Workplace Learning and Social Change

Click here for printable brochures: M.Ed., M.A., Ph.D.

Click here for promotional brochure: WLSC

Participating Degree Programs
Adult Education and Community Development
Sociology & Equity Studies in Education

Program Faculty Members
N. Jackson, Adult Education and Community Development
M. Laiken, Adult Education and Community Development
D. Livingston, Sociology & Equity Studies in Education
K. Mirchandani, (Director) Adult Education and Community Development
S. Mojab, Adult Education and Community Development
R. Ng, Adult Education and Community Development
J. Quarter, Adult Education and Community Development
P. Sawchuk, Sociology & Equity Studies in Education

Nature of Collaborative Program
The program is designed for students interested in developing their understandings of work and learning trends in Canada and internationally, with a focus on social change. This program situates workplace learning within broader social trends such as globalization, neo-liberalism and organizational restructuring. As well, the program allows for an exploration of the connections between learning as an individual phenomena and learning as a social/organizational and public policy phenomenon. It aims to highlight the learning strategies that seek to foster social change through greater equality of power, inclusivity, participatory decision-making and economic democracy. The program is associated with the Centre for the Study of Work and Education in Sociology and Equity Studies in Education, OISE.

Faculty associated with this collaborative program have particular expertise in issues related to workplace learning amongst immigrant workers, foreign trained professionals, marginalized workers, as well as workers embedded within progressive organizational structures; and, they contribute expertise in the areas of social policy, organizational development, technological change, industrial relations, labour market analysis and school-to-work transitions. 

Application Procedures
Applicants will indicate on their application to the home department that they are also applying to the Collaborative Program. Applicants will indicate to referees that their letters of support will be used in application for both the Collaborative Program and the home department. In addition to corresponding to all home department requirements, the application shall include a statement of interest (three pages in length) which includes:

• relevant personal and/or professional experiences, a career plan, motivation in seeking advanced training in Workplace Learning and Social Change (all applicants)
• an indication of specific courses of interest (all applicants)
• a brief outline of their proposed research project (for thesis students)
• indication of their preference of supervisor (for thesis students)

The Collaborative Graduate Program encourages diversity in academic disciplines and life experiences. The program is open to all qualified applicants. The applicant will need to satisfy the requirements of the home department including grade point average. For the Collaborative Program specifically, qualified applicants will also demonstrate well developed, scholarly awareness of the field of workplace learning and social change in their application materials.

Students who are already enrolled in SESE or AECP will also be allowed to apply to the collaborative program during their course of study. Requests from already enrolled applicants will be considered once a year at the same time as admission files are reviewed. 

Program Requirements
During their graduate studies, students must follow a program of study acceptable to both the home degree program and the WLSC Collaborative Graduate Program. Students will be registered in both the home department and in the Collaborative Graduate Program. The Director of the Collaborative Program will review students' progress to ensure that they are meeting the requirements of the collaborative program. If a students changes their thesis topic or the focus of their studies mid-way through their degree and no longer wishes to pursue the area of work and learning, they will be required to withdraw from the collaborative program.

Master's level students must complete WPL1131. Doctoral students must complete WPL3931. All students must also complete one elective half course, a listing of which cna be found in the brochure. Thesis students will develop a topic of relevance to the focus of the collaborative program.

Core Courses
WPL1131H (Master's): Master's Seminar in Workplace Learning and Social change


This course will introduce students to the central national and international debates in the field. Students will explore the historical development of the notion of "workplace learning" and its links to agendas of social change. The course will expose students to theories of workplace learning and social change, as well as practice and policy in the area.

WPL3931H (Doctoral): Doctoral Seminar in Workplace Learning and Social Change

This course will allow students to engage in advanced learning and research on the central national and international debates in the field. Students will develop extensive analytic and conceptual knowledge in the areas of the historical development of the notion of "workplace learning" and its links to diverse agendas of social change. The course will require the critical assessment and research applications of theories of workplace learning and social change, as well as practice and policy in the area.

Elective Courses
A list of elective courses is available in the brochures: M.Ed., M.A., Ph.D.

Further information is available from:
Kiran Mirchandani
Telephone: 416-978-0884
E-mail: kiran@oise.utoronto.ca