Indigenous Studies

Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Learn about Indigenous perspectives and governance, the justice system, land claims, traditional ecological knowledge and the protection of heritage in the Okanagan, Canada, U.S. and world communities.

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Degree

Bachelor

Length

4 years

Faculty/School

Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Why study Indigenous Studies at UBC Okanagan?

Indigenous studies provides perspectives of Indigenous peoples from the Okanagan, Canada and world communities, and introduces you to methodology and research applications.

Build the foundational skills needed to pursue a career in government, Indigenous Peoples organizations, Indigenous leadership roles, and resource management.

In third or fourth year, you have the option of completing directed studies, where you will undertake a supervised investigation of an assigned topic in Indigenous Studies, culminating in a major term paper.

Degree Options

At UBC Okanagan, you can complete a Bachelor of Arts (BA) with a major or a minor in Indigenous studies.

Bachelor of Arts (BA)

 

Sample Courses

These are examples of courses you can enrol in during your studies. To plan your academic journey, please visit undergraduate academic planning.

INDG 100 - Introduction to Indigenous Studies
HIST 112 - Canada to 1867
ANTH 100 - Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
SOCI 111 - Introduction to Sociology I

INDG 203 - Indigenous Peoples' Historical Perspectives
INDG 201 - Okanagan Indigenous Peoples' Historical Perspectives
INDG 202 - Okanagan Concepts and Frameworks
INDG 210 - Indigenous Peoples of the Americas
INDG 295 - Indigenous Studies: Special Topics

INDG 301 - Examining an Indigenous Methodology: En'owkinwixw
INDG 310 - Indigenous Women's Perspectives: Gender, Nation, State, Resistance
INDG 305 - Indigenous Justice
INDG 306 - Indigenous Land Rights
INDG 309 - Indigenous Perspectives on Health

INDG 401 - Research Applications
INDG 405 - Indigenous Education: History and Revitalization
INDG 420 - Indigenous Perspectives on Food, Place, Identity, and Biodiversity
INDG 440 - Residential Schools and Reconciliation
INDG 450 - Indigenous Women, Activisms, Feminisms

Plan your academic journey by exploring the undergraduate academic planning guide designed for Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences students.

Explore customized Program Plans designed to support your journey to graduation and beyond.

Careers and Outcomes

UBC degrees are respected by employers around the globe. Program graduates will have the skills to pursue a career in a variety of fields like,

  • Indigenous leader
  • Indigenous manager
  • Indigenous rights researcher
  • Indigenous health services worker
  • Indigenous outreach worker
  • Indigenous stakeholder liaison
  • Community affairs specialist
  • Community development consultant
  • Conflict resolution specialist
  • Culture and heritage editor
  • Economic development advisor
  • Events/conference planning
  • Fundraiser/development officer
  • Government relations advisor
  • Heritage interpreter
  • Human rights and justice officer
  • Immigration officer
  • Journalist
  • Lobbyist
  • Mediator/negotiator
  • Museum assistant
  • Policy analyst
  • Political aide or researcher
  • Public administrator
  • Public policy analyst
  • Public relations consultant
  • Social analyst
  • Tourism services worker
  • United Nations reporter

Admission, Fees, Applying

You could soon be studying at one of the world’s top universities. Be sure to review the content below to prepare for attending UBC Okanagan.

Experiential Learning

Expand your horizons while studying abroad, conducting meaningful research, or working in the community with your UBC colleagues.

Learn more about Co-op, Go Global and Undergraduate Research Awards opportunities at Experiential Education.

Design research projects relevant and respectful to a particular Indigenous community or agency, and implement the project working on-site in that community or agency.

Join the Indigenous Studies Course Union to build friendships, meet Indigenous students, get involved in student-based projects, and gain increased access to career resources.

The UBC Okanagan Arts Career Apprenticeship Program (UBCO ACAP) connects upcoming arts, humanities and social sciences graduates from the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies with Okanagan-based employers for one-year, paid, early career opportunities.

Global and Close-Knit

At UBC Okanagan, you gain all the benefits of attending a globally ranked, top 5% university while studying in a close-knit learning community. 50% of graduates, from all across the globe, choose to stay in the region.

Discover the Okanagan

A diverse natural region with sandy beaches, beautiful farms, vineyards, orchards and snow-capped mountains, the Okanagan is an inspirational landscape perfect for those seeking leisure or outdoor adventure.

UBC's Okanagan campus borders the dynamic city of Kelowna, a hub of economic development with a population of more than 150,000 people— the fourth fastest-growing population in Canada.