The Trent advantage
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.
Program Description
Global Development Studies (GDST) at Trent equips students with the tools to understand and analyze societal transformation.
With a curriculum built from 10 academic departments, GDST explores wide-ranging themes, such as poverty, conflict, the environment, and gender. Learn from anthropologists, political scientists, economists, and other experts in courses that integrate theory and practical learning and emphasize critical thinking and social justice.
This multidisciplinary program also allows you to take your studies global with unique study abroad and field study opportunities.
Popular courses
- Human Inequality in Global Perspective
- Gender and International Development
- The World Food System
- The Cinema of Development
- Human Rights
- Post-Carbon Futures & Radical Hope
- Global Health
- Peasants
- Food & Agrarian Change
- Global Metropolis
- Citizen Rights & Development
- Global Social Movements
Program Details
- Where can I study?
- Peterborough
- Paid Co-op Available
- Peterborough
- Degrees offered
- Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
- Bachelor of Arts - Honours (B.A. Honours)
- Specialization
- African Studies
- Global Innovation, Entrepreneurship, & Social Change
- Global Migration & Refugee Studies
- Latin American Studies
- How can I study?
- Part time/Full time
- When can I start?
- Fall
- Winter
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Specialization
African Studies
Examine the historical and contemporary global significance of Africa. Study African societies, cultures, and developments in the classroom and abroad, with an opportunity to live, study, and work on the West coast of Africa as part of the Trent-in-Ghana program.
Courses
Graduating students who have fulfilled the requirements for an Honours degree in Global 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:
- 5.0 credits from:
- GDST-HIST 2401H: The Emergence of Modern Africa Before 1880
- GDST-HIST 2402H: The Emergence of Modern Africa Since 1880
- GDST 3010Y: Senior Seminar in International Development
- GDST-HIST 3401H: Southern Africa in the Nineteenth Century
- GDST-HIST 3402H: Southern Africa in the Twentieth Century
- GDST-ANTH 3770Y: Society, Culture, and Development in Africa
- GDST-ANTH 3781Y (3780Y): Ghana Seminar
- GDST-ANTH 3790Y: Local Dynamics of Change
- GDST-ANTH-ERST-SAFS 3800D: Community Development
- HIST 4410Y
Note
- No more than 1.0 credit from HIST-GDST 2401H, 2402H, 3401H, or 3402H may satisfy the Category B requirement for the Honours program in Global Development Studies.
Paid Co-Op
Graduate with your degree and 12 months of paid work experience in as little as four years!
Trent's paid co-op is an opportunity for you to gain work-integrated experiential learning that will help you get a head start on your career. The Global Development Studies co-op assists graduating students in achieving a competitive edge while generating experience within a wide range of sectors.
Specifically, paid co-op gives you a chance to obtain 12 months of practical experience on the job, develop or enhance technical skills, explore career options, network with a variety of individuals and organizations, learn from mentors, enhance communication and presentation skills, and develop technical writing skills.
Traditionally there are three co-op work terms of paid employment, each four months long, 35 hours/week, giving students the opportunity to manage well-defined special projects at an organization. With the Global Development Studies co-op, students are encouraged to combine two work terms back-to-back creating an eight-month opportunity with one employer.
Co-opportunities
As a co-op student in Global Development Studies you can explore employment opportunities including:
- Community Engagement
- Policy Analysis
- Civil Service
- Settlement Services
- International Relations
Career Experience While You Learn
Gain career experience while earning academic credit with guaranteed experiential learning during your program.
You don't have to wait until after you graduate to put your education to work. Every program includes experiential learning opportunities where you will get hands-on professional experience in your field of study.
Featured Experiences
- Graduate with a total of 12 months paid experience through the co-op stream, earned across three work terms with local or international organizations on community relations, policy analysis, or public service
- Study and gain experience working in a developing country by participating in the Trent in Ghana or Trent in Bolivia program, with the option for a 10- to 12-week extended field placement with a development organization
- Get hands-on experience tackling a development-related question or challenge with a local organization through a community-based research project
- Join the Student Association for International Development and contribute to the student-run Community Movements Conference, developing skills in event planning, management, communications, and community engagement
Opportunities
- Community Research Project
- Field Experience
- Paid Internships
- Study Abroad
- Volunteer Opportunities
Did you know?
Trent is #2 in Canada for Overall Reputation
Trent is #1 in Ontario for Highest Quality
95% of Trent Grads are Employed Within Two Years
Admissions
Whether you're graduating from an Ontario high school, looking to study in Canada, or training for a second career, Trent has clear pathways for students to apply and be admitted to study at either of our campuses.
Requirements
If you are coming straight from high school in Ontario or are a recent grad, the general admission requirements are:
- Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD)
- A minimum of six Grade 12 4U or 4M courses, including program specific prerequisites
- A minimum 70% overall final average
- ENG 4U with a minimum of 60%
Program requirements for admittance into co-op:
- A minimum 80% overall final average
Requirements
Students from across Canada can use their grades from their home province to apply to Trent.
Requirements
International students from outside Canada can apply based on the curriculum of their home country.
Requirements
Mature students can apply to Trent based on previous education and professional or volunteer experience.
Requirements
With many transfer agreements and flexible pathway options, Trent University makes it easy for students to make the most of the credits you have already earned.
Career Paths
A Trent degree opens doors to a rewarding and exciting future, as you use your newfound knowledge to launch your professional career.
Your Global Development Studies degree, along with guaranteed career experience while you learn, prepares you for many possible career paths in a wide range of industries, including:
- Human Rights Officer
- Community Education Coordinator
- Lawyer
- Diplomat
- United Nations Official
Featured Career
Social Policy Analyst
Social policy researchers, consultants and program officers conduct research, develop policy and implement or administer programs in areas such as consumer affairs, employment, home economics, immigration, law enforcement, corrections, human rights, housing, labour, family services, foreign aid and international development.
They are employed by government departments and agencies, industry, hospitals, educational institutions, consulting establishments, professional associations, research institutes, non-government organizations and international organizations or they may be self-employed.
Did you know?
FULL TUITION FOR 95%+
If you’re a top scholar in Canada entering with 95% or higher you qualify for full first-year tuition!
Scholarships
At Trent University, we believe in rewarding academic excellence. That's why we have recently increased all of our renewable entrance scholarships.
Whether you are coming to Trent from within Canada or across the world, all students are automatically considered for entrance scholarships based on your academic achievement – no application required. Canadian students entering with an average of 95%+ earn full tuition. 80% or higher? You qualify for scholarships valued at over $18,000, with recipients of our most prestigious scholarships earning up to $30,000 over four years. International students are eligible for scholarships valued at up to $12,000 over four years, renewable annually throughout your degree.
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