Explore Inuit, Métis and First Nations` worldviews to identify ways towards a sustainable future.

Intended for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous learners, this one-year Ontario College Certificate program provides you with an opportunity to develop transferable personal and professional skills that are in demand in a wide range of Indigenous-focused areas. You explore Inuit, Métis and First Nations worldviews, community practices and perspectives to support a sustainable future.

You examine the important role and contributions of Inuit, Métis, and First Nations to the land that is now called Canada. You explore what it means to learn from the land, be an ally, and develop an understanding of the many facets of Canadian society to become an informed citizen with a strong cultural understanding and appreciation of the Ways of Knowing and Being of the Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island. Expand your knowledge of Indigenous realities, community organization and practices, and understanding of the ongoing harms of colonialism. Develop skills to strengthen community through responsibility, respect, relationality, and reciprocity. Collaboratively with peers and Indigenous community members, you engage in exploration of various historical and contemporary contexts to identify ways towards truth, reconciliation and resurgence.

You expand transferable skills for your academic and career journey toward an unlimited variety of areas, focusing on bridging cultures and Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Being including, but not limited to:

• relationship to the land
• environmental stewardship
• personal and community well-being
• legal traditions
• self-determination
• language revitalization
• arts and culture
• cultural sensitivity

As a graduate, you may find employment in public, private, non-profit and government sectors that engage with Indigenous communities, or within Indigenous community organizations and businesses. You may choose to continue your education in the Indigenous Studies 2-year diploma and receive credit for the first year. Alternately, you may continue your studies in a discipline-specific academic program, and you will qualify to receive two transfer credits for courses taken in this program.

SUCCESS FACTORS

This program is well-suited for students who:

• Are interested in knowing more about Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Being.
• Are passionate about promoting inclusivity and relationship-building with individuals and groups from diverse backgrounds.
• Are open to looking at issues from multiple perspectives.
• Value personal qualities such as responsibility, initiative, organization and self-regulation.

Pathways

Please use our Pathways tool to search for pathway options.

The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

1. Use Indigenous Knowledge-informed strategies to establish and maintain equitable relationships in a personal and professional capacity.
2. Identify opportunities to adopt a Two-Eyed Seeing approach to weave Indigenous knowledge systems, practices, and processes within a pluralistic society for the benefit of all.
3. Use oral and visual Indigenous Ways of communicating knowledge to express thoughts, opinions and emotions.
4. Describe strategies to achieve harmony and balance, addressing wholistic needs, to live a good life - mino-bimaadiziwin.
5. Explain how Indigenous values, knowledge systems, and worldviews are used to create a vision for self in relationship with the land, family, community, and nationhood.
6. Relate principles of Indigenous knowledge to identify personal, academic and career paths.
7. Use approaches that respect Indigenous rights, knowledges and values to ensure ethical engagement with Indigenous community, Elders, and Knowledge Keepers.
8. Analyze the impacts of colonial mindsets and policies to identify opportunities to support reconciliation frameworks for the advancement of Indigenous rights, perspectives and prosperity.
9. Identify and apply discipline-specific practices that contribute to local and global community through social responsibility, economic commitment and environmental stewardship.

Application Information

INDIGENOUS STUDIES FOUNDATIONS - INUIT, MÉTIS, AND FIRST NATIONS
Program Code 1412X01FWO

Applications to full-time day programs must be submitted with official transcripts showing completion of the academic admission requirements through:

ontariocolleges.ca
60 Corporate Court
Guelph, Ontario
N1G 5J3
1-888-892-2228

Students currently enrolled in an Ontario secondary school should notify their Guidance Office prior to their online application at www.ontariocolleges.ca

Applications for Fall Term and Winter Term admission received by February 1 will be given equal consideration. Applications received after February 1 will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis as long as places are available.

International applicants please visit this link for application process information: https://algonquincollege.force.com/myACint/  

For further information on the admissions process, contact:

Registrar`s Office
Algonquin College
1385 Woodroffe Ave
Ottawa, ON K2G 1V8
Telephone: 613-727-0002
Toll-free: 1-800-565-4723
TTY: 613-727-7766
Fax: 613-727-7632
Contact: https://www.algonquincollege.com/ro  

Program Resources