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

at Trent University Peterborough Canada

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

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.

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

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.

Psychological Development Specializations:-
Unravel the mystery of the mind and how the human brain develops from day one. Choose to focus your studies on children and youth or set your sights on adults and aging. Psychology majors can get real- world experience through practical and research opportunities in Trent’s Living Lab or in the community.

Add an element of expertise to your Psychology degree that will diversify you from other Psychology graduates.
Courses

The Specialization in Psychological Development is open to students in the single- and joint major Honours degree programs and is intended for students interested in pursuing a career in developmental psychology and associated fields (e.g., graduate work with a specialization in developmental psychology, health care, social work, recreation or developmental services, child protection). This specialization provides students with course options designed for an in-depth examination of theoretical, empirical, methodological, and practical approaches to development related topics. Students who have fulfilled the requirements for an Honours degree in Psychology may graduate with a Specialization in Psychological Development if they have successfully completed

Resume Boosters:-

• Take a practica to be a part of research both on campus and off campus.
• Aging and conditions of aging research placements available at the Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Science.
• Living Lab experience – part of research but you’re interacting with real life people in applied real world setting. Still research that is being conducted, that has applications for treatment and implications.

Graduate with both a B.Sc. in Chemistry and a B.Eng. in Chemical Engineering in four years – half the time it would normally take to get both.

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

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.

Resume Boosters:-

• Make your mark in our engaged student community by joining the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Society, Trent Apiary, or Food Services Sustainability Committee
• Join a new crop of entrepreneurs working in the Trent Market Garden, which provides fresh vegetables to cafeterias right here on campus, or volunteer with the student-run organic café The Seasoned Spoon
• Work alongside leading experts in the field and complete impactful community research projects

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.

Human Resource Management Specialization:-
Few businesses can succeed without a skilled, happy, and healthy workforce, making human resources professionals an invaluable and in-demand asset to any team. This practical specialization will provide B.B.A. students with the skills necessary to effectively manage people, while also satisfying course requirements for the Certified Human Resources Professional Designation.™

Upon successful completion of the 5.5 credits associated with the Specialization in Human Resource Management, students will have satisfied all of the course requirements for the “Certified Human Resources Professional Designation™” and be eligible to write the National Knowledge Exam.™ By HRPA standards, students must achieve a cumulative average of 70% in all courses, with no individual course mark less than 65%. In order to take the exam, a student must be an enrolled member of the Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontario, which involves a monetary fee to the Association.

The “Certified Human Resources Professional Designation” is the only legislated certification for Human Resources Professionals in North America. Currently, the HRPA requires the completion of nine subject areas, which are all offered at Trent. CHRP, NKE, and NPPA are trademarks of HRPA and used under license. Licensing does not equate to program review, approval, or endorsement.

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

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.

Information Systems & e-Commerce (Specialization):-
Specialize your Business Administration degree with the skills that intersect the business world with the digital world.
In today’s digital business world, those who become experts in harnessing the potential of information technology will be a step ahead. By completing this specialization, B.B.A students gain the knowledge and experience to become an e-business entrepreneur, digital consultant, or a top employee in marketing, human resources, or finance operations.

Resume Boosters:-

• Springboard to an M.B.A., benefiting from the knowledge and expertise of a dedicated community of business leaders and mentors
• 100 hour of hands-on professional experience completing internships with business sector companies and organizations
• Leave your mark at Trent through a fourth-year legacy project or undertake a community-based research project with local businesses