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Bachelor of Arts, Labour Studies Major

Regulations effective September 1, 2022.

The mission of the Bachelor of Arts (4-year) is to strengthen your critical and creative thinking by offering a broad range of social, political, and cultural programs of study. A liberal arts education from Athabasca University is designed to broaden your perspective on local and global affairs, encourage community and social involvement, and prepare you for lifelong learning and occupational diversity.

The Bachelor of Arts (4-year) provides students with a broad, flexible education that allows them to develop, understand, and disseminate knowledge, to think critically, and to build on these abilities. In addition, the four-year degree fully prepares students for most graduate programs. Graduates of the Bachelor of Arts (4-year) with a Major are expected to have gained sufficient analytical and critical thinking skills to be able to engage in independent research in their chosen major. Athabasca University does not offer an Honours BA.

Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts (3-year) program who wish to transfer to the Bachelor of Arts (4-year) program must complete a new Undergraduate General Application Form. Previous education will be reassessed and students will be notified of the results.

Labour Studies Major

Athabasca University’s Labour Studies program is designed for students who want to know more about the position of labour and working people in society. It will be of particular interest to trade unionists at both the leadership and general membership levels. Offerings include courses in labour history, work organization, women and unions, and the theory and practice of trade unions.

Planning your program

Our online program plans can assist you in selecting the courses needed to fulfill your program requirements.

Counselling Services offers an assessment website, "Mapping Your Future: Your Career and Athabasca University."

Athabasca University has developed program learning outcomes that describe the career options that may be available to you upon graduating. 

Program requirements

Students complete the program regulations in effect at the time of their enrolment.

Although you may change majors, a major must be selected when you enrol in the Bachelor of Arts (4-year) program.

You are strongly encouraged to register in ENGL 255 early in your program. The English writing skills requirement is waived for students enrolling in the second undergraduate degree.

The degree conversion provision is available to Athabasca University students who have been awarded a three-year AU degree and wish to convert to a four-year degree. For more information about this regulation, please review the Undergraduate Degree Conversion From Three- to Four-Year Program Policy

Students must meet the following English writing skills requirement:

  • hold credit in ENGL 255 (Students are strongly encouraged to register in ENGL 255 early in their program.);
    or
  • have a grade of B- (70 per cent) or better in an Athabasca University English course above the preparatory (100) level;
    or
  • receive credit for an English course in which a grade of B- or better was achieved.

Students in the Bachelor of Arts (4-year) program, as either a first or second undergraduate degree, generally have the option to combine two majors if they wish. Students who undertake double majors must fulfill all requirements for both majors. Depending upon the majors chosen, this may greatly restrict course selection (particularly in the second undergraduate degree program) or require the completion of more than 120 credits. Students considering enrolling in double majors should consult with an Athabasca University advisor for assistance in selecting their programs and courses.

You may change majors at any time. You will be placed in the current regulations. If you wish to remain in the regulations that were in effect at the time of your original enrolment, contact Admissions and Evaluations Services. Please reference the appropriate Calendar, e.g., 2012-2013 regulations. To request a change of major, complete and submit a new Undergraduate General Application Form. No fees are required.

In the Bachelor of Arts (4-year), students have the option of taking a minor in addition to their major. Although students must declare a major when they become BA (4-year) program students, they may declare a minor at any point in their studies. A BA minor comprises 30 credits distinct from the major in a related discipline in the Humanities or Social Sciences offered at Athabasca University. At least 15 of the 30 minor credits must be at the 300 or 400 level. If they choose a minor, students must still complete all requirements of the major. No course can be used to complete requirements for both the major and the minor. The minor will be recorded on the transcript. Available BA minors are:

  • Anthropology
  • Canadian Studies
  • English
  • French
  • Global Studies
  • Heritage Resources Management
  • History
  • Humanities
  • Inclusive Education
  • Labour Studies
  • Philosophy
  • Political Economy
  • Political Science
  • Psychology
  • Public Administration
  • Sociology
  • Women’s and Gender Studies

Program structure

Program structure
Total credits in the program 120
Minimum credits required
At the senior (300 or 400) level
(including 18 credits at the 400 level)		 75
In the major (compulsory)
* may be higher depending on the specific requirements of the major		 45*
Minimum senior-level credits in major (including a minimum of 12 credits at the 400 level) 30
Arts (Humanities and social sciences) 96
  • Humanities, a minimum of
  • Social science, minimum of
 18
18
Science 6
Residency requirement. A minimum of 30 credits must be obtained through Athabasca University. 30
Graduation with Distinction or Great Distinction. At least 24 credits must be obtained through Athabasca University in order to be considered. 24
Minor (optional)
Minimum credits in the minor
(including a minimum of 15 credits at the 300 and 400 level)		 30
Students may not apply a course to both the major and the minor.
Maximum credits allowed
In any one discipline 60
Applied studies 18
At the preparatory level 6
At junior level in any one discipline 15
Maximum Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition credits 39

Additional Labour Studies Major requirements

Requirements in addition to the general program requirements for the Bachelor of Arts (4-year) with Major:

  1. 45 credits in Labour Studies Major courses outlined below including a minimum of 30 senior (300 or 400) level credits (a minimum of 12, 400-level credits).
  2. 12 credits in required core courses (SOCI 321 and HIST 336 are included in the 30 senior-level credits noted above).
  3. Students may transfer in a maximum of 30 credits of courses applicable to the requirements of the major.

Recommendations

Students are advised to begin their studies with LBST 200 or LBST 202.

Required core courses

(12 credits)

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

Electives

(select 33 credits from the following)

electives
ENGL 306 The Literature of Work (3)
HIST 330 Social History of Canada: European Contact to Early Industrialization (3)
HIST 331 Social History of Canada: Early Industrialization to Contemporary Canada (3)
HIST 486 The Industrial Revolution (3)
IDRL* All courses  
IDRL 309/LGST 310 Human Rights, the Charter and Labour Relations (3)
INTR/GLST/POEC 483 International Political Economy: The Politics of Globalization (3)
LBST All courses  
POEC 393 Canada and the Global Political Economy (3)
POLI 450 Globalization and Human Rights (3)
SOCI/WGST 345 Women, Gender and Work in Canada (3)
SOCI 331 Exposed! Sociology of Environment and Aging (3)
SOCI 348 Fighting Back for the Health of It: Sociology of Environment and Health (3)
SOCI 381 The Rich and the Rest: The Sociology of Wealth, Power, and Inequality (3)
SOCI 435 Theories of Social Change (3)

*All courses labelled IDRL can be taken as either Applied Studies or Social Science courses, but not both. To use these courses to satisfy the Social Science area of study requirement, students must contact Transfer Credit Services and request the change upon completion of the course.

Transfer credits for union education and prior learning

Athabasca University grants advanced credit in the Labour studies program for some union education programs. A student who has completed a Labour College of Canada Intensive Program, for example, may be eligible to receive nine credits. Students who have completed the Canadian Auto Workers Paid Educational Leave course may be eligible to receive three credits. And students who have completed the Canadian Postal Workers’ Union Education Program may be eligible to receive six credits. Credit is also granted for other union education programs and for other forms of prior learning. Contact Athabasca University for details.

Many unions, and some employers, will reimburse students for the cost of university tuition fees. Discuss this with your union representative or employer.

Second undergraduate degree

Students are not permitted to obtain a second undergraduate degree in the same field or related field as their first undergraduate degree. Students who have completed a previous undergraduate degree must enter the second undergraduate Bachelor of Arts (4-year) degree and follow these regulations. The English writing skills requirement is waived for students enrolling in the second undergraduate degree.

Program structure

Program structure
Total new credits not applied from a previous degree
* May be higher depending on the specific requirements of the major.		 60*
Minimum credits required
At the senior level (including 18 credits at the 400 level) 48‡
‡ May be higher depending on the specific requirements of the major.
Arts (Humanities and social science) 48
  • Humanities
  • Social science
9
9
Science 6
Residency requirement. A minimum of 30 credits must be obtained through Athabasca University. 30
Graduation with Distinction or Great Distinction. At least 24 credits must be obtained through Athabasca University in order to be considered. 24
Maximum credits allowed
In any one discipline 45
Applied studies 12
At the preparatory level 0
At junior level in any one discipline 12
Maximum Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) credits
** A maximum of 39 PLAR credits is allowed if you declare a Labour Studies major.		 9**
Major (compulsory)
Minimum senior (300 or 400) level credits in major (including 12 credits at the 400 level) 30
Information effective Sept. 1, 2022 to Aug. 31, 2023.

Helpful links and resources:

  • Program website
  • Transfer credit services
  • Archived program regulations
  • Estimated program fees

Updated March 21, 2023 by Office of the Registrar (calendar@athabascau.ca)

https://www.athabascau.ca/calendar/2022/ 824991c20a2a55f3406c70627dda2318