The Bachelor of Arts in Educational Studies (Honours) is a cross-disciplinary program emphasizing critical thought, social justice and community involvement while positioning you for a variety of careers in a changing world.
This degree is for students who want to become agents of change. It is for those who know that education – in its broadest terms – is a prime driver of social and economic transformation.
The field of education expands far beyond K-12 classrooms. The BA (Honours) in Educational Studies provides students with an overview of the broad field of education. The overarching goal of the program is to develop graduates who understand the potential of educational initiatives to foster personal and social change. The program prepares graduates to meet their clients’ and employees’ needs in business, government, non-profit agencies, financial institutions, NGOs, and health-care agencies. Through collaborative projects and partnerships with community organizations, graduates can become agents of change. (This program does not lead to teaching certification.)
Program Structure
The BA/Educational Studies (Honours) has a spiraling, four-year curriculum. Each year builds upon the previous one, referencing and expanding on themes introduced earlier. The program is designed to be taken full time.
Integrated curriculum themes by year
Click on the headings below to learn more.
Select courses within the BA Educational Studies
Each year of study builds upon the previous one, referencing and expanding on themes introduced earlie . Five elective courses enable you to add a minor your program, focus on an area of interest related to your planned career, prepare for graduate studies, or develop a teachable subject for those considering applying to a teacher education program in the future.
Please visit the Brock Academic Calendar for a current and comprehensive list of required and optional courses included in this degree. Courses currently available within the degree include:
Advanced Community-based Internship
Assessment and Evaluation
Basics of Entrepreneurship
Cognition and Learning
Community Collaboration for Change
Community-Based Experiential Learning
Diversity Issues in Schooling
Education as a Socio-political System
Education for Personal Change
Education for Social Change
Environmental and Sustainability Education
Foundations of Curriculum
Foundations of Project Management
Geragogy: Educating the Third Age Learner
Global Education
Indigenous Ways of Knowing
Postsecondary Online and Blended Learning
Project-based Capstone Course
Public Health and Society
Public Pedagogy in Practice
Research in Education
Schooling, Education and Society
Social Sciences context credit
Teaching Adult Learners
Thesis in Educational Studies
Plus additional education courses, selected courses and context credits
This practical and flexible program includes community-based learning opportunities which lead to valuable job-related experience. Your courses will include a number of different experiential learning opportunities from reflections and presentations to case studies and field placements. Brock’s undergraduate calendar makes it easy to identify electives with the type of experiential learning opportunities that interest you the most. Students in the BA Educational Studies (Honours) program can apply for study abroad and international exchange opportunities.
Wondering where this degree might take you? The BA Educational Studies (Honours) positions you for a wide range of job opportunities. It is also a gateway degree to further education including many master’s programs and teaching degrees. Use this link to explore the Career Exploration Guide.
Educational Studies programs are new to Canada (beginning in 2019) but well known in other countries.
“In the USA, 82% of students who graduate with a BA in Educational Studies are employed within one year of graduating from their program: 38% in Education Services, 18% in Public Administration, 11% in Health Care and Social Assistance, 8% in Administrative and Support Services, 5% in a Retail Trade, 5% working in Professional, Scientific and Technical Settings, 4% are in the Finance and Insurance Field, 3% are in the Arts, Entertainment or Recreation Services, 3% in Accommodation and Food Services and 5% are in Other occupations.” – United States Census Bureau (2020)
Can I take this program part time? This program is available and structured to be taken full-time unless a student requires a modified program as part of a formal academic accommodation.
What does this program cost? The program is considered a Bachelor of Arts and costs are updated annually. See LINK for more information.
Are there international opportunities to study? Yes. Students apply for these opportunities generally after consulting with their academic advisor. See LINK for more information.
Does this lead to a teaching degree (can I teach in a K-12 school with this degree)? While some private schools accept teachers without a BEd, Ontario’s publicly funded schools require teachers to have a BEd. This degree is not a BEd. However, the BA/Educational Studies can be used when applying to Consecutive Teacher Education (BEd) programs which all require a completed undergraduate degree. The electives in the BA/Educational Studies even enable students to select credits toward a teachable subject. If you re interested in pursuing a BEd some time in the future (even several years after graduating), we suggest speaking with our Academic Advising team as you select your electives.
Admissions and Applications
The Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Educational Studies program is committed to an application process that supports equity, diversity and inclusion. If you wish to be considered under our Special Admission Consideration policy, please submit our online Special Admission Consideration form. This form provides an opportunity for you to share any circumstances that have adversely affected your grades with our Admissions Committee. Please visit the Admissions webpage for details.
General Admissions Criteria
- Admissions will follow Brock’s standard admissions policies
- Completion of an Ontario Secondary School Graduate Diploma or equivalent with a minimum B- average and ENG4CU
- Transfer students are expected to have a university transfer average of C- or a college transfer average of B- or a certificate average of B
- Use the Apply Now button on this page to learn more about the application process.
For more information on applying to Brock, please visit the Brock’s Admissions website.