Culture shapes how we see the world, tell stories, express ideas, and understand ourselves. At Trent, you'll examine culture through a wide range of perspectives while developing your own creative practice, learning to critically analyze the forces that shape society and contribute new ideas through artistic and cultural production.
- Founded as the first Cultural Studies department of its kind in North America, offering a distinctive approach that combines theory with creative practice.
- Creative workshops in photography, drawing, podcasting, music composition, fashion, game design, film, theatre, and writing.
- Courses exploring topics such as science fiction, television, popular music, media, visual culture, and contemporary society.
- Research opportunities and close faculty mentorship that support original creative and scholarly work.
- Paid co-op and internship opportunities, including the Peter Gzowski Internship in Radio Production with CBC Radio.
Accelerated Masters
Fast-track your education, by earning your Master’s degree in Cultural Studies in only 12-20 months of graduating from your Honours B.A.
Founded as the first program of its kind in North America, Trent's Cultural Studies program combines critical cultural theory with creative practice across media, film, music, theatre, writing, and the visual arts.
Gain valuable career experience while earning academic credit.
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 | 70-75% | 80-85% |
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.
- John Gilchrist Memorial Scholarship
- Wayne Greenley Music Scholarship
- Gregory R. Frith Memorial Prize in Cultural Studies
- Andrew Wernick Essay Prize
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.
- Graduate with paid work experience completing three 12–16-week work terms in the summer of years two and three, and the fall of year four, all as part of your four-year degree.
- Work in areas such as arts & culture, community engagement, EDI, libraries/museums/archives, media & communications, and social services.
- Lead your own research through a fourth-year honours thesis, investigating a cultural topic that interests you with mentorship and supervision from an expert faculty member.
- Put research into practice through a community-based research project, working with a community partner to investigate a question that matters to their organization or community.
- Build practical skills through hands-on workshops in photography, drawing, ecological art, animation, theatre, podcasting, music composition, fashion, game design and cinema. Create work you can add to your portfolio while expanding your creative practice.
- 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.
- Gain professional experience through a for-credit internship with a media or cultural organization, applying your learning in a professional setting.
- Build your radio production skills through the Peter Gzowski Internship in Radio Production, with the opportunity to gain experience in radio programming at CBC Radio in Toronto.