Studying Political Science in Ontario
You can’t always apply to political science directly. Some universities admit you straight into it; others admit you into a broad first-year category and you choose political science later. That difference is why searching for a major by name can make it look like a university doesn’t offer it.
Apply broad, choose political science later
Western University
Apply to Social Science (EO)
You choose political science at the end of first year, during Intent to Register in March.
Political Science shares code EO with Economics, Psychology, Sociology, History and the rest of Social Science — one OUAC choice covers all of them. Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE, both the Economics and the Politics-and-Philosophy concentrations) is administered by the Department of Political Science, and International Relations is jointly offered by Political Science and History — all inside Social Science.
https://welcome.uwo.ca/what-can-i-study/undergraduate-programs/social-science.htmlQueen's University
Apply to Arts (QA)
You choose political science during Plan Selection in May at the end of first year.
Queen's calls it Political Studies, not Political Science — searching the wrong name makes it look like Queen's doesn't offer it. Confirmed as a department in the Arts and Science plan list. You apply to Arts, where only English 4U is a hard prerequisite, and request the plan in May of first year.
https://www.queensu.ca/artsci/programs-and-degreesMcMaster University
Apply to Social Sciences I
You choose political science at the end of first year.
Political Science is a Level 2 choice out of Social Sciences I, with co-op available (you apply to co-op at the end of first year too). If your interest is law and political theory, Justice, Political Philosophy and Law is a different program that sits in Humanities I and has its own required above-Level-I supplementary application.
https://future.mcmaster.ca/programs/social-sciences/University of Toronto — St. George
Apply to Social Sciences
You choose political science at the end of first year.
Limited enrolment: the calendar requires 1.0 credit from POL101H1/POL106H1/POL107H1/POL109H1 with 65% in each (or 0.5 of those plus 0.5 from approved alternatives at 65%). Your first-year grades decide this, not your admission average. Only ENG4U is needed to apply.
https://future.utoronto.ca/program/political-science/University of Toronto — Mississauga
Apply to Social Sciences
You choose political science after first year (4.0 credits).
International Affairs, Economics & Political Science and History & Political Science all come through this same Social Sciences code, even though History on its own is Humanities (TMH).
https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/future-students/programs/political-scienceUniversity of Toronto — Scarborough
Apply to Social Sciences & Humanities (OUAC TUD)
You choose political science end of first year, on ACORN.
Applies under Social Sciences & Humanities, OUAC TUD, which is missing from this dataset. Only Grade 12 English is required, mid 70s. No co-op option.
https://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/admissions/programs/political-scienceUniversity of Waterloo
Apply to Honours Arts
You choose political science at the end of first year.
"Apply to Honours Arts or Honours Arts and Business and choose Political Science as your major at the end of first year." Honours Arts requires only six Grade 12 U/M courses including any 4U English at 70%, with an admission average in the high 70s — the low course-specific bar is real; the competition is on the overall average. Mathematics of Data Management is recommended.
https://uwaterloo.ca/future-students/programs/political-science
Read off each university’s own admissions pages, and covering the seven campuses Ontario students apply to most. Entry structures change — confirm with the university before you build a timetable around one. Search all programs.