MA in Labour Studies

McMaster University

Labour Studies is concerned with our many and changing worlds of work. Drawing from ideas and theories from sociology, political science, economics, history, social work, geography and more. Labour Studies also studies labour and social justice movements to assess their demands for workplace, social and political change. This is because students of Labour Studies are not content just to interpret the world they want to change itThe prime objective of this unique program is to introduce students to a variety of theoretical approaches and practical policy debates related to work and workers, both globally, and in Canada. Courses focus on a broad range of topics such as: union organizing globalization and migration labour geography worker health and safety and gender, racialization and work. The MA in Labour Studies approaches work broadly, paying attention to informal work, unpaid work in the home, as well as formal waged work. Regardless of the particular focus, work is studied as one component of life experience, and as influenced by technological change, community relations, the effects of racism, sexism, homophobia, and ableism, politics, and state regulation.Upon graduation, our students are well-prepared either to take up employment in related fields or to pursue further studies in PhD programs. We take particular note of the placement of a number of our graduates in public sector professional positions and in the trade union movement. MA graduates have found employment working in a wide range of positions including:trade union researchers/educatorsmediatorsteachers and professorsmanagers and administratorshuman resource specialistspolicy analystseconomic development officers

Faculty of Humanities