Aboriginal and Northern Studies

HERE YOU CAN.

The University College of the North offers a comprehensive program of study leading to three-year and four-year majors in Aboriginal and Northern Studies.

Building from a focus on Aboriginal cultures of Northern Manitoba, this interdisciplinary program aims to further understandings of the experiences of Aboriginal peoples and communities in the past and present and to consider regional, national and international dimensions

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Duration:

3 – 4 Years

Format:In Person

Faculty of Arts, Business and Science

Certification:Degree

Program Overview

The Faculty offers three- and four-year majors and a minor in Aboriginal and Northern Studies. These programs build from a focus on Aboriginal cultures of Northern Manitoba, this interdisciplinary program aims to further understandings of the experiences of Aboriginal peoples and communities in the past and present and to consider regional, national and international dimensions.

Aboriginal ways of knowing and western approaches to knowledge are explored and integrated throughout the curriculum as learners are exposed to a variety of perspectives, sources and intellectual traditions within a decolonizing methodology. Offering a variety of interrelated courses, key areas of study include Aboriginal history and culture, politics, governance and justice, community development, indigenous knowledge, and Aboriginal languages.

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Certification Options

Three-Year Degree Program

Program Requirements

Students must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours in the major as part of the three-year Bachelor of Arts degree.

At least 12 credit hours must be at the 2000 level or higher.
A further minimum of 12 credit hours must be at the 3000 level or higher.

Required Courses

The following courses are required:

ANS 1000 – Introduction to Aboriginal Studies I (3 credit hours)
ANS 1001 – Introduction to Aboriginal Studies II (3 credit hours)
ANS 2100 – Research Methods in Aboriginal and Northern Studies I (3 credit hours)

Additional Course Requirement

Students must complete one of the following options:

At least 3 credit hours of Aboriginal language courses, including ANS 1100 or demonstrated competency in an Aboriginal language,
OR
3 credit hours of Indigenous knowledge courses, including one of the following:
- ANS 2150 – Kayas Achanohkewina: Stories of Long Ago
- ANS 2400 – Northern Manitoba First Nations and Environment
- ANS 3400 – Philosophy and Culture of the First Nations of Northern Manitoba
- Other courses as designated by the Faculty of Arts, Business and Science

Four-Year Degree Program

Program Requirements (Four-Year BA Degree)

Students must complete a minimum of 42 credit hours in the major as part of the four-year Bachelor of Arts degree.

At least 6 credit hours must be at the 2000 level or higher.
A minimum of 12 credit hours must be at the 3000 level or higher.
A minimum of 12 credit hours must be at the 4000 level.

Required Courses

The following courses are required:

ANS 1000 – Introduction to Aboriginal Studies I (3 credit hours)
ANS 1001 – Introduction to Aboriginal Studies II (3 credit hours)
ANS 2100 – Research Methods in Aboriginal and Northern Studies I (3 credit hours)

Additional Course Requirement

Students must complete one of the following options:

At least 3 credit hours of Aboriginal language courses, including ANS 1100 or demonstrated competency in an Aboriginal language,
OR
3 credit hours of Indigenous knowledge courses, including one of the following:
- ANS 2150 – Kayas Achanohkewina: Stories of Long Ago
- ANS 2400 – Northern Manitoba First Nations and Environment
- ANS 3400 – Philosophy and Culture of the First Nations of Northern Manitoba
- Other courses as designated by the Faculty of Arts, Business and Science

Why Study Aboriginal and Northern Studies at UCN?

Career flexibility and relevance
Students get a deep understanding of Indigenous cultures, histories, and perspectives

Career Outcomes and Community

Career Pathways

A BA with a major in Aboriginal and Northern Studies is a valuable undergraduate degree oriented towards northern cultural, economic, social and geographic realities. Successful graduates will be prepared for employment in education, business, law, justice, communications, social services, health care delivery and administration, and many other fields. With an undergraduate major in Aboriginal and Northern Studies students may apply for admission to graduate programs in several academic disciplines, and to many professional programs. Students intending to apply for graduate or professional programs should ensure that their programs include all required prerequisites.

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Program Schedule

Course offerings in Aboriginal and Northern Studies

ABS.1700 First Nations Languages and Governance
ANS.1000 Introduction to Aboriginal Studies
ANS.1001 Introduction to Aboriginal Studies 2
ANS.1100 Introduction to Cree Language 1
ANS.1101 Introduction to Cree Language 2
ANS.2000 Aboriginal Politics 1
ANS.2001 Aboriginal Politics 2
ANS.2015 Introduction to Cree Syllabics
ANS.2100 Research Methods in Aboriginal and Northern Studies 1
ANS.2150 Kayas Achanohkewina, Legends of Long Ago
ANS.2155 Learning Cree Through Storytelling
ANS.2200 The History of the Fur Trade and Aboriginal Societies 1600-1870
ANS.2250 The Metis Nation
ANS.2300 Images of the North 1
ANS.2301 Images of the North 2
ANS.2400 Northern Manitoba First Nations Environment
ANS.2450 Aboriginal Women of Northern Manitoba
ANS.2900 Selected Topics in Aboriginal and Northern Studies
ANS.2950 Selected Topics in Aboriginal and Northern Studies
ANS.3000 Aboriginal Law 1
ANS.3001 Aboriginal Law 2
ANS.3100 Research Methods in Aboriginal and Northern Studies 2
ANS.3101 Oral History Methodology
ANS.3200 History of the Canadian North
ANS.3250 History and Sociology of Genocide in Canada and the United States
ANS.3300 Indigenous Women and Literature 1
ANS.3301 Indigenous Women and Literature 2
ANS.3400 Philosophy and Culture of the First Nations of Northern Manitoba
ANS.3450 Aboriginal Medicine and Health
ANS.3600 Community Economic Development in Circumpolar World
ANS.3700 Community Development, Local and Global Perspectives
ANS.3900 Selected Topics in Aboriginal and Northern Studies
ANS.3960 Selected Topics in Aboriginal and Northern Studies
ANS.4200 The Changing Circumpolar North
ANS.4250 Topics in Colonialism
ANS.4255 Colonial Encounters
ANS.4260 Gender and Colonialism
ANS.4360 Critical Theory, Aboriginal and Northern Studies
ANS.4900 Selected Topics in Aboriginal and Northern Studies
ANS.4950 Selected Topics in Aboriginal and Northern Studies
ANS.4960 Directed Readings
RJP.2010 Aboriginal Experience of the Criminal Justice System
RJP.2040 Aboriginal Restorative Justice Initiatives in Manitoba

Courses from Other Subject Areas Creditable to the Major

Other Courses Eligible with Approval

BCS.3521 Peoples and Cultures of the Circumpolar World 1
BCS.3522 Peoples and Cultures of the Circumpolar World 2
BCS.3531 Contemporary Issues of the Circumpolar World 1
BCS.3532 Contemporary Issues of the Circumpolar World 2
GEO.3910 Special Topics in Human Geography
PHI.2010 Selected Topics in Philosophy
SOC.3010 Selected Topics in Social Inquiry
SOC.3250 Special Topics in Sociology of Education
SOC.3460 Special Topics in Societies and Cultures
SOC.3750 Special Topics in Race, Class, Gender and Sexuality
SOC.3801 Special Topics in Sociology
SSC.3150 Special Topics in Research Methods
SSC.4450 Advanced Topics in Post-Colonial Studies
SSC.4801 Advanced Topics in Social Sciences
SSC.4900 Directed Reading in the Social Sciences

Admissions

Requirements

Regular Student

a) Grade 12 graduate with a regular or mature high school diploma, with
b) Language Arts (English) 40S, one credit, and
c) Pre-calculus Mathematics 40S, Applied Mathematics 40S or Essential Mathematics 40S,
d) Or equivalencies of above.

Mature Student

a) Mature student is or will be 19 during the first year of
registration,
b) And is a high school graduate without the requirements for
regular status,
c) Or has completed at least three 40S courses,
d) Or has GED standing,
e) Or has attended another university under mature status and achieved a minimum C standing,
f) Or completed a full semester with a minimum C standing from an accredited post-secondary institution,
g) Or has demonstrated readiness to succeed at the university entry level

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