PHD LABOUR STUDIES

The PhD in Labour Studies is the newest component of McMaster University’s School of Labour Studies. The only such degree in North America, this program engages closely and critically with the issues of work and labour from a contemporary and historical perspective. The program aims to develop a new generation of scholars prepared to contribute to research leadership in the academy, the community, policy arenas and the organizations representing working people. As a small interdisciplinary program, candidates will enjoy strong mentorship from leading scholars in the field and benefit from the strong union and community connections of The faculty. 

Courses:

·         Advanced Labour Studies Theory

·         Methods

·         Contemporary Issues in the Labour Studies

·         Work, Workers and Their Workplaces

·         Theories of Work, Social Justice, and Inequality

·         Labour Markets, The State and Inequality

·         Work and Democracy in the Global Society

·         Labour, Equity and Diversity

·        Labour Movements and Social Transformations

·        Bodies at Work: Politics, Science, Law, and Occupational Health 

Future Paths

PhD graduates will be ready to undertake academic employment as well as research jobs, and senior administrative and leadership positions in a range of public, private and non-profit organizations with a focus on work and social justice, such as the labour organizations, policy research institutes and think tanks. 

The program, which normally takes four years of full-time study, consists of coursework, a comprehensive examination and a Dissertation. Candidates are required to take four courses, of which Methods and Advanced Labour Studies Theory are required. Additional courses are chosen from a list of the core Labour Studies courses as well as from the disciplines such as Sociology, Political Science, Geography, Social Work, and History. Applicants can take the PhD on a full-time or part-time basis. The only such degree in North America, the Ph.D. program engages closely and critically with the issues of work and labor in a contemporary and historical perspective. The program aims to develop a new generation of scholars prepared to contribute to research leadership in the academy, the community, policy arenas and organizations representing working people. As a small interdisciplinary program, candidates will enjoy strong mentorship from leading scholars in the field and benefit from the strong union and community connections of the faculty. This program is offered in person at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. 

·         Program Length: Four years full-time

·         Required Credential: Master’s degree or equivalent from any discipline

·         Program Type: Dissertation and Course-based

·         Program Options: Full-time, Part-time 

Admission Requirements:

·        Master’s degree or equivalent in any discipline with the minimum A- average from an accredited university.

·        A demonstrated interest in studying work, employment or worker organizations from the Labour Studies perspective.

·        Select candidates may be admitted with a B+ average from the Master’s degree if they have a minimum of five years of work or volunteer experience in the labor or work-related community organizations and can provide evidence that they have strong writing and critical thinking skills.

·        Candidates are evaluated based on their qualifications and the alignment of their interests with the research interests and faculty availability.

·         While supervisors are not appointed before successful admission, students are encouraged to contact faculty members in the Department regarding potential Ph.D. supervision and the Ph.D. program. You have the opportunity to list three potential supervisors in your application. If admission is offered, a supervisor is then assigned.

·        Applications will be reviewed after the December 1^st deadline. Admission decisions will be communicated in the March. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. 

Required Application Documents:

Graduate Studies Online Applications

Each candidate must complete the Graduate Studies Online Application, which opens in October each year. 

In addition to the online application, candidates must also submit the required documents listed below. Note that some required application documents must be submitted through your online application. 

Academic Transcripts 

Scanned/unofficial or student-generated transcripts for ALL post-secondary studies completed or in progress are required at the time of the application.

Transcripts from institutions where you completed courses on Letter of Permission and or as part of the Student Exchange Programs must also be included.

Official transcripts must be submitted if an offer of admission is made: 

Scholarships

Internal Scholarships

Competitive scholarship funding is offered to full-time graduate students in the School of Labour Studies.  Internal scholarships, which include as Graduate Scholarships, are intended to help applicants devote their time and energy to the successful completion of their studies. 

External Scholarship

Many of our current and incoming candidates receive notable scholarships from external funding agencies such as OGS, SSHRC, etc. Students are highly encouraged to apply to external funding agencies. Once admitted, students will be required to apply for the Social Sciences and the Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Doctoral Fellowship annually, if not already awarded recipients. 

Why Study PhD in Labour And Studies?

A PhD in labour studies is explicitly oriented to research in the subject of Business and Commerce. It is related to the research into the management discipline, service, human resource management, and other fields like as agriculture, retailing, product production, tourism, hospitality, science, medicine, and engineering. These all are in the demand market areas. 

Develop Management Skills: It focuses on developing, advertising, and selling products and services; creating connections or partnerships; managing tough situations; and keeping the company’s finances in good shape. Data from the industry is gathered and used to develop reports.

New Job Opportunities: In the future, this program will bring better work, and chances, to both the Commerce and the Management sector.

Ability to have Quality Research: Candidates obtain the capacity to do research in a variety of disciplines of commerce through the study of the subjects such as Human resources, Operations, Productions, and Business Principles.

Job Scopes: Doctorates with the requisite skills to explore their employment scopes in the fields of business, accounting, operations, and management have completed the program. One of the pros is that they can work as Business Analysts, Finance Managers, CFOs, CEOs, Company Secretaries, and so on. 

Entrance Examination Preparation Tips

·         Be aware of the updated entrance syllabus before planning out the preparation. Always check through the official websites.

·         Start early with the preparations. Usually, 1 year before the exam is considered ideal. You can easily plan your schedule.

·         Do not start with multiple resources. It creates confusion. Stick to one or two good and reliable resources.

·         Analyse last year’s paper, get hold of important topics.

·         Analyse your own strengths and weaknesses. Work on your strategies accordingly.

·         Take an online mock test and keep the track of your online mock test score.

·         Read more to gain more knowledge on your topic.

·         Take help from previous years' question papers to get an idea about the type of questions they ask.

·         Go through the syllabus of the qualifying exam or NET/DET organized by the UGC. 

Modes of PhD Labour Studies:

Candidates can pursue the PhD labor studies course in offline full-time or part-time as well as online also. Below are the modes of PhD labour studies courses in detail: 

Full-Time PhD Labour Studies

A full-time PhD program is a three-year program in which students must attend regular classes. The classes are held in person, and candidates will be required to visit the college to complete them. 

Part-Time PhD Labour Studies

A part-time PhD in labour studies is the doctorate program for candidates who cannot commit to regular attendance. Applicants can study according to their schedules in this way. 

Distance PhD Labour Studies

PhD labor studies is also available as a correspondence program. This course is available through correspondence from a variety of remote learning institutes. IGNOU is the most well-known of the distance learning institutions. PhD labour studies through correspondence is advantageous for those who desire to get the degree while maintaining their current employment. 

Private Universities with Benefits:

There are a few private institutes offering the course to admit the candidates based on their performance in a relevant entrance test followed by the round of the Personal Interview. 

Government Universities With Benefits:

You must be well aware of the type of questions that are frequently asked in the benefit

A very good score in the entrance test will increase your chances of getting admitted to a good college.