Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Sociology and Business (Joint Majors)

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

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

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.

Resume Boosters:-

• Take hands-on environmental fieldwork courses in Trent’s 12 on-campus nature areas
• Lead a community-based research project and apply your knowledge to assist a local organization
• Volunteer with Trent Aboriginal Cultural Knowledge and Science youth outreach summer camp

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

Media shape our view of the world and orient us in it. You can best navigate this environment by marrying theory and practice. In Media Studies, you’ll examine the influence of advertising and ideology, the political economy of media corporations, and the principles of multimedia design. You’ll also benefit from our interdisciplinary curriculum, learning across subjects from the humanities to the sciences.

Accelerated Master's Degree
Earn your Master's degree in Theory, Culture & Politics within one year of graduation from your B.A.

Resume Boosters:-

• Chart your own path taking courses from a dozen contributing departments including Anthropology, Cultural Studies, Computing Systems, and Political Studies
• Take workshop, internship, and community-based research courses with professors and media professionals
• Create a portfolio of your work with media new and old: write zines, compose music, code videogames, report the news, program radio shows, and more

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

Media Studies
Media shape our view of the world and orient us in it. You can best navigate this environment by marrying theory and practice. In Media Studies, you’ll examine the influence of advertising and ideology, the political economy of media corporations, and the principles of multimedia design. You’ll also benefit from our interdisciplinary curriculum, learning across subjects from the humanities to the 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.

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 world are shaping our globe. At 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.

Resume Boosters:-

• Study abroad and learn about Indigenous peoples in the USA or Mexico
• Develop your Nishnaabemowin, Cree or Mohawk language skills
• Engage in hands-on research projects that make a difference in local communities

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.

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

Cultural Studies gives you the tools to critique and create cultural objects and practices – everything from games to graffiti, print to painting, and music to film. You’ll study culture by reading, talking, and doing, taking both lecture and workshop courses in literature, fine art, media, and theory. And you’ll ask (and seek answers to) the questions about how culture shapes our lives.

Culture and Theory (Specialization)
In our current world of tweeting presidents and online crowdfunding campaigns raising millions in only days, understanding culture and the power of multimedia seems more important than ever. Take a big picture approach to analyze how gender and sexuality, the body, globalization, technology, ethics, and laws are represented and repressed socially and culturally in this specialization available to Cultural Studies majors.