Athabasca University

Programme overview

The Master of Arts – Interdisciplinary Studies with a Global Change focus is a 33-credit online master’s stream that interrogates global processes and their unequal impacts across space and time. The program integrates arts, humanities and social science approaches and concludes with an applied final integrated project or capstone paper. Students may study in paced or individualized formats and must complete at least 18 credits through Athabasca University.

What you'll study

The curriculum examines how social, political, environmental and technological forces shape lived realities at global and local scales. You will explore relationships between global flows and local communities, the role of international governance, labour relations, environmental change, and the production and reproduction of inequities. Particular attention is paid to power relations and intersecting identities (for example Indigeneity, race, class, gender) and how communities create, resist, adapt to, and negotiate global forces. The degree finishes with a paced-study capstone course or an individual study project allowing you to investigate a question connected to work, life, or a community problem.

Entry requirements

Admission requires a baccalaureate degree and completion of an academic writing assessment. Applicants are admitted to the overall Master of Arts – Interdisciplinary Studies program and must submit a study plan to declare the Global Change focus area after admission. There are three intakes per year and applicants may register for MA-IS courses as non-program students prior to admission.

Career prospects

Graduates are prepared to analyse global trends, assess uneven impacts of globalization, and contribute to policy-making and ethically informed decision-making in settings that require cross-disciplinary understanding of global issues—such as government, NGOs, international organizations, research, and community or policy roles. The program emphasizes problem-solving skills and strategies relevant to roles dealing with global change.

Scholarships & funding angle

Students should consult university financial services and graduate funding pages for scholarships, bursaries and fee details. The program page lists program application and admission fees and course tuition fees; students may also explore external scholarships and employer sponsorships to help cover study costs.