MA in Political Economy Degree Requirements

The MA degree is a 5.0 credit program, one credit of which may be at the 4000 level (although normally students will complete all their credits at the 5000 level). A student studying full-time typically takes two years (5 – 6 terms) to complete the program.

Each student must select and follow one of two patterns:

3.0 course credits and a thesis (PECO 5909 MA Thesis [2.0 credit]), accompanied by an oral thesis examination; or,
4.0 course credits and a research essay (PECO 5908 Research Essay [1.0 credit]), accompanied by an optional oral examination of the research essay.

Note: a one-semester seminar is usually valued at one-half (.5)  credit.

All MA students enrolled in the Institute are required to take:

PECO 5000 [0.5 credit] Theories of Political Economy
PECO 5001 [0.5 credit] The Methodology of Political Economy
All elective courses must be approved by IPE in order to count towards the program.
All MA students must maintain at least a B average (8.0 GPA).

MA Political Economy
MA Political Economy – Concentration in Work and Labour
MA Political Economy – Collaborative Specialization in Accessibility
MA Political Economy – Specialization in African Studies
M.A. Political Economy – Collaborative Specialization in Climate Change
MA Political Economy – Specialization in Latin American and Caribbean Studies

MA Political Economy (5.0 credits)

Requirements – Thesis option (5.0 credits)
1.  1.0 credit in: 1.0
PECO 5000 [0.5]
 Theories of Political Economy
PECO 5001 [0.5]
 The Methodology of Political Economy
2.  2.0 credits in thesis (and an oral examination of the thesis) 2.0
3.  2.0 credits in approved graduate level electives  2.0
Total Credits 5.0

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Requirements – Research essay option (5.0 credits)
1.  1.0 credit in: 1.0
PECO 5000 [0.5]
 Theories of Political Economy
PECO 5001 [0.5]
 The Methodology of Political Economy
2.  1.0 credit in research essay 1.0
3.  3.0 credits in approved graduate level electives  3.0
Total Credits 5.0

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MA Political Economy
with Concentration in Work and Labour (5.0 credits)

Requirements – Thesis pathway (5.0 credits)
1.  1.0 credit in: 1.0
PECO 5000 [0.5]
 Theories of Political Economy
PECO 5001 [0.5]
 The Methodology of Political Economy
2.  0.5 credit in: 0.5
PECO 5002 [0.5]
 Political Economy of Work and Labour
3.  0.5 credit from: 0.5
PECO 5503 [0.5]
 Selected Issues in Work and Labour I
or PECO 5504 [0.5]
 Selected Issues in Work and Labour II
4.  0.5 credit in: 0.5
PECO 5906 [0.5]
 Reflective Practice on Work and Labour
or PECO 5907 [0.5]
 Placement in Political Economy
5.  0.5 credit in approved graduate level electives 0.5
6.  2.0 credits in: 2.0
PECO 5909 [2.0]
 M.A. Thesis (on a Work and Labour topic)
Total Credits 5.0

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Requirements – Research essay pathway (5.0 credits)
1.  1.0 credit in: 1.0
PECO 5000 [0.5]
 Theories of Political Economy
PECO 5001 [0.5]
 The Methodology of Political Economy
2.  0.5 credit in: 0.5
PECO 5002 [0.5]
 Political Economy of Work and Labour
3.  0.5 credit from: 0.5
PECO 5503 [0.5]
 Selected Issues in Work and Labour I
or PECO 5504 [0.5]
 Selected Issues in Work and Labour II
4.  0.5 credit in: 0.5
PECO 5906 [0.5]
 Reflective Practice on Work and Labour
or PECO 5907 [0.5]
 Placement in Political Economy
5.  1.5 credits in approved graduate level electives 1.5
6.  1.0 credit in: 1.0
PECO 5908 [1.0]
 Research Essay
Total Credits 5

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M.A. Political Economy
with Collaborative Specialization in Accessibility (5.0 credits)

Requirements – Thesis pathway (5.0 credits)
1.  1.0 credit in: 1.0
ACCS 5001 [0.5] Critical Disability Studies
ACCS 5002 [0.5] Accessibility and Inclusive Design Seminar
2.  1.0 credit in: 0.5
PECO 5000 [0.5] Theories of Political Economy
PECO 5001 [0.5] Methodologies of Political Economy
3.  2.0 credits from: 0.5
PECO 5909 [2.0]
 M.A. Thesis (in the specialization)
4.  1.0 credit in approved graduate-level electives (see Selection of Courses, below). Up to 1.0 credit may be taken at the 4000-level. 0.5
Total Credits 5.0

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Requirements – Research essay pathway (5.0 credits)
1.  1.0 credit in: 1.0
ACCS 5001 [0.5]
 Critical Disability Studies
ACCS 5002 [0.5]
 Accessibility and Inclusive Design Seminar
2.  1.0 credit in: 0.5
PECO 5000 [0.5]
 Theories of Political Economy
PECO 5001 [0.5]
 Methodologies of Political Economy
3.  1.0 credit in: 0.5
PECO 5908 [1.0]
 Research Essay (in the specialization)
4.  2.0 credits in approved graduate-level electives (see Selection of Courses, below). Up to 1.0 credit may be taken at the 4000-level. 0.5
or PECO 5907 [0.5]
 Placement in Political Economy
Total Credits 5

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MA Political Economy
with Specialization in African Studies (5.0 credits)

Requirements – Thesis option (5.0 credits)
1.  0.5 credit in: 0.5
AFRI 5000 [0.5]
 African Studies as a Discipline: Historical and Current Perspectives
2.  0.0 credit in:
AFRI 5800 [0.0]
 Scholarly Preparation in African Studies
3.  1.0 credit in: 1.0
PECO 5000 [0.5]
 Theories of Political Economy
PECO 5001 [0.5]
 The Methodology of Political Economy
4.  2.0 credits in thesis (and an oral examination of the thesis) 2.0
5.  1.5 credits in approved graduate level electives  1.5
Total Credits 5.0

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Requirements – Research essay option (5.0 credits)
1.  0.5 credit in: 0.5
AFRI 5000 [0.5]
 African Studies as a Discipline: Historical and Current Perspectives
2.  0.0 credit in: 0.0
AFRI 5800 [0.0]
 Scholarly Preparation in African Studies
3.  1.0 credit in: 1.0
PECO 5000 [0.5]
 Theories of Political Economy
PECO 5001 [0.5]
 The Methodology of Political Economy
4.  1.0 credit in research essay 1.0
5.  2.5 credits in approved graduate level electives  2.5
Total Credits 5.0

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M.A. Political Economy – Collaborative Specialization in Climate Change

Requirements – Thesis pathway (5.0 credits)
1.  1.0 credit in:
CLIM 5000 [0.5]
 Climate Collaboration
2.  0.0 credit in:
CLIM 5800 [0.0]
 Climate Seminar Series
3.  1.0 credit in:
PECO 5000 [0.5]
 Theories of Political Economy
PECO 5001 [0.5]
 The Methodology of Political Economy
4.  2.0 credits in:
PECO 5909 [2.0]
 M.A. Thesis (in the specialization)
5.  1.0 credits in approved graduate level electives 
Total Credits

Requirements – Research essay pathway (5.0 credits)
1.  1.0 credit in:
CLIM 5000 [0.5]
 Climate Collaboration
2.  0.0 credit in:
CLIM 5800 [0.0]
 Climate Seminar Series
3.  1.0 credit in:
PECO 5000 [0.5]
 Theories of Political Economy
PECO 5001 [0.5]
 The Methodology of Political Economy
4.  1.0 credits in:
PECO 5908 [1.0]
 Research Essay (in the specialization)
5.  2.0 credits in approved graduate level electives
Total Credits

MA Political Economy
with Specialization in Latin American and Caribbean Studies (5.0 credits)

Requirements – Thesis pathway (5.0 credits)
1.  0.5 credit in: 0.5
LACS 5000 [0.5]
 Interdisciplinary Approaches to Latin American and Caribbean Studies
2.  0.0 credit in:
LACS 5800 [0.0]
 Scholarly Preparation in Latin American and Caribbean Studies
3.  1.0 credit in: 1.0
PECO 5000 [0.5]
 Theories of Political Economy
PECO 5001 [0.5]
 The Methodology of Political Economy
4.  2.0 credits in: 2.0
PECO 5909 [2.0]
 M.A. Thesis (in the specialization)
5.  1.5 credits in approved graduate level electives  1.5
Total Credits 5.0

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Requirements – Research essay pathway (5.0 credits)
1.  0.5 credit in: 0.5
LACS 5000 [0.5]
 Interdisciplinary Approaches to Latin American and Caribbean Studies
2.  0.0 credit in:
LACS 5800 [0.0]
 Scholarly Preparation in Latin American and Caribbean Studies
3.  1.0 credit in: 1.0
PECO 5000 [0.5]
 Theories of Political Economy
PECO 5001 [0.5]
 The Methodology of Political Economy
4.  1.0 credits in: 1.0
PECO 5908 [1.0]
 Research Essay (in the specialization)
5.  2.5 credits in approved graduate level electives 2.5
Total Credits 5.0

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Still have questions? Contact the IPE Institute Administrator!

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