How do people live together in societies, and how should people live together? Political Science is the study of the institutions, organizations and norms that determine public lives. In Political Science there are discussions on basic concepts - such as “power”, “government” or “democracy” - in order to understand the world and humanity’s place in it. Once these concepts have been explored, there will be a study of the connections between them in order to better explain political outcomes, such as: why people vote for one political party as opposed to another, why governments and public policies differ in different countries, or why armed conflicts happen in some cases but not in other cases. Memorial University of Newfoundland's Department of Political Science has research strengths in public policy; international politics; and elections, campaigns and voting, particularly in Canada.

The Bachelor of Arts requires the successful completion of a minimum of 120 credit hours. A student must meet the requirements for a departmental Major, Minor, or Honours program and also meet the Program Regulations – General and Honours Degrees for the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. A student is therefore advised to consult with the Admission to the Bachelor of Arts General Degree Programs regulations, the Program Regulations - General and Honours Degrees which also includes the Bachelor of Arts General Degree Components, The Major Program, and The Minor Program regulations. Information regarding honours programs is available at Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Degree Regulations as well as under each department’s regulations.

A student is strongly encouraged to consult with an academic advisor to discuss available programs and requirements in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences including the Core Requirements, The Major Program, The Minor Program, and the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Degree Regulations. A student is advised to declare a program of study, including a Major and a Minor, before completing the first 45 credit hours of study. Information about declaring a Major and Minor in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences is available at www.mun.ca/hss/programs/undergraduate/ideclare.php. Information regarding advisors for the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences is available at www.mun.ca/hss/about/contact/liaisons.php.

The Major and Minor in Law and Public Policy are administered by the Department of Political Science.

The study of law and public policy aims to provide students with an understanding of the legal underpinnings of public policy as it applies to state and non-state actors, across a wide range of domestic and international challenges. This includes attention to how public policy is generated and resisted. Courses in these programs are anchored in the Department of Political Science, and blend the development of key policy analysis skills—such as legal reasoning, governance, public administration, statistics, and data gathering—with coursework on topical policy issues or problems, such as leadership and organizing. The degree is intended to impart broad cross-disciplinary fundamentals as distinct from a specialized “pre-law” program or a Diploma in Public Policy.

Law and Public Policy course descriptions are found at the end of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences section under Course Descriptions, Political Science, Law and Public Policy, and are designated by LWPP. Political Science courses that are cross listed as LWPP, including all those numbered x6xx, have calendar entries that emphasize the study of law and/or the study of public policy. The eligibility of other courses offered in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences that are deemed to focus on law and/or public policy through the study of governance frameworks, rights, security, political economy or topical policy case studies are assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Students wishing to declare a Major or a Minor in Law and Public Policy shall consult with the program's designated academic advisor to discuss the requirements of the program. Information about declaring a program of study in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences is available at www.mun.ca/hss/programs/undergraduate/ideclare.php. Information regarding advisors for the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences is available at www.mun.ca/hss/about/contact/liaisons.php.

1. Students who major in Law and Public Policy shall complete all the requirements of the Bachelor of Arts program.

2. Students are required to complete 36 credit hours in the following:

1. 3 credit hours in Political Science 1000;

2. 3 credit hours in Law and Public Policy 2600;

3. 3 credit hours in Political Science 3010 or Sociology 3040;

4. 9 additional credit hours in Law and Public Policy courses, including a minimum of 3 credit hours at the 4000 level; and

5. a further 18 credit hours in Law and Public Policy and/or Political Science courses, including a minimum of 3 additional credit hours at the 4000 level. The 18 credit hours may include Anthropology 3062, 4030, Economics 1010, 1020, the former Gender Studies 3500, Linguistics 2220, or Philosophy 2370.

3. A student is not eligible to complete any combination of a Major or Minor in Political Science and a Major or Minor in Law and Public Policy.

4. Students for the Major are required to select courses as specified under Major in Law and Public Policy. A possible course pattern is presented in Suggested Course Pattern for a Major in Law and Public Policy.

1. Students who minor in Law and Public Policy shall complete all the requirements of the Bachelor of Arts program.

2. Students are required to complete 24 credit hours in the following:

1. 3 credit hours in Political Science 1000;

2. 3 credit hours in Law and Public Policy 2600;

3. 6 additional credit hours in Law and Public Policy courses, including a minimum of 3 credit hours at the 4000 level; and

4. a further 12 credit hours in Law and Public Policy and/or Political Science courses, which may include Anthropology 3062, 4030, Economics 1010, 1020, the former Gender Studies 3500, Linguistics 2220, or Philosophy 2370.

3. A student is not eligible to complete any combination of a Major or Minor in Political Science and a Major or Minor in Law and Public Policy.

4. Students for the Minor are required to select courses as specified under Minor in Law and Public Policy. A possible course pattern is presented in Suggested Course Pattern for a Minor in Law and Public Policy.

As an alternative to a minor, a student may choose to complete a major in Law and Public Policy and a major in another eligible program in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, excluding Political Science. The Joint Major Program requires 3 fewer credit hours in each participating major as prescribed in each program’s Calendar entry. For the joint major in Law and Public Policy, the requirement for a further 18 credit hours in Law and Public Policy and/or Political Science courses shall be reduced to a further 15 credit hours.

In accordance with University Regulations (Undergraduate), Year of Degree and Departmental Regulations - Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and Faculty of Science, students for the former Major or Minor in Law and Society will normally follow regulations in effect in the academic year in which the student first successfully completes a course in that subject at the 2000-level or above which may be applied to the major or minor program respectively. These students may alternatively choose to follow the Law and Public Policy major or minor. Students are encouraged to consult the program's designated academic advisor for assistance with course selection.

The former Law and Society courses completed prior to September 2023 may be substituted as equivalent Law and Public Policy credit hours. Subsequent completion of Law and Society 1000 is ineligible towards the Major in Law and Public Policy.

The Department of Political Science administers the Diploma in Public Policy. A student completing a Major or Minor in Law and Public Policy and a Diploma in Public Policy, or a Major or Minor in Political Science and a Diploma in Public Policy, is required to complete a minimum of 12 credit hours in the Diploma program that are not applied to the requirements of the Major or Minor. Such credit hours may be jointly applied to Electives in the Bachelor of Arts General Degree Components. For further information about this program, see Diploma Programs Offered in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, or contact the Program Director.