2019-2020 Canadian Political Science thread

[mrsweasley]

Hey all, I decided to check my YorkU file today and saw I got admitted into the MA in Political Science. No email yet and I also can't see my admission letter on the portal yet. But yay! It's nice they're sending them out kind of early.

Edited February 27, 2020 by mrsweasley

[dag17]

On 2/25/2020 at 3:00 AM, e2e4 said:

I only just heard from UBC PhD. I'm Canadian & not going for an MA so I don't know if that makes a difference....

Congrats! I've applied to their MA program and it looks like they send out the decisions much later. 

[dag17]

13 hours ago, mrsweasley said:

Hey all, I decided to check my YorkU file today and saw I got admitted into the MA in Political Science. No email yet and I also can't see my admission letter on the portal yet. But yay! It's nice they're sending them out kind of early.

Congrats! Hope the other MA programs follow suit and release decisions soon!

[needanoffersobad]

Claiming UBC waiting list.  Maybe Canadian schools just not for me...... 

[mrsweasley]

Does anyone here know anything about the McMaster Political Science program / the faculty in general? I'm pretty set on York now from what I've heard about it in terms of faculty but nothing from Mac, and no info online. I don't think that's their area of specialty...

[Paulcg87]

7 hours ago, mrsweasley said:

Does anyone here know anything about the McMaster Political Science program / the faculty in general? I'm pretty set on York now from what I've heard about it in terms of faculty but nothing from Mac, and no info online. I don't think that's their area of specialty...

Hi,

I went to McMaster for part of my undergrad and took classes in the polisci program there and I'm an admitted UT PhD student right now. It's a good school/program, as is York. I don't think there are a lot of substantive differences in the quality or culture in either department. You really can't go wrong with either. For me, I didn't want to live in downtown Toronto and Hamilton isn't perfect but I wanted the quieter (and slightly lower cost of living), more traditional campus feel of McMaster than York or UT. 

Have you heard yet from UT? I know their M.A. decisions seem to me on a later schedule this year so I would say that if you haven't heard from UT, wait for them (if you can) before you make a final decision. It also depends so much on what you want to do with your degree.

For me, I chose UT for my PhD because I want to at least keep my options open for living/working abroad (Australia/NZ), and UT is the most recognizable Canadian school abroad with the most connections. Ranking and reputation doesn't matter as much here at home but it matters a lot in other parts of the world. It's the only Canadian school to consistently rank in the top 20 in different world rankings (USNWR, QS, THE, etc), it's #2 in the world in published works and #3 in the world in cited works. Do you want to get a PhD eventually? If so, do you want to go into academia? If the answer to these questions is "yes", I recommend UT simply because of these things. If a master's degree is as far as you want to go and it's for personal fulfillment or you plan to work in government or consulting, ranking doesn't matter as much and you can't go wrong with any of your choices. In this case, if you fit better at York and your choice is between York and McMaster, go to York. 

[mrsweasley]

17 hours ago, Paulcg87 said:

Hi,

I went to McMaster for part of my undergrad and took classes in the polisci program there and I'm an admitted UT PhD student right now. It's a good school/program, as is York. I don't think there are a lot of substantive differences in the quality or culture in either department. You really can't go wrong with either. For me, I didn't want to live in downtown Toronto and Hamilton isn't perfect but I wanted the quieter (and slightly lower cost of living), more traditional campus feel of McMaster than York or UT. 

Have you heard yet from UT? I know their M.A. decisions seem to me on a later schedule this year so I would say that if you haven't heard from UT, wait for them (if you can) before you make a final decision. It also depends so much on what you want to do with your degree.

For me, I chose UT for my PhD because I want to at least keep my options open for living/working abroad (Australia/NZ), and UT is the most recognizable Canadian school abroad with the most connections. Ranking and reputation doesn't matter as much here at home but it matters a lot in other parts of the world. It's the only Canadian school to consistently rank in the top 20 in different world rankings (USNWR, QS, THE, etc), it's #2 in the world in published works and #3 in the world in cited works. Do you want to get a PhD eventually? If so, do you want to go into academia? If the answer to these questions is "yes", I recommend UT simply because of these things. If a master's degree is as far as you want to go and it's for personal fulfillment or you plan to work in government or consulting, ranking doesn't matter as much and you can't go wrong with any of your choices. In this case, if you fit better at York and your choice is between York and McMaster, go to York. 

I really appreciate your answer! Your points are very fair. I haven't heard from UT and honestly yeah I'm considering getting a PhD at some point and going into academia. I'm not particularly interested in government, and like you I'd also want my options open for working abroad. 

Reasons I was leaning towards York were:

1. They give funding (huge bonus, and I've heard UT is famous for not really giving any)
2. I get to choose a specialization. For me, comparative politics, which has always been my main area of interest
3. I get to do a thesis, which I want to do in case I choose to pursue a PhD. UT MA doesn't offer this, which I find a little odd. 
4. I like the areas of expertise and topics of the professors and the courses (more leftist, lots of courses on capitalism, neoliberalism, etc.). The political leanings and academic environment of York appeal to me for this reason
5. Seems a little bit more "intimate" or easier to have interactions with professors. I've read you can get quite lost in the massive UT Political faculty. 

Also, I do work very hard and I think I would succeed at UT, but it also does have the reputation of being hard for no reason; and If I'm going to give me 110% and still not get the best grades, I'd be shooting myself in the foot for a PhD.

UT was originally my desired choice and the others were backups, but I just feel like there's a lot stacked up against it and one of the only things going for it is reputation and ranking. Honestly it's hard these days, I feel like people are divided on the issue of whether this matters or not. If you don't mind me asking, where did you go for your MA?

Thank you so much!

Edited March 3, 2020 by mrsweasley

[Paulcg87]

13 minutes ago, mrsweasley said:

I really appreciate your answer! Your points are very fair. I haven't heard from UT and honestly yeah I'm considering getting a PhD at some point and going into academia. I'm not particularly interested in government, and like you I'd also want my options open for working abroad. 

Reasons I was leaning towards York were:

1. They give funding (huge bonus, and I've heard UT is famous for not really giving any)
2. I get to choose a specialization. For me, comparative politics, which has always been my main area of interest
3. I get to do a thesis, which I want to do in case I choose to pursue a PhD. UT MA doesn't offer this, which I find a little odd. 
4. I like the areas of expertise and topics of the professors and the courses (more leftist, lots of courses on capitalism, neoliberalism, etc.). The political leanings and academic environment of York appeal to me for this reason
5. Seems a little bit more "intimate" or easier to have interactions with professors. I've read you can get quite lost in the massive UT Political faculty. 

Also, I do work very hard and I think I would succeed at UT, but it also does have the reputation of being hard for no reason; and If I'm going to give me 110% and still not get the best grades, I'd be shooting myself in the foot for a PhD.

UT was originally my desired choice and the others were backups, but I just feel like there's a lot stacked up against it and one of the only things going for it is reputation and ranking. Honestly it's hard these days, I feel like people are divided on the issue of whether this matters or not. If you don't mind me asking, where did you go for your MA?

Thank you so much!

Hi,
Let me jump right in. Regarding your reasons/points:

1. You are spot on about UT. They give little to no funding for master's students; strangely, this is the opposite of their PhD program, which is actually fairly well funded by Canadian standards. In fact, it would be fair to infer/surmise that the master's program tuition likely subsidizes at least some of the PhD program students. Average PhD award at UT is full tuition plus about $2k/month stipend, part of which is from TAing. This isn't amazing but it's on part with many US schools and better than a lot of Canadian programs. The downside of course is the cost of living in Toronto, but you face that whether you're at UT or elsewhere, and it's still slightly less than the cost of living in Vancouver. Also FYI, UT does have subsidized student housing that is relatively affordable compared to the rental market anywhere near the St George campus. 

2. That makes sense; I don’t have experience with the intricacies of the UT master’s program but I know with the PhD you are actually required to choose two subfields, including IR, Comparative, Canadian Politics, Public Policy, and Theory. 

3. That also makes sense. I also have no idea why it doesn’t have a thesis, though in UT’s case I’m not sure this is necessarily a huge issue because if you get into their PhD you still have another 5-6 years even if you did a 1-2 year master’s w/thesis beforehand. 

4/5. Fit is extremely important. You need to be happy with wherever you go and ultimately your quality of life is the single most important factor, but it’s also important to know the risks before you make a final decision.

UT does indeed have a reputation for being needlessly difficult and a massive department without a lot of tight knit supervision or relationships. Personally, I prefer this type of atmosphere to the hand holding, micromanagement and rigid structure of US-style PhD’s, which is why I did not stay on with my old department (MIT) for a PhD after my master’s degree. I definitely see the pros/cons with both models. In my case, I thrive under pressure and I prefer independence, flexibility and the autonomy to be able to do what I want without my supervisor or committee breathing down my back every week or two, which is extremely common in US (and to a lesser extent, Canadian) programs. 

I chose to come back to Canada for my PhD primarily because if I’m going to spend 5-6 years on another degree, I’d rather do it at home, but at UT specifically because of its reputation for hands-off autonomy. The almost universal theme at UT is that you either sink or you swim depending on your needs and abilities. This is harsh and it’s brutal and it can be ultra competitive and lonely and confusing, but for certain types of people (myself included), this is preferred. 

With all of this said, while I appreciate UT’s culture, the main reason I chose UT is because it’s one of only a few Canadian schools that regularly sends graduates to the US for Tenure Track (TT) and postdoc positions. UT is much stronger in theory than it is in IR so I have an uphill battle if I ever want to go back to the US to work after graduation, but at least it does happen. Personally, I’m really interested in doing a postdoc in the US and then doing either another postdoc or a TT position in Australia/NZ. I have a better chance of doing this at UT than at any other Canadian school and that is based on objective placement statistics, not rumour or perspective. Full stop. 

Don’t get me wrong: If you do a PhD at a non-top 3 in Canada, it’s still possible you’ll be able to work abroad in a postdoc/TT job. Anything is possible. But if you do the math and look at placement history at various programs, the statistics are strongly against you ever working outside of Canada in a postdoc/TT job if you do not go to a top-3 school. Some people who read this will hate me for saying it, but you can’t argue with the empirical evidence of placement statistics or the probability that this provides. 

My advice to you is to go to York. You sound like you would be happy there and your reasons for going there are great. If after getting a taste of polisci grad school at York, you decide you still want to pursue a PhD, you should apply to the top 3 here and also consider US programs because they do vary from their Canadian counterparts. The best way I can describe it is that US programs emphasize quant analysis and methodology significantly more than Canadian, British or Australian political science programs. This is why I got my master’s degree in the US; I wanted a quant/methodological background that you will not get enough of in any Canadian program, whether it’s a masters or a PhD. I have that background now so I don’t have any reservations about going into a Canadian PhD that will be weaker on the quant side of things (and trust me, UT is probably the strongest quant/methodology polisci PhD in Canada), but if you do 100% of your education in Canada and don’t get this kind of a background, you will also be limiting yourself in external job markets that value at least some quant/methodology background or experience. Especially in the US, because TT jobs require you to supervisor and mentor students in quant heavy programs and if you don’t have that experience, you’ll be at a disadvantage. 

[Gik]

For those of you who are still waiting to hear from UBC (PhD): I e-mailed them and was told they have not finished sending out decisions and they will likely finish doing so by the end of next week. 

[Pusat94]

I am still waiting for Simon Fraser University. Does anyone know when to announce the results and how to notify us (some universities do not send an e-mail)?

[dag17]

Heard back from UofT MA Political Science today! Accepted but saw nothing about funding, but then again, I don’t think they give any funding to MA students which is a bit of problem.  I also got into the Munk School Masters of Global Affairs program at UofT and got 15k in scholarship so I’ll have a slightly tough time deciding now purely on the funding front. Any one wants to share their thoughts if they’re familiar with this kind of situation? 

Still waiting to hear from UBC and McGill! 
 

 

Edited March 7, 2020 by dag17

[juh523]

I applied to UBC, McGill, Carleton and Concordia for Comparative Politics MA. Haven’t heard back from anywhere yet, is this normal? 

[Paulcg87]

On 3/6/2020 at 5:20 PM, dag17 said:

Heard back from UofT MA Political Science today! Accepted but saw nothing about funding, but then again, I don’t think they give any funding to MA students which is a bit of problem.  I also got into the Munk School Masters of Global Affairs program at UofT and got 15k in scholarship so I’ll have a slightly tough time deciding now purely on the funding front. Any one wants to share their thoughts if they’re familiar with this kind of situation? 

Still waiting to hear from UBC and McGill! 
 

 

@dag17 - 

First, congrats on getting into both programs! Second, tuition/finances. I assume you qualify for domestic tuition rates. The polisci MA tuition is just under $8k total and is one year long. The MPP is a little over $19k per year and is two years long. With a $15k scholarship, you'll still owe over $4k/year for the MPP, so assuming you get the scholarship for both years, you're still paying a bit over $8k in tuition for the two year MPP, versus just under $8k for the one year polisci MA. So, really, you're going to end up paying the same tuition regardless of which program you choose. Ultimately, the MPP is a more expensive degree overall because it's two years of having to live in Toronto versus one year with the MA, but the MPP offers a lot of things the MA doesn't so it's not really an easy comparison. 

Third, what do you want to use the degree for? Consulting, government work, a PhD, etc? If you are genuinely interested in public policy and you want to work for a few years after graduating, definitely get the MPP. If you want to go into a PhD program as soon as possible and you're more interested in IR or another polisci subfield, do the MA. Good luck!

[dag17]

2 hours ago, Paulcg87 said:

@dag17 - 

First, congrats on getting into both programs! Second, tuition/finances. I assume you qualify for domestic tuition rates. The polisci MA tuition is just under $8k total and is one year long. The MPP is a little over $19k per year and is two years long. With a $15k scholarship, you'll still owe over $4k/year for the MPP, so assuming you get the scholarship for both years, you're still paying a bit over $8k in tuition for the two year MPP, versus just under $8k for the one year polisci MA. So, really, you're going to end up paying the same tuition regardless of which program you choose. Ultimately, the MPP is a more expensive degree overall because it's two years of having to live in Toronto versus one year with the MA, but the MPP offers a lot of things the MA doesn't so it's not really an easy comparison. 

Third, what do you want to use the degree for? Consulting, government work, a PhD, etc? If you are genuinely interested in public policy and you want to work for a few years after graduating, definitely get the MPP. If you want to go into a PhD program as soon as possible and you're more interested in IR or another polisci subfield, do the MA. Good luck!

Thank you so much for your detailed explanation! I’m an international student so the tuition is really high in both cases. ? But definitely more for the MGA as you said!
My plan is to get a PhD from an American institution or UT, but because I’ll be coming straight out of my undergraduate, I’m more okay with keeping other options open, primarily think tank/international diplomacy jobs after a Masters. I’m still waiting to hear from UBC and McGill, and from what I know UBC gives funding to MA students. However, it would be helpful to know if UT MA Political Science students have a better chance of getting into the PhD program there. Would you know anything about that? Thanks again for your help. 

Edited March 9, 2020 by dag17

[dag17]

3 hours ago, juh523 said:

I applied to UBC, McGill, Carleton and Concordia for Comparative Politics MA. Haven’t heard back from anywhere yet, is this normal? 

Haven’t heard from UBC and McGill either! I think they typically send out decisions after mid-March. 

[GeminiSJG]

I applied for a masters at UOFT in January for polisci and noticed by transcript recently only had my grades from last and current semester. I sent out my full one ASAP but I've seen acceptances going out already and I am worried. Did I f*ck up my chances and am guaranteed to be denied a choice.

[Pusat94]

I think you should ask this to the graduate coordinator louis.tentsos@utoronto.ca.

 

 

[GeminiSJG]

19 minutes ago, Pusat94 said:

I think you should ask this to the graduate coordinator louis.tentsos@utoronto.ca.

 

I did and emailed him. No response yet but realistically, how does this look?

[Pusat94]

I think they'd let you know if this was a problem.

[GeminiSJG]

15 minutes ago, Pusat94 said:

I think they'd let you know if this was a problem.

I responded and Louis updated but he said the commitee already met and my application was reviewed as it was. Does this mean I am screwed?

[Pusat94]

1 minute ago, GeminiSJG said:

I responded and Louis updated but he said the commitee already met and my application was reviewed as it was. Does this mean I am screwed?

It is impossible to know really. I think that there is nothing you can do but wait at this point.

 

[GeminiSJG]

36 minutes ago, Pusat94 said:

It is impossible to know really. I think that there is nothing you can do but wait at this point.

 

I mean offers have gone out I saw, so does it mean I am likely screwed. I know it is impossible to know but can I at least rank my chances?

[GeminiSJG]

Found out I was waitlisted, is that good or bad for UOFT? Does it mean I will not get in likely?

[Onthetracks]

Hi! I’m still waiting to hear back from McGill and Carleton! Does anyone know when McGill plans to release admissions for the MA? Should I expect a decision this week or the next? 
 

thanks! 

[teathatisiced]

Hi all. Little late to this GradCafe thing, but reading through the thread has been very helpful and you all give great advice (it's also heartening to see people panicking just as much as me)

I applied to the MA programs at York, U of T and McGill. Got accepted on March 2nd to York, and have been in contact with the department and MA coordinator, who have been super helpful. Got the email acceptance to U of T on the sixth of March, apparently the letter and official offer will show up in a day or two. McGill got back me to today after I sent them a message asking for an update; supposedly they're finalizing things tomorrow and will begin sending out letters. 

I also applied and was accepted to the MA program in Social and Political Thought at York, a really neat little program that was actually my first choice. I really wasn't expecting U of T to accept me, and they sent another email today letting me know they've nominated my SSHRC application, which is an amazing honor (I guess it makes sense though, as I'm hearing that U of T doesn't provide funding to MA students?). I don't get the results of that until April 1st unfortunately, which is after the deadline to get back to them. Both York Poli and SPT are also offering great funding. So I'm a little overwhelmed right now.

If anyone has any advice on... well, where to go, that would be really appreciated. I'm torn between York, which is super hip, has a bunch of profs I'd love to work with, and an intellectual atmosphere that would nourish the kind of work I want to do (political theory, studies of violence and racism), and U of T, which I feel would be better for my academic career going forward (I want to pursue a PhD in the States/Europe, publish articles/research and teach) and could potentially push me harder.

 Also, if anyone has any insight on York SPT, I'd love to hear it. Two close friends and mentors of mine are graduates of the program and rave about it, but I've found little-to-no posts on this website about the program and would be interested in hearing from anyone else who may have applied.

Okay, apologies for the gargantuan post! Good luck to all of you and thanks in advance for any advice you'd be willing to share ?