Bachelor of Arts (BA) - Honours
Work is changing across the globe. Technology, international trade, and shifting public policies are reshaping how, where, and why people work—from multinational factories to remote digital platforms.
These global pressures raise urgent questions about fairness, equity, opportunity, and the future of work—questions workers face from Toronto to Dhaka to Mexico City.
York’s Global Work & Labour Studies program—the only one of its kind in Canada—offers a dynamic, interdisciplinary lens to understand these global transformations. We examine how international trade agreements, global economic trends, technological shifts, policy frameworks and national laws shape workplaces and workers worldwide.
If you’re passionate about global politics, economic change, labour rights, law and the worldwide reorganization of work, this program prepares you to understand these shifts and influence what comes next.
The Global Work & Labour Studies program that helps students navigate work in an interconnected world. You’ll learn how global production networks, international migration, and cross-border labour standards shape the experience of workers everywhere.
And explore how AI, automation, and global economic shifts are transforming employment, wages, and working conditions across regions—from factories in Asia to service economies in Europe and North America, and from expanding labour markets in Africa to evolving workplaces in Latin America and the Middle East.
You’ll explore global labour relations: unionization and collective bargaining in different countries, transnational organizing, migrant labour, gig work across global platforms, and the rise of remote work that transcends national boundaries.
Popular combinations include Law and Society, Criminology, Business and Society; Health and Society; and International Development Studies —fields deeply connected to global labour and economic systems. The choice of a second major or a minor is up to you and your interests.
You’ll participate in community projects, international case studies, co-op learning and field trips that place local issues in a global context—whether analyzing international supply chains or exploring how global corporations shape local workplaces.
Hear directly from industry professionals, labour leaders, policymakers, and community researchers working on global labour issues—from migration to climate change to multinational corporate governance and legal systems.
Through internships, co-ops, and paid research opportunities, you’ll work with real-world labour market data, global policy tools, and strategies used by organizations across the world.
Graduates build careers across a wide range of fields, including law, human resources, labour and employment relations, public administration, international and nonprofit organizations, advocacy and community development, and global policy and research roles.
Many continue into law, journalism, education, or graduate studies, and move into roles such as Conflict Resolution Advisor, Diversity & Inclusion Coordinator, policy analyst, labour relations specialist, or global workplace consultant. You’ll also find graduates working in community advocacy, international development, corporate social responsibility, and research-focused positions addressing work and employment issues worldwide.
Our inclusive community, award-winning instructors, and globally informed curriculum attract students from around the world eager to learn, lead, and shape the future of work. Together, let’s build a future of fair, equitable, and sustainable work—locally and globally.
Are you a future student?
OUAC Code: YRM
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What you’ll learn
- Understand fields related to work and labour, and the core pillars of economic, social and political theory.
- Gain exposure to the intricacies of worker relations and questions about inequality, rights, workplace conditions requirements and ethics.
- Understand key legal questions surrounding work and labour relations in Canada and abroad.
Hands-on experiences
- Gain practical experience through our 4th year placement course where you’ll learn practical skills from union and NGO leaders and staff involved in organizing, research, communications and education.
- Interactive courses present experts from the field, role-playing activities, such as mock campaigns, and field trips to meet with practitioners in the field.
- Get involved with the Global Labour Research Centre which sponsors conferences and workshops.
The Work & Labour Studies program at York was a great experience. It taught me how to think critically about work and the labour movement. One of the strengths of the program is that there is a global perspective on work. There are great courses on labour at a global level and the instructors often have international research and teaching experience themselves. Combine that with cutting edge research into work and global warming and a placement course that gives you great new experiences, York's Work & Labour Studies program can prepare you for so many different elements of the world of work and labour.
— Gerard Di Trolio
Alumnus, Work & Labour Studies
December 2, 2025
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Interested in this program?
As a future student if you fill out this form you will be entered into a draw for a chance to win 1 of 4 $50 YU Bookstore gift cards. See full contest details.
