Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Political Studies and Business (Joint Majors)

at Trent University Peterborough Canada

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.

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*

Forge your own path to a rewarding career in education through Trent’s distinctive Teacher Education Stream (TES). If your dream is to become a teacher, this one-of-a-kind program is the best pathway. TES will provide you with a strong foundation for application to a consecutive B.Ed. teacher education program, giving you an opportunity to design your B.A. or B.Sc. degree according to your individual interests. Gain relevant practical and theoretical knowledge through coursework and experiential opportunities such as teaching placements and other hands-on experiences. 

Resume Boosters:-

• Pursue education-related placements in EVERY year of the program, starting in year one, in schools, day cares, zoos, senior centres, libraries, and more
• Take specialized courses in teacher education throughout your undergrad degree

As a graduate of this advanced program, you’ll apply your skills to uncover evidence recovered at crime scenes, draw impartial conclusions based on physical evidence, and present and defend these findings using your foundational knowledge in science.

Beyond TV shows like NCIS or CSI, this highly-rewarding discipline integrates the study of science and law with investigative practice and theory. By studying Forensic Science at Trent, you’ll learn the foundational science of forensics through the study of anthropology, biology, and chemistry, along with uniquely specialized forensics courses. The B.Sc.F.S. degree emphasizes emerging developments in DNA forensic applications and crime scene investigation through courses in laboratory techniques and related case work.

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 sub-discipline of your choice, including Federal government internships with Border Services, RCMP, Health Canada, Food Inspection Services
• Hands-on internships with federal organizations including Border Services, RCMP, Communication Security, Health Canada, Food Inspection Services
• Direct access to leading experts in DNA profiling, forensics and 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.

Philosophy:-
The study of Philosophy can shed light on some of the most fundamental and important questions we ask as human beings. At Trent, you’ll explore your place in the world, the nature of reality, the meaning of human existence, and the limits of knowledge. You will be encouraged to develop your own philosophical positions as you cultivate your ability to reason logically, question commonly held assumptions, and develop a worldview that does justice to the complexity of life.

Legal Studies (Option):-
Understanding the legal system in Canada is valuable for everyone, not just lawyers and policy makers. A complement to virtually any B.A. or B.Sc. degree, this option provides students with fundamental knowledge about Canadian law. You'll learn about rights and freedoms, what it takes to draft and pass new laws, and how the law influences and is influenced by society and culture.   

An option is a “mini-minor” – a set of courses in one discipline that can be completed in conjunction with any undergraduate degree program, allowing you to focus on an additional subject of interest.

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

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.

Economics:-
Pursue either a B.A. or B.Sc. degree in Economics with exclusive access to leading Economics professors and experts in small-group classes, seminars and workshops.

At both a national and global level, the most significant social issues involve economics. Through your studies in Economics, you’ll gain a thorough understanding of the methods and tools required to analyze complex economic issues such as unemployment, inflation, economic growth and the regulation of the market structure. Your studies will enable you to use national and international data to explore trends and tendencies, test economic models, and will give you the ability to recommend policies addressing inadequacies with market outcomes.

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

Discovering new ways to grow our food sustainably has become an increasingly crucial global challenge. By studying sustainable agriculture, we can work together to create food systems that are responsible, justice-oriented, efficient, effective, and viable. In this program, you’ll examine the links between farm and table and their implications for people, the economy, and the planet. Learn about the challenges and benefits of producing and distributing healthy, affordable food in sustainable ways, while preparing for a career in which you can affect change and positively impact your community.

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

Geography at Trent is more than learning in a classroom. It’s an expedition. You will learn about real-world issues and critical perspectives related to both human and physical geography. You will explore complex issues such as the causes and impacts of climate change, health geography, water resources, and the historical roots of geopolitical conflicts. At Trent, we believe the best way to learn geography is through an interactive environment. Small group learning and experiences outside of the classroom are pillars of the program.

Climate Change Science & Policy (Specialization)
Dive into the challenges and solutions for climate change—environmental, economic, political, social—and build a strong foundation of knowledge and skills that equip graduates for the growing number of climate-related careers.

Climate change is the leading global environmental issue, but its impacts extend beyond the natural world, into business operations, politics and policy development, social justice movements, law and more. If you find yourself trading the car for public transit, reviewing a company’s environmental initiatives or participating alongside millions of others in global Climate Marches, this specialization is for you.

Trent’s Climate Change Science & Policy specialization draws on faculty specialties in Trent’s School of the Environment (TSE) and from affiliated departments, providing students with a robust, well-rounded education that could lead to a variety of careers supporting climate solutions that can have profound impacts on societies for future generations.

Resume Boosters:-

• Graduate from one of only two climate change-focused programs in Canada
• Develop a broad-base of skills and background in the science of climate change and policy perspectives related to it
• Learn from and work alongside professors who are experts in their field and practicing climate change practitioners, such as the first-ever Canada research chair in environmental geoscience
• Study in the Trent School of the Environment, a research-intensive unit that nurtures collaboration with diverse faculty specialties and expertise as well as opportunities for applied learning
• Benefit from access to state-of-the-art labs and facilities in Trent’s DNA, Life & Health Sciences Building and Water Quality Centre

Business & Arts (B.A.) - Joint Major
Combine your interests. Gain the competitive advantage.

Study at the only university in Canada to offer a wide range of joint majors in Business Administration.  Our unique joint major program allows you to enhance your B.A. degree by combining business courses with your other areas of interest – from Media Studies to Geography, Economics, History and anything in between. When you graduate, you’ll launch into the competitive workforce with an edge – a degree that combines the best of both worlds. 

Business & Humanities: Joint Major Options:-

• Ancient Greek & Roman Studies and Business
• Canadian Studies and Business
• Cultural Studies and Business
• English Literature and Business
• French Studies – Modern Languages and Business
• Gender & Women’s Studies and Business
• History and Business
• Journalism and Business
• Media Studies and Business
• Philosophy and Business

Business & Social Sciences: Joint Major Options:-

• Anthropology and Business
• Economics and Business
• Geography and Business
• Indigenous Studies and Business
• International Development Studies and Business
• Political Studies and Business
• Sociology and Business
• Environmental Resource Studies and Business

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

Arts:-
Are you drawn to social sciences or humanities, but unsure which program you should apply to? The Honours Arts path at Trent is geared towards students like you, who want to explore a few different areas of study before declaring a major or joint-major in second year. Start your university experience through this first-year pathway and you'll have the flexibility to combine different disciplines and take courses from programs across the humanities and social sciences. 

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.

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.

Sociology:-
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.

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