The Certificate program is intended to enhance public access to a
university education with a flexible course of study that allows either
a short term exit (upon completion of Certificate requirements) or the
option of laddering into other programs, including the Bachelor
program.
The Certificate also provides flexibility. All courses in the
Certificate are university-credit courses. This means that students can
apply credit taken in their Certificate to other programs should they
later decide to pursue a Bachelor's degree. Moreover, the requirements
for the Certificate could be completed in one year or could be
completed on a part-time basis over several years, depending upon
course scheduling and the situation of the student.
As soon as a student completed the 10 courses required in the
program of study, the student would be eligible to receive his or her
Certificate. The completion of the Certificate would give students the
equivalent of one full year of university credit. This provides a
laddered program of study which could result in the completion of a
Bachelor's degree with three more years of study at UNBC or another
university. Because the program is based on existing undergraduate
courses, Certificate students will take their courses alongside
regular, full-time students.
The requirements for admission into a Certificate program are the
same as for any student enrolled in a UNBC undergraduate program.
To be eligible for a certificate, students must achieve a minimum
GPA of "C", based on all courses taken at UNBC that are applied to the
Certificate. University transfer credits also can be applied to the
program, as appropriate, to a maximum of 15 credit hours.
Aboriginal Community Resource Planning
The Aboriginal Community Resource Planning Certificate (ACP)
consists of 10 courses (minimum 30 credit hours) drawn primarily from
First Nations Studies and Environmental Studies, with offerings from
Geography, Commerce, Resource Recreation and Tourism, and Natural
Resources and Environmental Management. The courses from First Nations
Studies provide students with foundations in First Nations in Canada,
cultures and languages, internal and external issues, First Nations
environmental philosophies, and the courses from Environmental Studies
provide foundations in the principles of traditional planning. The
program is generic in nature so that the knowledge can be transferred
to different community settings, as well as to the variety of
situations that students will encounter throughout their lives.
Two important purposes of the Certificate are, first, to provide
requisite education to assist individuals involved in the resource
planning in First Nations communities and, second, to provide expanded
educational opportunities at the university level for students who are
not in a position to commit to a four year program of study.
Students must meet with a First Nations Studies undergraduate student advisor prior to starting this program.
Certificate Requirements
Any First Nations Culture Level 1 course or any First Nations Language Level 1 course
One of:
One of:
| FNST 215-3 | | Issues in External Relations for Contemporary Indigenous Peoples |
| FNST 216-3 | | Issues in Internal Relations for Contemporary Indigenous Peoples |
| POLS 200-3 | | Canadian Politics and Government |
One of:
Aboriginal Health Sciences
The Certificate in Aboriginal Health Sciences offers a
multidisciplinary program allowing individuals to pursue their interest
in Aboriginal Health Science through a concentrated program of courses
on Aboriginal Health and Health Science subjects.
The Certificate requires completion of 10 courses (31 credit
hours). Individuals working with Aboriginal communities in a health
related field or desiring to purse a degree in the health sciences with
a concentration on Aboriginal health will be especially interested in
this program.
The Certificate in Aboriginal Health Sciences allows individuals to
receive a credential after 31 credit hours of study. The Certificate
especially complements a major in First Nations Studies, Anthropology,
Environmental Studies, Community Health, and Psychology. Students
desiring to complete a degree after the Certificate are strongly
encouraged to speak with the relevant program academic advisor.
Students must establish their course of study with approval from the Chair of First Nations Studies.
Certificate Requirements
First Nations Language
The Certificate in First Nations Language consists of 10 courses (30 credit hours) and offers a program that
allows individuals to pursue an interest in First Nations language
through a concentrated program of courses on a particular language.
This certificate program is directed towards individuals who may
not wish to commit to a full majors program in First Nations Studies,
with the associated requirements of a Bachelor's degree. Persons of
First Nations descent and people who are working in the area of
aboriginal education will be especially interested in this shorter term
program. The certificate program enhances public access to a university
education with a course of study that allows flexibility in scheduling
individual study programs, establishes a progression mechanism, and
provides a short term exit or the option of continuing into other
programs, including the Bachelor's degree program.
Credits earned in the certificate program can be applied to the
major or minor in First Nations Studies, subject to the requirements of
those First Nations Studies programs.
Students must establish their course of study with approval from the Chair of First Nations Studies.
Certificate Requirements
Five courses (15 credit hours) of study in a First Nations language of Northern BC, including one immersion course.
Two courses (six credit hours) of introductory First Nations Studies, including courses on culture and issues.
Two courses (six credit hours) of English.
One course (three credit hours) of Linguistics of First Nations languages.
First Nations Public Administration
The Certificate in First Nations Public Administration consists of
10 courses (30 credit hours) drawn primarily from the program of First
Nations Studies and Political Science, with offerings from Business
Administration, and Economics. The courses from First Nations Studies
provide students with foundations in internal and external First
Nations issues and culture, and the courses from Political Science
provide foundations in the principles of government, politics, and
public administration, as well as some specialization in First Nations
law, self-government and administration. The program is generic in
nature so that the knowledge can be transferred to different community
settings, as well as to the variety of situations that students will
encounter throughout their lives.
Two important purposes of the Certificate are, first, to provide
requisite education to assist individuals involved in the
administration of First Nations governments and, second, to provide
expanded educational opportunities at the university level for students
who are not in a position to commit to a four-year program of study.
Students must establish their course of study with approval from the Chair of First Nations Studies.
Certificate Requirements
Two of:
| FNST 215-3 | | Issues in External Relations for Contemporary Indigenous People |
| FNST 216-3 | | Issues in Internal Relations for Contemporary Indigenous People |
Any FNST culture level 1 course or and any FNST language level 1 course.
General First Nations Studies
The Certificate in General First Nations Studies is a
multidisciplinary program allowing individuals to pursue their
interests in First Nations Studies through a concentrated program of
courses on First Nations subjects.
The program ladders well into a major in First Nations Studies,
Anthropology, Biology, History, Education, English, Environmental
Studies, Forestry, Geography, Nursing and Community Health, Political
Science, Psychology, Social Work and Women's Studies.
The Certificate requires successful completion of 10 courses (30
credit hours). Eighteen of these credit hours are earned by completing
six required courses. The remaining four courses (12 credit hours)
consist of options from the First Nations Studies program, including at
least one course from the approved ancillary course list.
Students must establish their course of study with approval from the Chair of First Nations Studies.
Certificate Requirements
| FNST 100-3 | | The Aboriginal Peoples of Canada |
| FNST 200-3 | | Methods and Perspectives in First Nations Studies |
| FNST 215-3 | | Issues in External Relations for Contemporary Indigenous Peoples |
| ANTH 206-3 | | Ethnography in Northern British Columbia |
| or FNST 304-3 | | First Nations Environmental Philosophy and Knowledge |
| HIST 110-3 | | Indigena |
Any First Nations Culture Level 1 course or any First Nations Language Level 1 course.
Nine credit hours of First Nations Studies at any level approved by the Chair of First Nations Studies.
Three credit hours from the approved list of ancillary courses. Please refer to the list of Approved Ancillary Courses.
Métis Studies
The Certificate in Métis Studies offers a program that allows
individuals to pursue their interests through a concentrated program of
courses on the Métis Nation.
The certificate requires successful completion of 10 courses (30 credit hours).
Persons of Métis descent, other aboriginal people, and people who
are working with aboriginal organizations will be especially interested
in this program.
The Certificate in Métis Studies allows students to receive a
credential after one year of studies which can be laddered into any
UNBC program. It especially complements a major in First Nations
Studies, Anthropology, History, English, Environmental Studies,
Forestry, Geography, Nursing and Community Health, Political Science,
Psychology, Social Work and Women's Studies.
The Certificate will be primarily offered through the Prince George
campus. First Nations Studies is committed to distance delivery where
possible. Students at other regional locals could take the certificate
through a combination of face to face and distance delivery.
Students must establish their course of study with approval from the Chair of First Nations Studies.
Certificate Requirements
| FNST 100-3 | | The Aboriginal Peoples of Canada |
| FNST 200-3 | | Methods and Perspectives in First Nations Studies |
Three of:
Note: Cree is subject to the availability of language instructors.
Fifteen credit hours (5 courses) of First Nations Studies courses
dealing with Métis culture, language, or issues. These options will be
determined by FNST course offerings in that year. They can be either
lower division or upper division courses. They can include ancillary
courses identified by the program. An ancillary course is defined as a
course in a program other than First Nations Studies which has
sufficient substantive content in common with First Nations Studies.
The program maintains a list of approved ancillary courses.
Nisga'a Studies
The Certificate in Nisga'a Studies offers a program that allows
individuals to pursue their interests in First Nations Studies through
a concentrated program of courses on the Nisga'a First Nation.
The certificate requires successful completion of 10 courses (30 credit hours).
Persons of Nisga'a descent, other aboriginal people, and people who
are working with aboriginal organizations will be especially interested
in this program.
It especially complements a major in First Nations Studies,
Anthropology, History, English, Environmental Studies, Forestry,
Geography, Nursing and Community Health, Political Science, Psychology,
Social Work and Women's Studies.
The Certificate will be primarily offered through the WWN. First
Nations Studies is committed to distance delivery where possible.
Students at the Prince George campus or other regional locals could
take the certificate through a combination of face to face and distance
delivery.
Students must establish their course of study with approval from the Chair of First Nations Studies.
Certificate Requirements
| FNST 200-3 | | Methods and Perspectives in First Nations Studies |
| FNST 215-3 | | Issues in External Relations for Contemporary Indigenous Peoples |
Six of:
Note: It is possible to take all four levels of one category, either language or culture, and two levels of the other category.
Six credit hours (two courses) of First Nations Studies dealing
with Nisga'a culture, language, or issues. These two options will be
determined by FNST course offerings in that year. They can be at any
level. They can include ancillary courses identified by the program. An
ancillary course is defined as a course in a program other than First
Nations Studies which has sufficient substantive content in common with
First Nations Studies. The program maintains a list of approved
ancillary courses.
Traditional Environmental Knowledge
The Certificate in Traditional Environmental Knowledge (TEK) is a
multidisciplinary program allowing individuals to pursue their
interests in TEK through a concentrated program of courses on First
Nations and Environmental subjects.
This program ladders well into a major in First Nations Studies,
Anthropology, Biology, History, Education, English, Environmental
Studies, Forestry, Geography, Nursing and Community Health, Political
Science, Psychology, Social Work and Women's Studies as well as leading
into majors in Physics and Chemistry.
The Certificate requires successful completion of 10 courses
(minimum 30 credit hours). Eighteen of these hours are earned by
completing six required First Nations courses. The remaining four
courses (minimum 12 credit hours) consist of options from four
different streams: Non-Science, Biology, and Chemistry or Physics.
Students must establish their course of study with approval from the Chair of First Nations Studies.
Certificate Requirements
| FNST 100-3 | | The Aboriginal Peoples of Canada |
| FNST 203-3 | | Introduction to Traditional Environmental Knowledge |
| FNST 304-3 | | First Nations Environmental Philosophy and Knowledge |
Any First Nations Culture Level 1 course or any First Nations Language Level 1 course.
One of:
One of:
| FNST 206-3 | | First Nations Oral Literatures |
| FNST 215-3 | | Issues in External Relations for Contemporary Indigenous Peoples |
| FNST 216-3 | | Issues in Internal Relations for Contemporary Indigenous Peoples |
| FNST 302-3 | | First Nations Health and Healing |
| FNST 303-3 | | First Nations Religions and Philosophy |
Ecology Stream
Chemistry Stream
Non-Science Major Stream
*Note: Applications for exemption from NREM 100-2 must be made within the
first year of study in any Natural Resource Management major.
Physics Stream
Optional Courses 
