taylor family digital library students studying

Research Opportunities

Department of Political Science

Funded Research Opportunities for Graduate Students

As part of the University of Calgary’s commitment to graduate research and training, the Department of Political Science highlights faculty-led, funded research projects that enable graduate students to contribute directly to active, grant-supported research programs.

These opportunities may also include additional funding on top of the minimum guaranteed amount and, in some cases, can reduce other graduate work requirements (such as teaching assistantships) so that students may devote more time to research and scholarly development.

Each listing below includes a project description, who can apply, and any preferred skills or research interests. Admission to the MA or PhD program is required to participate in these opportunities.

For general information about graduate programs and funding in Political Science, visit our website.

Research Opportunities with Dr. Jean-Christophe Boucher

Dr. Jean-Christophe Boucher is currently recruiting graduate students to join his research team on three SSHRC- and DND-funded projects. These opportunities are open to MA and PhD applicants interested in contributing to ongoing research programs that apply cutting-edge methods to study international relations, defence, and information politics.

This project investigates how major powers use digital platforms to project strategic narratives and compete for influence. Drawing on large-scale datasets of official social media posts (Twitter/X, Facebook, Telegram, TikTok) from 2020–2029, the project applies natural language processing, computer vision, and network analysis to examine how these actors frame global issues and target audiences.

Open to: 1 MA or PhD student

Selection considerations: Preference for students with experience, or strong interest, in data analytics, Python, or international relations research.

This project analyzes how political elites in the United States, Canada, and allied democracies discuss and frame international threats in parliamentary and congressional debates. Using web-crawling to collect large-scale textual data and applying machine learning and natural language processing techniques, the project identifies patterns in how parties and leaders define security challenges, prioritize threats, and justify defence spending or foreign interventions. The study contributes to understanding how elite discourse shapes national security agendas and public perceptions of risk.

Open to: 1 MA or PhD student

Selection considerations: Preference for students with experience, or strong interest, in text analysis, machine learning, or comparative politics.

Prospective applicants should review the department’s admission requirements and note in their statement of intent which funded project(s) align with their research interests. Admission to the MA or PhD program is required to participate in these opportunities.

For questions about: 

Research Opportunities with Dr. Jack Lucas

Dr. Jack Lucas is recruiting MA students to join the Canadian Municipal Barometer (CMB), a multi-year research partnership analyzing municipal governance across Canada through surveys of local politicians, public opinion, and case studies to understand representation, policy decision-making, and citizen engagement at the local level. 

As part of their research assistantships with the Canadian Municipal Barometer (CMB), students will have the opportunity to conduct original research on topics related to local democracy, political representation, and elite political behaviour. Their work may include designing and implementing surveys of the public or politicians, conducting interviews, case studies, and focus groups, and contributing to collaborative publications and data analysis within the CMB network.

Through these experiences, students will gain mentorship from both academic and non-academic CMB partners, develop advanced research and methodological skills, and participate in Dr. Lucas’s research group, where they will present work in progress, collaborate with graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, and engage with faculty and partners from across Canada.

Open to: 2 MA students

Selection considerations: Preference for interests in local/urban politics, political representation, or elite political behaviour; experience or interest in survey research, political behaviour, or Canadian politics is an asset.

Indicate interest in working with Dr. Jack Lucas and the CMB in your statement of intent (MA program).

For questions about: