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

at Trent University Peterborough Canada

International Development Studies at Trent aims to equip students with the tools to understand and analyze societal transformation, and to act in ways that contribute to progressive social and political change. Here, you will learn from a range of experts, including anthropologists, political scientists, and economists, as you take courses that fuse theory and practical learning. You’ll explore wide-ranging themes such as global poverty, food systems, hunger, conflict, ecological degradation, industrialization, and cultural identity, as you better understand the sources and consequences of human development around the world. Your studies will pay particular attention to the world’s most vulnerable populations and their complex relations with states, corporations and international organizations.

Resume Boosters:

• Study and work in a developing country through the Trent in Ghana program – includes a 12-week placement with a development organization
• Translate learning into experience through our community-based research course, conducting an evaluation of a community organization in Peterborough or Haliburton
• Join the Student Association for International Development and contribute to the student-run Community Movements Conference

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.

Computing Systems
The ability to create, manipulate, and speak the language of computing systems has become some of the most valued skills applicable to almost every industry. Whether it’s a job that does not exist yet or current positions if you study Computing Systems at Trent, you’ll get a chance to develop your skills in designing, implementing, and integrating software applications.

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.

There has never been a more exciting time to study Computer Science. Society is in the midst of a technology revolution, which is fueled by the advancement of knowledge in computing. The ability to create, manipulate, and speak the language of technology has become some of the most valued skills applicable to almost every industry. When you study Computer Science at Trent, you’ll get a chance to develop your skills in designing, implementing, and integrating software applications – everything from supercomputers to game boards. This degree will equip you with the skills required for a successful career in the ever- changing tech sector.

Build your future career by uncovering the ancient past, studying in one of the most robust archaeology programs in Canada. Your studies will focus on the history of human beings, examining artifacts, human and animal bones, architecture, and plants. You’ll learn the field methods and lab techniques used to study these materials, as well as theories archaeologists use to understand the ancient cultures and past civilizations of the Americas, Europe and the pre-Classical and Classical Mediterranean world.

Environmental Archaeology Specialization:-
Become an expert in the intriguing relationships between past civilizations and plants, animals and even climate change in this one-of-a-kind Archaeology specialization. You’ll gain hands-on experience applying geological, biological, and physical sciences concepts to archaeological field studies, expanding the extraordinary complexity of humanity's long-term relationship with our environment.

Resume Boosters:-

• Get your hands dirty studying comparative zoological collections and animal bones from archaeological sites
• Gain professional experience applying Geographical Information Systems (GIS) technologies to archaeological case studies
• Build an understanding of laboratory methods for measuring stable isotopes in archaeological materials
• Build knowledge of core concepts and ideas about ecology and its relationship to human culture

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

Immerse yourself in the world of Ancient Greece and Rome. This program allows students to step back in time to examine the everyday life, language, arts and culture, politics and power structures of the Ancient Mediterranean. Dive into topics like human creativity, cultural heritage and religion. Gain a greater understanding of how the military might and democratic ideals of ancient people shaped our modern systems. As an AGRS student, you will come to understand your own humanity and identity by analyzing antiquity.

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. co-op option, giving you the competitive edge for future job prospects.
• Get theatrical (either on stage or behind- the-scenes) with the Classics Drama Group as you bring an ancient Greek play to life (in English) for a live audience
• Travel to the Mediterranean and participate in an exciting archaeological fieldwork project – trips to Greece, Turkey or North Africa can be counted as credit towards your degree
• Learn the fundamentals of grammar and vocabulary in Greek and Latin –the building blocks of modern language in the West
• Share your passion for antiquity as part of the Greco-Roman Enthusiasts at Trent, adding experiences to your record of involvement to help you land that job post graduation

In only a few short decades, computer technology has influenced nearly every aspect of our lives. Because of this, the ability to create, manipulate and speak the language of computing systems has become some of the most valued skills applicable to almost every industry.  When you study Computing Systems at Trent, you’ll get a chance to develop your skills in designing, implementing, and integrating software applications everything from supercomputers to game boards. This degree will equip you with the necessary skills required for a successful career in the ever-changing technology sector.

Resume Boosters:

• Pursue the competitive co-op option: graduate with 12 months of relevant experience through three paid work terms in the information technology industry with companies like TD Bank, Canada Border Services, Freshbooks, Blackberry, and more
• Work with real-world clients from industry, government, and education through third year internship course and fourth year project course
• Undertake an undergraduate research thesis and investigate a specific field of interest with the expert guidance of your prof

Get ready for a career that is both challenging and highly rewarding. As a social worker, you’ll witness the struggles people face with difficult issues like poverty, drug abuse, crime or sexual assault. You’ll also truly make a difference in people’s lives, providing essential support and leaving a positive impact on your community. Through our interdisciplinary curriculum grounded in social justice, human rights, and cultural humility, you’ll develop a strong foundation of clinical knowledge, critical thinking skills, and social responsibility. If you apply and succeed in entering Trent’s competitive professional (third and fourth) years, you’ll have the opportunity to focus exclusively on social work theory and practice.

Resume Boosters:-

• Complete 700 hours of hands-on placement in the professional years program, working with mental health, sexual assault, community counselling, and social services organizations
• Make your mark through the social and community events that take place on campus every day or by joining the Trent Social Work Society
• Meet leading thinkers and social activists in the field through a variety of on-campus lectures and workshops

International Development Studies at Trent aims to equip students with the tools to understand and analyze societal transformation, and to act in ways that contribute to progressive social and political change. Here, you will learn from a range of experts, including anthropologists, political scientists, and economists, as you take courses that fuse theory and practical learning. You’ll explore wide-ranging themes such as global poverty, food systems, hunger, conflict, ecological degradation, industrialization, and cultural identity, as you better understand the sources and consequences of human development around the world. Your studies will pay particular attention to the world’s most vulnerable populations and their complex relations with states, corporations and international organizations.

African Studies
Gain international experience and deepen your understanding of international development by living, studying, and working abroad in a third-world country through Trent’s respected Trent-in-Ghana program.

Africa is a continent of great historical and contemporary global importance. Gain international experience and deepen your understanding of international development by living, studying, and working abroad in a third-world country through Trent’s respected Trent-in-Ghana program.

Graduating students who have fulfilled the requirements for an Honours degree in International Development Studies may apply for a Specialization in African Studies, if they have successfully completed the following credits from area studies and the Ghana year abroad program:

Resume Boosters:

• Gain an immediate sense of how development theory applies in practice through classes and field trips
• Build your intercultural communication skills and in-depth knowledge of another society through cultural immersion
• Complete a field placement and gain work experience in an area that is directly related to your interests and career objectives.

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