Overview

Labour studies is an exciting, multi-disciplinary program that dissects how world events and global economics are changing Canadian workplaces. What effects do economic crises, new technologies and social change bring to the workforce? The Labour Studies Program provides an understanding of the role of labouring the age of globalization and major social and economic change.

• Four-year (Honours) programs lead to a Bachelor of Arts
• Combines courses from the departments of Sociology, Political Science, Economics, Women’s Studies and Commerce
• Work placements provide a ‘hands on’ opportunity to work directly with community organizations, employers or unions in the third and fourth years of study
• The program also offers a general minor in Labour Studies and a minor in Labour Studies - Human Resources
• Opportunity for a 30-credit Certificate in Labour Studies
• Goal of the program is to prepare graduating students to take on leadership positions in the workplace
• Students are expected to spend 150 hours per year (third and fourth years) in a supervised field research placement, where they work directly with employers, unions or community groups and gain practical experience conducting valuable ‘real-world’
• Almost everybody works for a living – and gaining credentials that will obtain graduates a ‘good’ job is the primary reason students attend university. Labour Studies allows students to connect the workplace experiences they already have with the theories that help to explain why workplaces are organized the ways that they are. What’s more, students will understand the differences in management styles, organizational theories, behavioral theories, the legal role and position of unions and union representatives, Canada’s labour history, labour politics, health and safety, collective bargaining, labour arbitration, and more.
  
• Employers tell us that they value our students’ knowledge. Graduate institutions like Queen’s University’s Masters of Industrial Relations (MIR) program readily accept our students. Past students have been exempted from MIR courses because of the advanced level of our Labour Studies courses.
  
• Laurentian’s Labour Studies program is only one of five in Ontario and the only program that has a focus on Northern Ontario. The majority of students who have graduated from Labour Studies work in Human Resources departments of large organizations which are unionized.

Admission Requirements

Based on Grade 12 4U/M courses:
• 1 English
• 5 other courses
• Minimum average of 70%

Employment Prospects

Graduate studies in social sciences or professional schools such as industrial relations, leadership roles in government, human resources departments, non-profit agencies, journalism, social services agencies, unions and more…

Credit Transfer

Credit transfer opportunities are available from other recognized postsecondary institutions and are typically evaluated on an individual basis. Some fast-tracking opportunities also exist.

 

This program is part of the Goodman School of Mines. Read more about related programs and offerings here.