The purpose of the Northern Studies programs is to provide opportunities for students to learn how to recognize and support wise public and private-sector decision making in the dynamic North. The program is interdisciplinary and rooted in analysis of real-world problems. It presents research at the cutting edge from across the North.
We offer intensive, one-year, course-based M.A. and M.Sc. degrees and Graduate Diplomas.
The program includes experiential learning through a field course in the Canadian North. Degree students participate in a placement at a northern agency in Ottawa or in the North.
The program emphasizes the biophysical, social, and policy environments of northern Canada. It recognizes the impacts of climate change on northern ecosystems and on the Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities that depend on renewable resources. It acknowledges the stresses of cultural transition and evolving governance as land claims and self-government agreements are completed and implemented. It appreciates the importance of functional bureaucracies and practices that reflect the aspirations of northerners. It apprehends the changes to the Arctic Ocean that will facilitate shipping and bring many visitors to the North.
The program welcomes applications from all people interested in an interdisciplinary approach to Northern Studies. We especially welcome applications and enquiries from Indigenous and non-Indigenous northerners. The program aims to foster respect, appreciation, and interest in the great diversity of cultures and environments found in the North.
A full list of courses offered can be found here.