Political Science (POLI) 309
Canadian Government and Politics (Revision 6)
Delivery Mode: Individualized study online
Credits: 3
Area of Study: Social Science
Prerequisite: None.
Precluded Course: POLI 309 cannot be taken for credit if credit has already been obtained in POLI 260.
Faculty: Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences
POLI 309 has a Challenge for Credit option.
Overview
POLI 309 provides an introduction to the basic structures and processes of government and politics in Canada and will help the student describe, explain, analyse, and assess contemporary issues and events in Canada.
Outline
Part 1: Introduction (Video Podcast)
- Unit 1: Studying Canadian Government and Politics
- Unit 2: Setting the Context: Governing in a Global World
Part 2: The Societal Context
- Unit 3: Political Culture, Political Socialization and Canadian Political Identity
- Unit 4: Regional Cleavages, Urban-Rural Differences and the Federal Dimension of Canada
- Unit 5: Aboriginal Peoples
- Unit 6: French Canada and the Quebec Question
- Unit 7: Gender, Multiculturalism, Other Cleavages and theChallenge of Representation
Part 3: Governing
- Unit 8: The Constitutional Context
- Unit 9: The Parliamentary System
- Unit 10: The Executive
- Unit 11: The Bureaucracy
- Unit 12: The Judiciary
Part 4: Linking People to Government
- Unit 13: Interest Groups, Social Movements and the Voluntary Sector
- Unit 14: Political Parties
- Unit 15: Elections and the Electoral System
Evaluation
To receive credit for POLI 309, you must complete the following assignments. You must achieve a course composite grade of at least “D” (50 percent) and a grade of “D” (50 percent) or better on the final examination. The weighting of the assignments is as follows:
| Assign 1 | Assign 2 | Assign 3 | Assign 4 | Final Exam | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | 15% | 15% | 25% | 35% | 100% |
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University's online Calendar.
Course Materials
Textbooks
Charlton, Mark, and Paul Barker, eds. 2012. Crosscurrents: Contemporary Political Issues. 7th ed. Toronto, ON: Nelson.
Dyck, Rand. 2008. Canadian Politics: Critical Approaches. 5th ed. Scarborough, ON: Nelson.
Grant, George. 2005. Lament for a Nation: The Defeat of Canadian Nationalism. 40th Anniversary ed. Montreal & Kingston: MCGill-Queen's University Press.
McMenemy, John. 2006. The Language of Canadian Politics: A Guide to Important Terms and Concepts. 4th ed. Waterloo, ON: Wilfrid Laurier University Press. (e-book accessible through Digital Reading Room)
Other Materials
All other materials are available online.
Challenge for Credit Course Overview
The Challenge for Credit process allows students to demonstrate that they have acquired a command of the general subject matter, knowledge, intellectual and/or other skills that would normally be found in a university level course.
Full information for the Challenge for Credit can be found in the Undergraduate Calendar.
- Undergraduate Challenge for Credit Policy
- Undergraduate Challenge for Credit Procedures
Challenge Evaluation
To receive credit for the POLI 309 challenge registration, you must achieve a grade of at least “D” (50 percent) on the examination.
Undergraduate Challenge for Credit Course Registration Form
Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and without notice. Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their individualized-study counterparts.
Opened in Revision 6, October 29, 2009.
View previous syllabus
Last updated by SAS 04/17/2013 09:12:30
