Communities

Community Development/Community Economic Development (CD/CED) prepares graduates to become facilitators of change in communities that are experiencing multiple barriers to development. A 'hands-on' diploma, graduates will learn how to recognize and use the gifts and assets of the existing community, promote social inclusion and participation at all levels of transformation, understand power dynamics and ethical issues, and will acquire practical facilitation skills to aid in this work.

The Community Studies Program is a two-year diploma program which prepares students for diverse roles in human service/community-based organizations. More specifically, the program focuses on leadership and other career-related skills required to work in a wide variety of human services. These services may range from one-on-one support to positions which involve coordination and facilitation of groups or communities. The courses are fast-paced and dynamic, and are founded on the tenets of experiential learning and direct involvement with individuals, families and communities.

The Rural and Community Studies Program (RCSP) provides students with the opportunity to design an individually tailored degree that combines courses in rural and community studies with courses from traditional disciplines (e.g. Sociology and Geography).

Development and Sustainability studies are focused on socio-economic, ecological, and technological changes that affect the quality of life of individuals and groups in different environments all over the world.

The Certificate in Traditional Environmental Knowledge (TEK) is a multidisciplinary program allowing individuals to pursue their interests in TEK through a concentrated program of courses on First Nations and Environmental subjects. This program ladders well into a major in First Nations Studies, Anthropology, Biology, History, Education, English, Environmental Studies, Forestry, Geography, Nursing and Community Health, Political Science, Psychology, Social Work and Women's Studies as well as leading into majors in Physics and Chemistry.

The Aboriginal Community and Social Development program is focused on the planning, development, evaluation and administration of social/health care services within the Aboriginal community. This program includes business and community development studies with an emphasis on integrating cultural, social and health issues relevant to Aboriginal people in Canada. Cultural teachings and smudging are integrated daily throughout each academic semester in social activities, individual program courses, and Traditional Teacher/Elder visits.

Courses in the Development Studies Stream have been selected to provide students with a broad, interdisciplinary education focusing on the conditions and problems of less-developed countries comprising the so-called "Third World" and such parts of more developed nations referred to as the "Fourth World", the history and theory of economic development around the world, and the geographic and environmental consequences of "development." The recommended courses in this stream include examinations of specific aspects of third world development in all of the disciplines involved in the program.

The Indigenous Environmental Studies Program at Trent University is an innovative and multidisciplinary program. It brings together principles of both Indigenous knowledge and western science. Instruction integrating these approaches will provide students with the necessary knowledge, skills and critical thinking abilities to begin to address the complex environmental problems facing both Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities around the world today.

The Aboriginal Self-Government Administration program trains students in the Aboriginal self-government process. The program teaches the fundamental aspects of the self-government process. Students will learn to gather and compile information using modern information technology, conduct research, prepare documentation, present materials, and analyze programs and proposals as they relate to self-governance.