision to Course Requirements for Political Studies Project-Based MA
_________________________________________________________________
The Department of Political Studies is seeking approval for the following revision to its
Project-Based MA Stream:
Reduction of the Course Requirements from 24 credit units to 18 credit units.
Rationale:
In 2015 the Department of Political Studies was granted approval to offer a Project-Based
MA Stream. In our proposal, the identified goals of adding a Project-Based Stream included:
enhancing student choice; facilitating timely completion of the MA degree; reducing
financial pressure on students; strengthening applied policy training; growing the MA
program; and alignment with comparator Political Science departments in Canada.
Upon reflecting on these goals during the implementation of the Project-Based MA Stream
in September, 2015, the Department wishes to reduce the current Course Requirements
from 24 credit units to 18 credit units.
The following are the main grounds for this requested revision:
•
•
•
Alignment with Program Design of Comparator Political Science Departments:
The 24 credit unit course requirement puts us at odds with the program design of
comparator Political Science Departments that offer Project-Based MA streams (See
Appendix 1). The overwhelming norm in Canadian Political Science Departments’
Project-Based MA Streams is 18 credit units plus a Major Research Project. The
current discrepancy underpins the following reasons for the requested revision.
Competitiveness in Student Recruitment: In choosing an MA program, our
current comparatively higher course requirement puts the Department at a
competitive disadvantage in recruiting students interested in a Project-Based MA.
The requested revision will level the playing field in this respect.
Student Performance: The Department has come to the view that taking 12 credit
units of Graduate level courses per semester is an overly-demanding requirement,
•
and will negatively impact students’ prospects for academic success in each class.
The impact on academic performance, we are concerned, will put our students at a
disadvantage in their post-graduate prospects compared to students graduating
from other programs with an 18 credit unit requirement.
Facilitating Timely Completion: A major goal of establishing a Project-Based MA
stream was to improve the time of degree completion. This was meant to address
the mismatch between our funding structure (one year) and the time it was taking
most students to finish an MA thesis (2-3 years), thereby reducing financial stress
on our students. In light of the overly demanding nature of a 12 credit unit course
load per semester, and to avoid negative impacts on academic performance,
students currently in the Project Stream are considering spreading the course
requirement over a third semester. A six credit unit reduction to the Course
requirements will prevent students from having to make this decision, and perhaps
extending beyond their funding.
Appendix 1: Comparison of Course Requirements of Comparator Political Science
Departments Offering a Non-Thesis MA
Comparator Programs with Major Research Projects
University
Course/Project Requirements
McGill
21 cus (MRP)
Queen’s
18 cus (MRP)
Ottawa
Simon Fraser
Waterloo
Western
Wilfrid Laurier
York
18 cus (MRP)
18 cus (MRP)
18 cus (MRP)
18 cus (MRP)
18 cus (MRP)
18 cus (MRP)
Comparator Programs without Major Research Projects
University
Course/Project Requirements
Alberta
24 cus (no project)
McMaster
18 cus (comprehensive exams)
Manitoba
Toronto
24 cus (no project)
24 cus (no project)