Bachelor Programme
Political Science
Political Science at Western asks where rules and laws come from, why they change, what policies intend, and what the evidence says about their effects. Courses range from political ideas and institutions, Canadian government and comparative politics to data science methods for politics, decolonizing politics, global justice, and misinformation and conspiracy theories. Students can take Honours Specializations or Majors in Political Science or Global Justice, with community placements, a student journal, thesis work and Social Science Co-op.
University
Western University
Country
Canada
Level
Bachelor
Field
Political Science
Duration
4 years (Honours); 3-year degree options
Language
English
Campus
London, Ontario (Main Campus)
Degree
Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Political Science (Political Science + Ivey HBA combined degree available)
Intake
September
Application Deadline
January 15, 2027 (OUAC application deadline for equal consideration); English test results by mid-April 2027
Tuition Information
International: CAD 47,493 tuition in year 1 (50,492.46 single-payment total with ancillary fees and health plans) under Western's 2026-27 Science/Social Science/Bio-Medical Sciences rate. International tuition rises no more than 4% per year after year 1. Canadian students (2026-27): Ontario residents CAD 6,171 tuition (8,222.46 total), out-of-province CAD 7,719 tuition (9,770.46 total). The 2026-27 schedules are marked draft and Fall 2027 rates are not yet published.
Admission Requirements
- Apply on the OUAC using Western code EO
- Ontario: OSSD with at least six Grade 12 U/M courses (excluding co-op), including ENG4U; each required course needs at least 70%
- Ontario required courses: ENG4U (Grade 12 U/M Math recommended)
- IB: full IB Diploma with at least 27 points (including TOK and Extended Essay), six subjects with three at HL, and no mark below 4. Program IB requirements: no required courses (IB Math recommended)
- Applicants from other curricula (A Levels, AP, US high school and national curricula by country) are assessed against Western's curriculum- and country-specific requirements
- Admission average guideline: low to mid 80s (Social Science) (Averages reflect Ontario high school students. Reaching the guideline does not guarantee admission)
- English language proficiency is required if English is not your first language (tests written from January 1, 2025 and before March 2027): IELTS Academic 6.5 (6.0 in each section), TOEFL iBT 83 (20 in each section) for tests before January 21, 2026 or 4.5 overall (4.0 in reading, speaking and writing; 4.5 in listening) for tests on or after that date, PTE Academic 58 (56 in each section), Cambridge C1 Advanced/C2 Proficiency 176 (169 in each section) or Duolingo 115 (100 in each subscore). A waiver may be possible, for example after four full-time years of secondary school in English