Benjamin Andrews

I learned more in one year at Dal than in four years of my undergrad. I came to Dal’s MA in political science from a background in kinesiology. I came with a head full of memorized information. At first, I tried to approach political science the same way—by arming myself with facts. By knowing every detail and perspective on a topic. I quickly learned that the social sciences demand a different kind of thinking. I was met with what felt like an impenetrable wall of information and lacked the tools for sorting it into bricks. I was floundering and responded the only way I knew how—by working hard. You can’t get through an MA without working hard, but my time at Dal taught me there’s much more to it than that.

To complete an MA, you need great people around you. From professors to secretaries to students, Dal is full of them. The professors are knowledgeable and inspiring. The student cohort, from undergrads to PhDs, is welcoming and supportive.

You also need a great supervisor. For anyone out there interested in taking a quantitative approach to political science, working with Dr. Pruysers is about the best decision you could make.

I’m currently studying journalism at Carleton and will carry the lessons I learned and memories I made at Dal through my time here and into the rest of my life.

Learning about politics also means sorting out your own politics. It means understanding first what you believe and second why you believe it. A degree can’t give you that understanding, but it can push you in the right direction.