Undergraduate
Business & Arts
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- Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
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- Peterborough & Durham GTA
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- Fall & Winter & Summer
- Business & Management
At a glance:
- Degree Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
- Campus Peterborough Durham GTA
- Program is Offered Fall & Winter & Summer
- Study Options Part time/Full time
- OUAC Codes RAD - Peterborough ROB - Durham
- Apply Now Stay in Touch
The Trent Advantage
Trent’s unique Business joint majors allow you to combine business with another area of study and graduate with a distinctive skillset that reflects your interests and career goals. As the only university in Canada offering such a broad range of Business joint majors, Trent provides opportunities that you simply won’t find anywhere else in the country.
Connect your interests in the arts with a practical understanding of how organizations operate and make decisions. This flexible interdisciplinary degree helps you bring a broader human perspective to business challenges, communicate across fields and tailor your academic interests in business to advance the private, public or nonprofit sectors.
- Combine business strategy, organizational management and economics with your choice of arts major to acquire specialized knowledge in business.
- Choose from a wide range of arts majors including Political Studies, Economics, Sociology, and Psychology
- Complete a professional business placement to develop critical thinking and management skills, and specialized knowledge in your chosen major.
- Gain 100 hours of hands-on business experience through a fourth-year placement with local businesses, organizations, or government.
- Study at the only university in Canada to offer a wide range of joint majors in business administration and science.
Popular Business Joint Major
Shape a joint degree around your interests by combining Business Administration with nearly any arts major. Popular combinations include Political Studies, Media Studies, Global Development Studies, Sociology, and Cultural Studies.
Program Possibilites
Specialize your studies in Business & Arts with a focus on a specific field within your degree
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Accounting
- Go beyond the fundamentals of business and learn the language of accounting.
- Take a blend of courses in financial and managerial accounting, economics, information systems, and tax and auditing
- Prepare for a future as a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA).
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Economics
- Hone your skills as a creative and innovative business thought leader by exploring a range of topics in budget and financial forecasting, micro and macroeconomics, and international trade.
- You’ll develop an understanding of the big picture of business and the economy and the forces that shape our global markets and financial systems.
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Entrepreneurship
- Build your own business, develop online marketing strategies, and shape your groundbreaking ideas into a viable venture in this specialization geared towards innovative B.B.A. students.
- Explore an independent path in business leadership with hands-on learning emphasizing experience in starting, scaling, and managing a new enterprise.
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Ethics & Sustainability
Gain foundational knowledge in business ethics and learn how to apply analytical tools, such as market, benefit-cost analysis, and risk analysis models, to today’s global challenges, such as climate change and new models of work, to make transformational change in the corporate world.
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Finance
- Add this specialization to your Business degree if you are interested in a career in financial strategy. Graduate with the training and knowledge needed to understand how to manage money, investments, and assets.
- Learn the fundamentals of managing business assets and creating plans for how assets are distributed, as well as skills and experience in financial planning, investment management, and corporate finance.
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Global Innovation, Entrepreneurship, & Social Change
This specialization teaches students the skills to be socially conscious and create meaningful global change in any organizational structure. Take classes spanning business, international development, politics, and sociology to learn new ways of challenging global inequities. Through this specialization, you can also complete summer fieldwork abroad to get first-hand experience with innovation in different contexts.
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Human Resource Management
- Develop in-demand skills in managing interpersonal relations and personnel business strategy.
- Meet course requirements for the Certified Human Resources Professional Designation.™
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Information Systems & e-Commerce
- Build expertise in managing and leveraging the potential of digital systems and information technology.
- Develop your proficiency in programming, software design, analytics, online marketing, project management, database management, and web application development.
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Logistics & Supply Chain Management
- Gain essential knowledge and skills and navigate the intricate networks that facilitate the movement of goods and services from production to consumption.
- Prepare to excel and thrive in the field of logistics and supply chain management through real-world applications, hands-on experiential learning opportunities and industry partnerships.
- This specialization is only available at our Durham GTA campus.
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Marketing & Consumer Culture
- Study the nuances of consumer behaviour, becoming proficient at mobilizing effective marketing and go-to-market business strategies.
- Learn the techniques and best practices used in market research, advertising, social media outreach, and branding to help businesses improve sales and become a leader in business growth.
- Note: Students pursuing a Specialization in Marketing & Consumer Culture are strongly encouraged to develop a wider foundation in the social sciences.
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Niigaaniiwin - The Art of Leading
Develop your ability to work with mindfulness and agility in the 21st century business environment through this specialization that unites Indigenous Knowledge and ideologies with contemporary business practices.
Add an Option to your Business & Arts degree to explore an additional area of interest
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Leadership
What does it mean to be a leader? How does one learn to lead? In this option you will learn all about the importance of building relationships and directing people to work together to achieve common goals and objectives. With opportunities to learn from Trent University’s Jarislowsky Chair in Trust and Political Leadership, and take courses from across disciplines, you will develop comprehensive perspectives on leadership and earn a formal designation that signals your leadership capacity to future employers.
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Marketing
Enhance your business acumen by gaining a basic understanding of core concepts and marketing principles in addition to learning the fundamentals of business, advertising, market research and beyond.
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Digital Humanities
Electronic media has become an integral part of how we view and explore the world. Through this new option you will bring a human-centred perspective to the innovations that continue to transform our shared digital landscape.
Working alongside Trent’s world-renowned faculty, including Canada Research Chairs, you will gain a deeper understanding of how digital tools are applied to solve research problems, and how research within the humanities impacts developments in the digital world.
Career experience while you learn
Every Business & Arts student has a guaranteed route to paid, credited experience before they graduate.
Research Opportunities
- Work directly with municipalities, local foundations and non-profit organizations to investigate intersecting business and community challenges. Recent projects have examined economic development and strategic planning in the Peterborough area.
- Sharpen your entrepreneurial skills by pitching your business ideas in local and national business competitions, including Jeux du Commerce and Trent’s Business STRIDE Challenge.
Field Schools and Hands-On Courses
- See the world and make a difference as part of a summer field school. Explore your options through available courses on the Academic Calendar, through department offices, or by speaking with an Academic Advisor.
Study Abroad
- Take your Trent education global. Spend a semester or year studying at one of Trent’s 50+ international partner universities, participate in a summer field course, or gain international experience through a placement or internship.
- With opportunities in more than 35 countries, you can broaden your academic perspective, experience new cultures, and build skills that prepare you for a global career.
Placements
- Gain 100 hours of hands-on work experience in your fourth year while Gain 100 hours of hands-on work experience through a fourth year placement, all while earning credits toward your degree.
- Pursue a placement in finance, accounting, human resources, marketing, entrepreneurship, government research, or administration with employers like Ontario Power Generation, Investor’s Group, The Innovation Cluster, and Ontario Parks.
Career Paths
- Entrepreneur
- Financial Analyst
- Market Researcher
- Digital Marketing Coordinator
- Economist
In Their Own Words
Trent has a strong reputation for producing well-rounded business graduates.
Dr. Byron Lew
Director of Trent School of Business
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
- ENG4U with a minimum of 60%
| Admission Requirements | Recommended Admission Requirements | Estimated Admission Average | Co-op Admission Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENG4U | 4U Math | 70-75% |
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.
Tuition Estimate
Estimate your tuition, ancillary fees, and potential entrance scholarships based on your program, residency status, and academic average.
Tuition
Base Tuition Fee
$6,240.85
Ancillary Fees
Ancillary Fees (non-tuition costs supporting student services, such as athletics, campus safety, college fees, etc.)
$2,122.22
Total:
$ 8,363.07
* The tuition details and scholarships listed are for domestic students only. International applicants should contact the financial aid office directly for equivalent guidance.
Scholarships
If you’re a top scholar with an average of 80% or higher, you qualify to automatically receive an entrance scholarship to Trent. Scholars with 95% or higher? You earn free first-year tuition – no application required.
| Entrance Average | Maximum Scholarship Potential | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 95%+ | $18,241 | $6,241 first year Full Tuition + $4,000 x 3 years |
| 90-94.9% | $12,000 | $3,000 x 4 years |
| 85-89.9% | $8,000 | $2,000 x 4 years |
| 80-84.9% | $6,000 | $1,500 x 4 years |
* Available to Domestic students only. Based on 2026/27 tuition for a general arts and science program
Explore additional funding for domestic and international students
- Robert M. Fowler Scholarship
- Robin Morris Scholarship
- William Bligh Shaw Scholarship
- William B. Common, QC, LLD Memorial Prize
- Garnet Morris/Sun Life Prize
- Bonnie M. Patterson Leadership Development Grant
- Kawartha Credit Union Award
- Jean McKerracher Business Administration Award
- LLF Lawyers Award