Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Political Studies (Co-op)

at Trent University Peterborough Canada

How do social constructs like gender, race and class impact the experience of individuals? How do movements for social justice support progress towards a more equitable world? As a Sociology student at Trent, you will explore and question a diverse range of social topics, completing your studies with an understanding of social organizations and institutions and people’s place in them. These explorations can take place both in the classroom and beyond – through the new B.A. Co-op stream you can put skills to action across three work terms in professional settings. This program is progressive, critical and timely in the way it engages students in not only understanding but also acting on the consequences of social change with practical learning components. 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, rooted in the social sciences and inspired by a passion for social justice. A Sociology degree is an excellent foundation for law school, teachers college, social work or similar programs.

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.
• Conduct original research with one of our award-winning faculty members, in areas of LGBTQ+ issues, the pharmaceutical industry, or human rights in prisons as part of our research practica opportunities
• Meet and learn from leading thinkers in the field through guest lectures and speaker series held throughout the year
• Present your work at a symposium with other undergraduate students

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.

Health Studies Specializations
What are our commonly-held beliefs about health and wellness, and how have mainstream society’s views impacted our behaviour and attitudes towards illness? The Health Studies specialization is perfect for Sociology majors interested in exploring issues related to medical sociology, healthcare systems, or critical research in health and illness.

Resume Boosters:

• Conduct research with one of our award winning faculty members in the areas of LGBTQ+ issues, the pharmaceutical industry, or human rights in prisons as part of our research practica opportunities
• Differentiate your degree with a specialized focus on the role of health and wellness in how society operates
• Meet and learn from leading thinkers in the field through guest lectures and speaker series held throughout the year

What is power? How do power relations and structures shape Canadian society and societies around the world? What is the relationship between states, businesses, nongovernmental organizations, social movements/protests and citizens? Explore these and many other questions in Political Studies at Trent. Here, you will sharpen your analytical skills and learn how to make a positive impact in the world. Focus your political exploration on Canadian politics, world politics or political theory. Immerse yourself in understanding political structures and systems, as you engage in lively debates and discussions alongside sought-after experts in globalization, populism, international relations, and political theory.

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 stream, giving you the competitive edge for future job prospects.
• Apply your learning to the real world through a community engagement project, field placement, or research practicum, gaining valuable hands-on experience in qualitative research methods
• 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
• Build a foundation for more advanced study in various domains of Political Studies

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.

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.

Forensics:-
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.

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

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 and 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.

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

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.

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.

Economics:-
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.

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