Athabasca University

What you'll study

The program requires a total of 120 credits with a strong humanities/social science foundation. Specific Labour Studies Major requirements include 45 credits in Labour Studies courses, at least 30 of which must be at the senior (300/400) level and a minimum of 12 senior credits at the 400 level. Core required Labour Studies courses (12 credits) are:

• HIST 336 – History of Canadian Labour (6)
• LBST 200 – Introduction to Labour Studies (3)
• SOCI 321 – Sociology of Work and Industry (3)

Students select 33 additional credits from a list of electives that cover labour and related topics, including courses such as ENGL 306 The Literature of Work; HIST 330/331/486; IDRL (all IDRL-labelled courses); IDRL 309/LGST 310 Human Rights, the Charter and Labour Relations; INTR/GLST/POEC 483 Political Economy of Globalization; POEC 393 Canada and the Global Political Economy; POLI 450 Globalization and Human Rights; SOCI/WGST 345 Women, Gender and Work in Canada; SOCI 331, 348, 381, 435 and other LBST courses.

Program-structure requirements include a minimum of 96 arts credits (with at least 18 in humanities and 18 in social science), at least 6 science credits, and at least 75 senior-level credits overall (including 18 at the 400 level). A residency requirement mandates a minimum of 30 credits completed through Athabasca University. Students may transfer in up to 30 credits applicable to the major.

Entry requirements

Students must follow the Bachelor of Arts (4-year) regulations in effect at enrolment and select a major when entering the program. Athabasca encourages early registration in ENGL 255 to meet the English writing skills requirement. Alternatives to ENGL 255 are: a grade of B- (70%) or better in an Athabasca University English course above the preparatory (100) level, or credit for an English course in which a B- or better was achieved. Students already holding a second undergraduate degree have the English writing requirement waived. Transfer from the BA (3-year) to the BA (4-year) requires a new Undergraduate General Application Form; previous education will be reassessed. The degree conversion provision allows AU students with a three-year AU degree to convert to a four-year degree under the stated policy.

Career prospects

Athabasca’s Labour Studies program is intended to prepare graduates for a variety of paths that draw on knowledge of labour, work organization and trade union practice. The program learning outcomes describe possible career options; graduates gain analytical and research skills useful in union leadership and membership roles, labour policy, community and social advocacy, workplace research, and as preparation for graduate study. Exact employment outcomes will depend on electives chosen and individual experience.

Scholarships & funding angle (general)

Students should review Athabasca University’s central scholarship and financial aid pages for applicable awards and bursaries. Because the Labour Studies Major is embedded in the BA (4-year), students can also explore funding opportunities available to arts students, residency-based eligibility rules (minimum AU credits required) and external awards for labour, history or social science study. Consult an AU advisor for program-specific funding guidance.