What Study Levels and Degree Types Does Trent University Offer?

Trent University offers three study levels: undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate certificate programs, with more than 100 programs in total across its Peterborough and Durham GTA campuses. The right level depends on where you are now: undergraduate for a first degree, graduate for advanced study after a bachelor's, and postgraduate certificates for focused, career-oriented training.

Undergraduate Programs

Undergraduate study is the largest category on trentu.ca. It includes bachelor's degrees, honours-style specialized programs, and several dual-degree arrangements.

Single-discipline and interdisciplinary degrees span the arts, sciences, and professions. Examples from the program list include:

• Bachelor of Arts & Science
• Bachelor of Education
• Bachelor of Environmental Science & Studies
• Bachelor of Business Administration
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing
• Bachelor of Arts in Criminology, Psychology, or Sociology

Specialized and pre-professional streams appear as distinct entries, such as Biomedical Science, Forensic Science (with Forensic Anthropology, Forensic Biology, and Forensic Chemistry variants), Conservation Biology, Kinesiology, and the Medical Professional Stream.

Dual and joint degrees combine Trent study with a partner institution. The program list includes:

Exploration Year options in Arts and in Sciences let students begin without committing to a major immediately — useful if you want to sample disciplines before declaring.

Co-op and teacher-education routes also sit at the undergraduate level, including Software Engineering Co-op and the Teacher Education Stream.

Graduate Programs

Graduate study at Trent covers master's and doctoral-level work, listed separately from the undergraduate catalog. Examples named in the program list include:

• Applied Modelling & Quantitative Methods
• Environmental & Life Sciences
• Materials Science
• Canadian Studies, and Canadian Studies & Indigenous Studies
• Cultural Studies
• Educational & Community Leadership
• Forensic Science
• History
• Indigenous Studies
• Interdisciplinary Aging Studies
• Interdisciplinary Social Research
• Management
• Instrumental Chemical Analysis
• Bioenvironmental Monitoring & Assessment
• Applied Modelling & Quantitative Methods

Several of these appear in more than one form (for example, Canadian Studies as a standalone and as a combined Canadian Studies & Indigenous Studies program), so check the individual program page for the specific credential offered.

Postgraduate Certificates

The third level is the postgraduate certificate, aimed at students who already hold a degree and want targeted, shorter training. The site presents it as a separate tab alongside Undergraduate and Graduate, so it is a distinct entry point rather than a sub-option of a master's.

How to Decide Which Level Fits

Use these conditions to narrow the choice:

• No prior degree, or finishing secondary school: start with undergraduate. If you are unsure of a major, the Exploration Year in Arts or Sciences keeps options open.
• Holding a bachelor's and wanting research or advanced specialization: look at graduate programs such as Environmental & Life Sciences or Applied Modelling & Quantitative Methods.
• Holding a degree and wanting focused professional training without a full master's: the postgraduate certificate level is the match.
• Wanting a professional pathway with a partner institution: the Trent/Swansea dual degrees and the Naturopathy double degree are the relevant entries.

Practical Next Step

The "Find Your Program" tool on trentu.ca lets you filter by level (Undergraduate, Graduate, Postgraduate Certificate) and then select a program by name. Because the catalog mixes degree types, dual degrees, and streams in one alphabetical list, confirm the exact credential and campus on the individual program page before applying. Program availability and admission requirements are set by the university and can change by intake, so verify details on the official page rather than relying on the list alone.