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Studies & Degrees in Canadian Studies

Canadian Studies is an interdisciplinary field that takes one country as its subject: Canada's history, politics, economy, geography, literature and cultures, and its relations with Indigenous peoples, with Quebec and with the United States. It is an area studies programme, not a single discipline. Students take courses from several departments and bring them together in seminars on Canada itself.

The calendar of the University of British Columbia (UBC) shows how this works in practice. Students in its Canadian Studies major take courses in three of five areas: culture, geography, history, politics and economics, and society. The McGill Institute for the Study of Canada (MISC) describes its programmes as interdisciplinary courses on Canada, run in collaboration with different departments of the Faculty of Arts. Related programmes sit next to Canadian Studies: McGill also offers Indigenous Studies and Quebec Studies, the latter first taught there in 1963.

Qualifications and levels

Canadian Studies is mostly taken as part of a Bachelor of Arts, as a major, a minor or an honours programme, and often in combination with another subject.

  • Major. At UBC the major consists of 12 lower-level credits and 36 upper-level credits, and ends with a Senior Seminar in Canadian Studies in the fourth year.
  • Minor. The UBC minor has 12 lower-level and 18 upper-level credits. A minor suits students whose main subject is, for example, political science, history or business.
  • Honours and joint honours. At McGill University, Canadian Studies can be completed as a minor, a major, or an honours or joint honours programme.
  • Centres outside Canada. Universities in other countries usually teach the field through a research centre, with courses, minors and exchanges rather than a full degree. The Canadian Studies Center of the University of Washington, part of the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies, specialises in trade, security, Arctic foreign policy, Aboriginal self-determination and environmental management. With the School of Oceanography it offers a minor in Arctic Studies that requires 25 credits.

Graduate study on Canada usually takes place inside a discipline such as history, political science or literature, so ask each university which master's and doctoral options it has.

Where to study Canadian Studies

SpainExchange lists seven active schools for Canadian Studies: four in Canada and three in the United States. The Canadian universities are the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, McGill University in Montreal, the University of Calgary and Acadia University in Nova Scotia, which lists Canadian Studies among its undergraduate arts programmes. In the United States the list includes the University of Washington in Seattle, Duke University and SUNY, The State University of New York.

The listed programmes are taught in English. French is useful for anyone who wants to work on Quebec or on federal politics: the Canadian Studies Network, the scholarly association of the field in Canada, works in English and French.

Exchanges and funding

For students based outside Canada, a period at a Canadian university is the natural complement to the courses. McGill arranges exchanges and internships with partner organisations. The University of Washington runs the Corbett British Columbia-Washington International Exchange Program with UBC and the University of Victoria, open to undergraduate and graduate students from any field. From the 2027-28 academic year, University of Washington students receive US$12,000 to spend an academic year at one of the two Canadian universities, and the application deadline for 2027-28 is 31 January 2027. Programmes of this kind are tied to specific universities, so check what your own institution offers.

Careers

Canadian Studies does not lead to one profession. According to McGill, its graduates go on to careers in government, law, business, education, social services, communications and journalism, and some continue to further study in the social sciences or humanities. Outside Canada the degree is useful where knowledge of the country matters: diplomacy, trade, cross-border business, journalism and teaching. The University of Washington centre states its own aim as increasing the number of scholars, educators and professionals who are knowledgeable about Canada. No official employment statistics exist for this subject on its own.

Frequently asked questions

Is Canadian Studies a full degree or a minor?

Both exist. At UBC and McGill it can be taken as a major or a minor within a Bachelor of Arts, and McGill also offers honours and joint honours options. Outside Canada it is more often a minor or a set of courses.

Do I have to study in Canada?

No. Universities in the United States such as the University of Washington have Canadian Studies centres with courses and exchanges. A full major is easier to find at Canadian universities.

Do I need to speak French?

The listed programmes are taught in English. French helps for work on Quebec, and the Canadian Studies Network uses English and French as working languages.

What can I do with a degree in Canadian Studies?

McGill reports that its graduates work in government, law, business, education, social services, communications and journalism, among other fields.