Program Overview for Social and Political Thought (MA) in Canada:
Experience a rigorous interdisciplinary graduate program in social and political thought in a supportive and personalized environment, the only such program in Atlantic Canada. In Arcadia’s postgraduate course in social and political thought, you will immerse yourself in the study of politics and social life through theoretical questions and participation.
The course is inherently interdisciplinary because social and political thought is the link that connects political thought, social theory, philosophy, postcolonial thought, literary criticism, media studies, cultural studies, environmental studies, and gender studies. Students work closely with your domestic and international well-known teachers. You will learn interdisciplinary courses, increase your exposure to other research fields and theoretical methods through basic seminars, and complete the final interdisciplinary thesis (second year).
Get inspired:
As an Arcadia graduate student in social and political thinking, you will benefit from a small school environment where small class teaching and teacher-student interaction are available. Only a master's program without a doctoral program can guarantee this kind of support, attention, and participation. Although you can reach professors with different research interests, you can also look forward to a personalized research agenda. To ensure that attention is paid to the program's interdisciplinary nature, your supervisor and a second reader (choose from another discipline) will guide you in your research.
The plan is designed around student participation. The social and political thought plan provides bi-weekly symposiums, attended by students, professors, and invited lectures; a newly created postgraduate journal of social and political thought titled: to be determined; community speaker forum; a series of films; and powerful Graduate culture. The program also holds a biennial postgraduate conference on social and political thought in the spring to attract students and scholars from home and abroad.
The eligibility for Social and Political Thought (MA) in Canada for both domestic and international student is:
Candidates for admission to the graduate programs of Acadia University must possess an honors degree, or a four-year bachelor's degree, from an approved university. Those candidates possessing a major in a field other than their graduate program will normally be required to take sufficient undergraduate courses to make up the equivalent of an Acadia undergraduate major. Special consideration may be given to those candidates wishing to change from one undergraduate field to a related graduate one.
Candidates must have at least a B- average (70%) in the courses taken in the major field in the last two undergraduate years (or 60 credit hours) of university study, including coursework in an undergraduate degree(s) and any graduate work completed.
The number of students admitted to our graduate programs is limited, and possession of the minimum entrance requirements does not ensure admission. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Graduate Studies Officer by emailing gradadmissions@acadiau.ca.
Other Documents Required to support your application:
- One Original Official Transcript from EACH post-secondary institution attended
- Resume
- Statement of Research Interests: You will upload your Statement of Research Interests through the Applicant Status Portal once you submit your application form. There is no specific format or page limit for this statement. A statement of research interest is a short document that provides a brief history of your past research experience and the future work you intend to complete. It is a common component of a potential candidate’s application for post-graduate study. The statement is the primary way an admissions committee determines if a candidate’s interest and experience make them a good fit for their program/institution. A Statement should:
- Articulate the broader field you are working within and the specific question you are interested in answering.
- Provide a brief history of your past research/interest. How did this research propel you forward?
- Describe your ongoing research. What questions are you actively trying to solve? What have you found so far? How are you connecting your research to the larger academic conversation? (do you have any publications under review, upcoming conferences, or other professional engagements?) What are the larger implications of your work? and
- Describe the future trajectory of your research. What is the big picture? What further questions do you have, and how will you solve them? How can the institution to which you are applying for help you in that process? Does the institution have the necessary academic expertise and resources to help you complete the research?
- Letter of Recommendation: Two (2) reference letters are required.
- Writing sample: Minimum of 10 pages. A research essay completed for an upper-level undergraduate course is appropriate. Please submit a copy free of the instructor’s mark and comments.
N.B: Most universities have specific international admission requirements based on different education systems.
These are the test eligibilities for the Social and Political Thought (MA) to qualify.
The English Language Proficiency (ELP) requirements for Social and Political Thought (MA) in Canada: are:
- TOEFL(ibt): 93
- IELTS(academic): 6.5
The international student tuition fees and costs for Social and Political Thought (MA) in Canada.
| Items | Costs | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application Fees | CA$50.00 | ||||||
| Tuition Fees | CA$13,347.00 /year | ||||||
| Living Cost | CA$10,800.00/year (CA$900.00/month) |
||||||
| Student Earning | CA$16,064.00/year |
||||||
| You will earn CA$16,064.00/year by working (20h/week * 4 weeks * 8 months * CAD 12.55/h) + (40h/week * 4 weeks * 4 months * CAD 12.55/h) at minimum wage of CA$12.55/hour. | |||||||
The domestic student tuition fees and costs for Social and Political Thought (MA) in Canada.
| Items | Costs | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application Fees | CA$50.00 | ||||||
| Tuition Fees | CA$6,603.00 /year | ||||||
| Living Cost | CA$10,800.00/year (CA$900.00/month) |
||||||
| Student Earning | CA$16,064.00/year | ||||||
| This is just an estimate. You don't have any work hour limit. You will earn CA$16,064.00/year by working (20h/week * 4 weeks * 8 months * CAD 12.55/h) + (40h/week * 4 weeks * 4 months * CAD 12.55/h) at minimum wage of CA$12.55/hour. | |||||||
The SPT program regularly has two Acadia Graduate Teaching Assistantships (AGTA) to award incoming students a GPA of 3.0 in each of the last 2 years of undergraduate study (see guidelines here). The SPT admissions decide on this competitive process after the February 1 deadline. If extra RGA funding becomes after that deadline, the committee will distribute it on a case-by-case basis.
While having access to professors with diverse research interests, you can also expect a personalized research agenda. To ensure attention to the program's interdisciplinary nature, you will be guided in your research by your supervisor and a second reader (selected from another discipline).
Graduate Advisor
Geoffrey Whitehall
geoffrey.whitehall@acadiau.ca
902-585-1288
Department
Politics Department
Beveridge Arts Centre, Room 219
10 Highland Avenue
Wolfville, Nova Scotia, B4P 2R6
politics@acadiau.ca
902-585-1506
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