Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Cultural Studies

at Trent University Peterborough Canada

Politics shape everything society touches, influencing what we believe, how we live and what we do to create order in a chaotic world. In this program, you’ll learn to make a positive impact through shaping and influencing social policy, focusing on Canadian politics, world politics and political theory. You’ll find yourself debating and exploring ideas surrounding democracy and global politics, closely examining power relations and relationships between state, business, and citizens.

Public Policy (Specialization):-
In today’s challenging political environment, the world needs new leaders who are driven to find the best solutions to society’s problems. The specialization in Public Policy is the ideal path for students in Political Studies who are interested in pursuing a career in public service, think tanks, as well as non-governmental and intergovernmental organizations.

Resume Boosters:-

• Apply your learning to the real world through a community engagement project or political internship
• Get published – complete a fourth-year thesis under the supervision of expert faculty who are leaders in the field
• Go global and internationalize your degree (and experience) through a study abroad opportunity

Knowledge in both arts and sciences is key to understanding and embracing the challenges and complicated issues of today’s ever-changing world. As a top student whose intellectual curiosity is fueled by both the sciences and the arts equally, you will be drawn to Trent’s unique B.A.S. degree program by the chance to blend creativity, scientific analysis and opportunities to discover new knowledge along the intersections of disciplines. This expansive yet tailored degree enables you to explore a variety of scientific, social, and humanist perspectives, applying them to a range of diverse issues such as healthcare, climate change, human rights, and law. You also have the opportunity to apply knowledge, gain career skills, and explore professional pathways through the B.A.S. co-op stream. Getting work experience directly linked to this degree gives B.A.S. graduates unique qualifications to advance careers, whether at medical or professional schools, post-graduate study and research, or interdisciplinary and growing fields such as scientific journalism. Challenge yourself through the examination of multiple topics in the arts and sciences, and maybe choose to explore how these diverse subjects intersect in interesting and exciting

Resume Boosters:

• Explore your strengths and career interests, and graduate with 12 months of work experience (and income) through the new four-year B.A.S. co-op option, giving you the competitive edge for future job prospects.
• Get hands-on in labs and think critically as you cross disciplinary boundaries that prepare you for career success
• Gain professional experience performing and presenting independent research for the Arts and Science Colloquium
• Participate in a community-based research project with guidance from faculty members in a variety of disciplines
• Choose a single or double major and up to two minors to create a program and set of experiences as unique as you are – a bonus for any Resumé!
• Learn the foundations for academic and career success in the unique first-year course UNIV1000H with just 20 students and led by an esteemed leading prof

In this program, the first-of-its-kind anywhere in North America, you’ll study a unique mix of Indigenous knowledge and Western teachings, learning from Indigenous and non-Indigenous faculty, elders, guest speakers and other scholars.

IES brings together the principles of both Indigenous knowledge and Western science. Here, you’ll explore complex topics such as climate change, sustainable communities and Indigenous health and environment. By applying a cross-cultural approach, you’ll learn to generate solutions to the complex local, regional, national, and international issues facing Indigenous peoples and communities around the world.

Trent is the only university in Canada to offer students the chance to combine your study of forensics with one of several different academic disciplines. Choose a joint major in forensics in combination with a vast array of complementary areas of study in either the arts or the sciences. Interested in a career in forensics specializing in ballistics? A joint degree with Physics could come in handy. Want to analyze the mental state of criminals, or become a criminal profiler? Combine your Forensics degree with a B.A. in Psychology. The emerging field of computer forensics means a joint major with Computing Systems can help you stand out from the crowd. No matter what your forensic career ambitions are, you have plenty of options at Trent.

Law & Policing Specialization
A specialization in Law & Policing provides you with a greater focus on the application of forensic scientific principles and techniques within the Canadian legal system, crime scenes, and policing. As a Forensics major with this one-of-a-kind specialization, you’ll be ideally suited to meet the changing demands of forensic investigation in the law enforcement community.

Trent is the only university in Canada to offer students the chance to combine your study of forensics with one of several different academic disciplines. Choose a joint major in forensics in combination with a vast array of complementary areas of study in either the arts or the sciences. Interested in a career in forensics specializing in ballistics? A joint degree with Physics could come in handy. Want to analyze the mental state of criminals, or become a criminal profiler? Combine your Forensics degree with a B.A. in Psychology. The emerging field of computer forensics means a joint major with Computing Systems can help you stand out from the crowd. No matter what your forensic career ambitions are, you have plenty of options at Trent.

Resume Boosters:

• First-hand investigative work with bloodstain pattern analysis, fingerprinting, and evidence recovery in mock crime scenes at Trent’s on- campus Crime Scene House
• Opportunities to research and work directly with scientists in the lab and professionals in the field
• A third-year work placement in a subdiscipline of your choice, including Federal government internships with Border Services, RCMP, Health Canada, Food Inspection Services
• Direct access to leading experts in DNA profiling, and forensics at the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry

Create a unique educational focus based on your passions and interests, with an interdisciplinary knowledge base
Trent’s joint major programs give you full license to create a degree that's uniquely your own, by combining courses in the arts, sciences, or professional programs. Have a passion for social justice? Combine your Politics degree with Gender & Women’s Studies. Interested in all things tech? Join Media Studies and Computing Systems. Mix and match programs that best appeal to your interests, preparing yourself for a future with more possibility.

Combine degrees. Expand your horizons.
At Trent, you have the flexibility to combine nearly any two programs of your choice. To help you narrow it down, here’s a list of some of our most popular combinations:

• Media Studies and Psychology 
• Anthropology and History 
• English and Media Studies 
• Biology and Psychology 
• Anthropology and Psychology 
• Environmental Studies and Biology 
• Anthropology and Sociology 
• Geography and Canadian Studies 
• Computing Systems and Media Studies 
• Economics and Philosophy 
• Economics and Psychology 
• English and Psychology 
• Psychology and Sociology 
• Computing Systems and Economics 
• English and Sociology 

You can also explore the popular joint major combinations within our professional programs like Business Administration and Forensic Science.

Study at the only university in Canada to offer a wide range of joint majors in Business Administration for more career choice and flexibility.

Indigenous Studies:
Immerse yourself in a cross-cultural education at the first university in Canada, and only second in North America, to establish an academic department dedicated to the study of Indigenous peoples. Through a unique balance of Indigenous and Western knowledge, students in Trent's one-of-a-kind Indigenous Studies program have the opportunity to learn how Indigenous peoples in Canada and around the globe are shaping our world. In the most established Indigenous Studies program in Canada, you'll study the historical and contemporary interactions between Indigenous and non-Indigenous societies, exploring the cultural foundations of Indigenous life in areas such as performance, literature, politics, ecology, and governance.

Business:
You want to become an innovative business leader or entrepreneur. No other program will help you get there better than Trent's exclusive Bachelor of Business Administration. By examining corporate, self-employment, online, small business, and other business models, you'll learn the fundamentals of leadership and management, gaining a deep understanding of the organization of business and its role in today's highly-digital world. Benefit from 100 hours of hands-on professional experience completing internships with business sector companies and organizations. Prepare for your CPA designation or springboard to an M.B.A., benefiting from the knowledge and expertise of a dedicated community of business leaders and mentors.

Resume Boosters:

• Gain the diversity of knowledge today’s emplo-yers are looking by studying and specializing in not one, but two academic disciplines
• Hands-on learning experiences abound in all Trent programs – gain the competitive edge on your resume

Biology is central to comprehending today’s most pressing concerns, from managing the spread of infectious diseases to how to sustainably feed a planet of seven billion people. In this leading program, you will study and research alongside faculty in cutting-edge labs and collaborate with leading scientists in the field.

Create a unique educational focus based on your passions and interests, with an interdisciplinary knowledge base
Trent’s joint major programs give you full license to create a degree that's uniquely your own, by combining courses in the arts, sciences, or professional programs. Have a passion for social justice? Combine your Politics degree with Gender & Women’s Studies. Interested in all things tech? Join Media Studies and Computing Systems. Mix and match programs that best appeal to your interests, preparing yourself for a future with more possibility.

Combine degrees. Expand your horizons.
At Trent, you have the flexibility to combine nearly any two programs of your choice. To help you narrow it down, here’s a list of some of our most popular combinations:

• Media Studies and Psychology 
• Anthropology and History 
• English and Media Studies 
• Biology and Psychology 
• Anthropology and Psychology 
• Environmental Studies and Biology 
• Anthropology and Sociology 
• Geography and Canadian Studies 
• Computing Systems and Media Studies 
• Economics and Philosophy 
• Economics and Psychology 
• English and Psychology 
• Psychology and Sociology 
• Computing Systems and Economics 
• English and Sociology 

You can also explore the popular joint major combinations within our professional programs like Business Administration and Forensic Science.

Psychology:-
Psychology is the study of human behaviour, the brain, and the mind. This program is perfect for students who wish to develop a better understanding of how and why people act, think, and feel the way they do. You’ll study the principles of psychology and a variety of specialized subjects ranging from personality, child development, and abnormal psychology in your first two years, to advanced subjects such as gender, emotions, and the psychology of evil in the latter half of your degree.

Business:-
You want to become an innovative business leader or entrepreneur. No other program will help you get there better than Trent’s exclusive Bachelor of Business Administration. By examining corporate, self-employment, online, small business, and other business models, you’ll learn the fundamentals of leadership and management, gaining a deep understanding of the organization of business and its role in today’s highly-digital world.

Resume Boosters:-

• Gain the diversity of knowledge today’s employers are looking by studying and specializing in not one, but two academic disciplines
• Hands-on learning experiences abound in all Trent programs – gain the competitive edge on your resume

An important field of study particularly in today’s social media-focused world, Sociology helps us achieve a greater understanding of the complex yet simplistic nature of humankind, and the societies in which we choose to organize ourselves. Rooted in the social sciences and inspired by a passion for social justice, Trent’s Sociology program engages students in understanding and acting on the consequences of social change. Through this degree, you’ll explore and question a diverse range of social topics, completing your studies with a heightened understanding of human relationships and society. A sociology degree is an excellent foundation for law school, teachers college, social work or similar programs.

Criminology and Socio-Legal Studies (Specialization):-

Small classes sizes allow you to make connections with professors and open doors to hands-on, undergraduate research opportunities studying homelessness, the criminalization of women, restorative justice, or the impact on Indigenous peoples.

For students pursuing an Honours Sociology degree, this standout specialization explores the study of crime and punishment, the influence of social inequality as a cause of crime, and how criminals and victims are treated by the criminal justice system. You’ll apply your sociological knowledge and potentially perform independent research on homelessness, the criminalization of women, restorative justice or the impact on Indigenous peoples.

This specialization is available to students pursuing a single or joint-major Honours degree in Sociology.

Resume Boosters:-

• Gain a solid foundation in legal research methodology and theoretical application that will prepare you for success in a variety of workplace settings
• Streamline and personalize your degree with a focus on crime and society
• Familiarize yourself with case law research by learning from and working with practising legal professionals
• Take a prison-based course that explore restorative justice in all contexts

Not only will you graduate with two degrees in just six years, but you’ll also have the chance to take your education global while you learn, travel, explore, and live abroad.

If a career in law is what you want, this is the program for you. In this one-of-a-kind program, you will undertake either a Bachelor of Arts Honours or a Bachelor of Business Administration degree at Trent – Ontario’s #1 undergrad university, while also obtaining a law degree from Swansea University’s renowned Hillary Rodham Clinton School of Law in the UK – no need to write the LSATs.

How the Program Works:-
The first two years of your degree take place at Trent, where you’ll pursue your choice of 14 degree options. In third year, you’ll transfer to the coastal city of Swansea in Wales to complete three years of law studies, earning your Bachelor of Laws degree. Once your LL.B. is complete, you’ll return to Trent to complete your Honours degree credentials. By simultaneously taking several Canadian Law courses in your final year at Trent, you’ll be well-prepared for the National Committee on Accreditation (NCA) exams, enabling you to take the required steps to practice law in Canada.

Degree Program Options:-
Business Administration*; Canadian Studies; Cultural Studies; Economics; English Literature*; Environmental & Resource Studies; Gender & Women’s Studies; History*; Indigenous Studies; International Development Studies; Media Studies*; Philosophy*; Political Studies; Sociology*

Resume Boosters:-

• Combining your law degree with your choice of B.A. or B.B.A. degree means that you will graduate with a unique set of skills and perspectives
• Meet and learn from top law professionals through our Visiting Lawyers in Residence program
• Join the Trent Law Society and benefit from field trips, workshops, and events, all with a focus on law and the legal system