Our MA and PhD programs put Indigenous Studies and Canadian Studies (including Critical Heritage Studies) in conversation. In this unique interdisciplinary space, we address questions of:
- the history and present of settler colonialism and Indigenous resistance; the discourses, institutions and practices that construct “Canada”
- Indigenous sovereignty and governance; urban Indigeneity; Indigenous epistemologies and ontologies; Indigenous and Black feminist theorizing and methodologies; Queer Indigenous Two-Spirit identities; contemporary Indigenous art history and curatorial studies
- the politics of language, identity, race, and nation in Canada and Quebec; diasporic worlds within and beyond the settler nation-state; local and global scales and strategies of decolonization
- cultural and spatial heritages; sustainable heritage conservation; cultural heritage and climate change; public memory, alternative archives and emotional geographies
Our MA in Canadian Studies offers three streams: coursework, research paper, or thesis. We also offer the option to do specializations in:
Heritage Conservation – a longstanding strength of the School: see what graduates of this stream are doing now and Digital Humanities – more details.
Our PhD in Canadian Studies allows you to develop your own research agenda within Canadian Studies, Indigenous Studies, or a combination of the two. Explore the areas of research expertise among our faculty members and the research projects of current students and recent graduates. The PhD program is offered jointly between the School and the Frost Centre for Canadian Studies and Indigenous Studies at Trent University.
The PhD program includes the option of a Collaborative Specialization in Political Economy.
Canadian Studies Graduate Community
Our closely knit graduate community fosters social contact, mutual support, and mentoring. Throughout the year, there are several planned activities as well as an annual research symposium.
Graduate Professional Development
Carleton offers professional development resources and programs to help you improve your skills and plan your career trajectory. To learn more, visit the Graduate Professional Development website.
International Students
Please contact the Graduate Supervisor with any questions about MA or the PhD Program before submitting your application. We are happy to consider international applications; however, international fees can be prohibitive and the funding we can access to support international students is very limited.
The deadline for all applications, including referee letters, is February 1st. Apply online.
Our faculty engage in research and teaching across a number of thematic areas including Heritage Conservation; Culture, Memory, and Place; Nation-building, Nationalisms, and Nation-branding; Indigenous Studies; Social Justice: Voice, Power, and Policy; Critical Settler Studies; Gender and Sexualities; and Identity, Representation, and Performance. In the emerging global economy, the development of Canada-centred knowledge has become even more relevant and in demand. What better place to study Canada than in Ottawa?
