Indigenous Studies

Pîjashig! Kwe kwe! Tunngahugit! She:kon! Aanii! Boozhoo! Tansi! Taanishe! Hello! Bienvenue!

Program Overview

While Critical Indigenous Studies is a diverse field of study and engagement, we are unified by our commitment to Indigenous resurgence and ways of knowing, community-engaged learning, and dissection of colonial power and politics. You will take courses that discuss Indigenous feminisms, genders, and sexualities, ecological ways of knowing, Indigenous urbanisms, Indigenous legal orders, historical and contemporary Indigenous political struggles, Indigenous arts and culture, Indigenous languages and their relationships to the land, and global Indigeneity, among others.

With a degree in Indigenous Studies, you will be prepared to participate knowledgeably in urgent agendas of change: decolonization, climate action, Indigenous cultural and political resurgence, anti-racist education, grassroots capacity-building, law and policy reform, and revising public narratives of Canada and beyond.

Program Goals

 Indigenous Studies at Carleton University is a vibrant interdisciplinary field of study that draws on multiple and interconnected knowledges and academic disciplines, and has produced rich and diverse scholarship. Indigenous worldviews and knowledge are centered through research, teaching and mentoring, additionally it reflects the priorities of Indigenous peoples. The program is committed to Indigenous resurgence and ways of knowing, community-engaged learning, and critique of colonial power and politics.

Skills and Knowledge You Will Gain From Indigenous Studies

• Explore the ways Indigenous knowledges contribute to the fight against the climate crisis.
• Interrogate how Indigenous people advance projects of decolonization in Canada and throughout the world
• Identify strategies for the effective communication of the conflicts we see around land and rights, especially in an age declared to be about (re)conciliation
• Critically review how Indigenous resurgence transforming what is now known as Canada
• Showcase what anti-racist education look like from Indigenous perspectives
• Explore the ways we change public narratives to reflect accurate portrayals of Indigenous-settler relations

Program Requirements 

The link below is the Carleton University Indigenous Studies Undergraduate Calendar which is a useful resource for all students in the program or entering the program. The Undergraduate Calendar contains details including information on the 3  programs offered within Indigenous Studies ( Bachelor of Arts in Indigenous Studies Honours, Bachelor of Indigenous Studies General and  Combined Honours) , courses, regulations and admission details.

Carleton University Undergraduate Calendar for all programs in Indigenous Studies

Minor Options

Students in the Indigenous Studies program often decide to add a minor to their degree. Minors are opportunities for students to specialize in another field while completing their Bachelor’s degree in Indigenous Studies. Many students select minors that interest them or will help them in their future professions.

Some common minors in the Indigenous Studies program are:

• Psychology
• Canadian Studies
• Women’s and Gender Studies
• Disability Studies
• Critical Race Studies
• Sociology & Anthropology

Governance  *  Resistance  *  Representation *  Dialogue  *  Learning  *  Consensus

Combined Honours in Indigenous Studies

Carleton’s Combined Honours in Indigenous Studies engages both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students through a decolonial lens, blending traditional academic instruction with Indigenous-led approaches to teaching. The program aims to build a community of students who will lead Canada’s efforts to grapple with the complex history of relations between Indigenous peoples and Canada.

The program exposes students to core courses in pre and post-contact Indigenous Studies, Indigenous resistance, Indigenous representations, and urban Indigenous issues. Students enrolled in the program complete either a land-based  or community-based fourth-year project.

The program has four main thematic areas or suites of courses centered on Indigenous Peoplehood Studies, Indigenous ways of knowing and epistemologies, the history of Indigenous-Settler relations and colonization, and lastly, Indigenous recovery, vitalization, and reclamation and decolonization. This latter suite includes courses on Indigenous governance and contemporary issues. The four themes come together at the fourth year in a Capstone course titled “Indigeneity and the City” which focuses specifically on urban Indigeneity and the Ottawa area.

Minor in Indigenous Studies

Through interdisciplinary courses in Indigenous Studies that employ innovative approaches to learning and research, students will become familiar with a wide range of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, histories, cultures, social and political systems, and contemporary issues.

These courses also offer insight into the relationship between settlers and Indigenous peoples, and Indigeneity in a global context.

Students enrolled in any degree program may elect to complete a Minor in Indigenous Studies. This Minor consists of 4.0 credits of coursework.

Learning Opportunities

The Indigenous Studies program has several potential learning opportunities both inside and outside the classroom which enables students to use their knowledge and skills learned throughout the program in various settings.

Apply

Indigenous Studies is an incredible program for those who are interested in obtaining in depth knowledge when in it comes to topics related to Indigenous studies . If you are interested, please apply to this one of a kind program that will give you the knowledge and experience that will help you succeed in your future career.

For all information on how to apply please visit the admissions website or contact the admissions department at admissions@carleton.ca