Margaret Anderson, Professor Emerita
Ross Hoffman, Professor Emeritus
Antonia Mills, Professor Emerita
Tina Fraser, Adjunct Professor and Acting Chair
Margo Greenwood, Professor
Gary Wilson, Professor
Agnieszka Pawlowska-Mainville, Associate Professor
Rheanna Robinson, Associate Professor
Daniel Sims, Associate Professor
Tara Joly, Assistant Professor
Jessie King, Assistant Professor
Migue’l Dangeli, Adjunct Professor
Earl Henderson, Adjunct Professor
Travis Holyk, Adjunct Professor
Deanna Nyce, Adjunct Professor
Tannis Reynolds, Lecturer
Website: www.unbc.ca/first-nations-studies
First Nations Studies takes the points of view of First Nations people and communities as the starting point for description and analysis, and contextualizes issues from this perspective. Courses in First Nations Studies will re-orient students to question the underlying assumptions of everyday understanding and will develop clarity in thought and presentation critical to advanced study.
First Nations Studies is a valuable part of any good undergraduate education in the contemporary world; it is an appropriate undergraduate major for students aspiring to careers in education, business, public administration, law, communications, cultural property management, social services, health care delivery and administration, and many other fields. With an undergraduate major in First Nations Studies students may apply for admission to graduate programs in several academic disciplines, and to many professional programs. Students intending to apply for graduate or professional programs should ensure that their programs include all required prerequisites.
Major in First Nations Studies (BA)
Joint Major in Anthropology and First Nations Studies (BA)
Joint Major in First Nations Studies and Women's Studies (BA)
Minor in First Nations Studies
Minor in Indigenous Ecological Knowledge
Major in First Nations Studies
A major in First Nations Studies requires students to take 54 credit hours of First Nations Studies, at least 24 credit hours of which must be upper-division courses. Those courses from the offerings of other programs with content focused on First Nations are designated as approved ancillary courses for a major in First Nations Studies, and may be included among the 54 credit hours required for a major. After the lower-division requirements have been met, all students majoring in First Nations Studies must take FNST 300-3 (Research Methods in First Nations Studies), and FNST 440-(3-6) (Internship in First Nations Studies) plus 18 credit hours of 300- or 400-level First Nations Studies courses or approved ancillary courses for the major in First Nations Studies. This structure permits each student to design a program emphasizing various aspects of First Nations Studies such as contemporary political issues, languages and cultures, etc.
The minimum requirement for completion of a Bachelor of Arts with a major in First Nations Studies is 120 credit hours.
Program Requirements
Lower-Division Requirements
100 and 200 Level
| FNST 100-3 | The Aboriginal Peoples of Canada |
| FNST 200-3 | Perspectives in First Nations Studies |
One of the following culture or language courses:
| FNST 131-3 | A First Nations Language: Level 1 |
| FNST 132-3 | A First Nations Language: Level 2 |
| FNST 133-3 | Dakelh / Carrier Language: Level 1 |
| FNST 134-3 | Dakelh / Carrier Language: Level 2 |
| FNST 135-3 | Haisla Language (X̄a'islak̓ala): Level 1 |
| FNST 136-3 | Haisla Language (X̄a'islak̓ala): Level 2 |
| FNST 137-3 | Ts'msyen Language (Sm'algyax): Level 1 |
| FNST 138-3 | Ts'msyen Language (Sm'algyax): Level 2 |
| FNST 139-3 | Nisga'a Language: Level 1 |
| FNST 140-3 | Nisga'a Language: Level 2 |
| FNST 161-3 | A First Nations Culture: Level 1 |
| FNST 162-3 | A First Nations Culture: Level 2 |
| FNST 163-3 | Dakelh / Carrier Culture: Level 1 |
| FNST 169-3 | Nisga'a Culture: Level 1 |
| FNST 170-3 | Nisga'a Culture: Level 2 |
Upper-Division Requirements
300 Level
| FNST 300-3 | Research Methods in First Nations Studies |
400 Level
| FNST 440-(3-6) | Internship in First Nations Studies |
Eighteen credit hours of 300- or 400- level First Nations Studies courses or approved ancillary courses for the major in First Nations Studies.
Subject Requirement
Twenty-one credit hours of First Nations Studies or approved ancillary courses at any level.
Electives and Academic Breadth
Upper-division electives to meet UNBC residency requirement. Electives at any level in any subject to ensure completion of a minimum of 120 credit hours including any additional credit hours necessary to meet the Academic Breadth requirement of the University (see Academic Regulation on Academic Breadth).
Approved Ancillary Courses for a Major in First Nations Studies
This list is reviewed annually by the Department of First Nations Studies. Approved ancillary courses are those courses from other disciplines with content focused on First Nations. The following courses are included, and may be counted towards the required courses for a major in First Nations Studies.
| ANTH 206-3 | Ethnography in Northern British Columbia |
| ANTH 404-3 | Comparative Study of Indigenous Peoples of the World |
| ANTH 407-3 | British Columbia Ethnography |
| ANTH 409-3 | British Columbia Archaeology |
| BIOL 350-3 | Ethnobotany |
| ENGL 320-3 | Indigenous Literatures in Canada and the United States |
| ENGL 420-3 | Special Topics in Indigenous Literatures |
| GEOG 403-3 | Indigenous Geographies of Climate Resilience |
| HHSC 471-3 | Health and Chronic Disease Management |
| HIST 215-3 | Global History of indigenous People |
| HIST 303-3 | British Columbia |
| HIST 390-3 | History of Indigenous People of Canada |
| HIST 456 (3-6) | Topics in Cultural Encounters |
| NREM 303-3 | Aboriginal Perspectives on Land and Resource Management |
| NURS 205-3 | Introduction to First Nations Health |
| NURS 422-(6, 8) | Indigenous Health and Nursing |
| NURS 498-(1-6) | Special Topics in Nursing |
| POLS 311-3 | Russian Politics and Society |
| SOCW 455-3 | Indigenous Governance and Social Policy |
| SOCW 456-3 | Indigenous Wellness: Individuals, Families, and Communities |
| SOCW 457-3 | Individual and Community Wellness for Indigenous Peoples |
| WMST 306-3 | Indigenous Women: Perspectives |
| WMST 413-(3-6) | Topics in Aboriginal Women's Studies |
Joint Major in Anthropology and First Nations Studies
See Calendar entry under Anthropology
Joint Major in First Nations Studies and Women's Studies
The First Nations Studies/Women’s Studies Joint Major will equip students to understand the role of women in First Nations societies, political and social institutions, and economies. The degree ought to be particularly attractive to students who intend to pursue a career in education, business, public administration, communications, social services, and many other fields.
The minimum requirement for completion of a Bachelor of Arts with a Joint Major in First Nations and Women’s Studies is 120 credit hours.
Program Requirements
| FNST 100-3 | The Aboriginal Peoples of Canada |
| FNST 200-3 | Perspectives in First Nations Studies |
| FNST 302-3 | First Nations Health and Healing |
| FNST 305-3 | Seminar in First Nations Studies |
| FNST 306-3/ WMST 306-3 |
Indigenous Women: Perspectives |
| WMST 413-3 | Topics in Aboriginal Women's Studies |
| WMST 100-3 | Introduction to Women's Studies |
| WMST 302-3 | Women and the Contemporary World |
At least 3 additional credit hours of 100-level First Nations in a culture or language.
At least 6 additional credit hours of Women's Studies at the 100 or 200 level.
At least 18 credit hours selected from the following:
| ANTH 401-3 | Anthropological Perspectives on Inequality |
| ANTH 406-3 | Feminist Perspectives in Anthropology |
| ECON 301-3 | Women and the Economy |
| ENVS 309-3 | Gender, Environment and Sustainability |
| FNST 407-3 | First Nations Perspectives on Race, Class, Gender and Power |
| HIST 309-3 | Women in Canada |
| HIST 453 (3-6) | Topics in the History of Gender |
| HIST 454 (3-6) | Topics in Women's History |
| INTS 308-3 | Gender and International Studies |
| NURS 412-3 | Women and Health |
| WMST 303-3 | Lesbian and Bisexual Lives |
| WMST 312-3/ HIST 312-3 |
An Introduction to the History of Gender |
| WMST 411-3 | Contemporary Feminist Theories |
| WMST 420-3/ ENGL 410-3 |
Contemporary Women's Literature/ Special Topics in Contemporary Women's Literature |
| WMST 498-(3-6) | Selected Topics in Women's Studies |
At least 15 additional credit hours of First Nations 300 or 400 level courses.
Elective and Academic Breadth Requirement
Electives at any level in any subject sufficient to ensure completion of a minimum of 120 credit hours, including any additional credits necessary to meet the Academic Breadth requirement of the University (see Academic Regulation on Academic Breadth).
Minor in First Nations Studies
The minor in First Nations Studies allows students to learn about the field, and to combine a minor concentration in FNST with a major concentration in another area. Students wishing to develop a particular focus could select a set of courses, for example on aboriginal issues, aboriginal languages, and/or aboriginal cultures (Nisga’a, Métis or Dakelh / Carrier). Other combinations are possible with the guidance of the undergraduate student advisor.
A maximum of two courses (6 credit hours) used to fulfill program requirements for a major or another minor may also be used to fulfill requirements for a minor in First Nations Studies. A maximum of two courses from the list of Approved Ancillary Courses for a Major in First Nations Studies can be used to fulfill the requirements of the First Nations Studies minor.
The minor requires completion of 18 credit hours (six courses):
FNST 100-3 The Aboriginal Peoples of Canada
Three credit hours of First Nations Studies at any level.
Twelve credit hours of 300 or 400 level First Nations Studies.
Minor in Indigenous Ecological Knowledge
The minor in Indigenous Ecological Knowledge assists students to gain an understanding of the unique ways that Indigenous Peoples know and understand the world. This minor prepares students to engage First Nations in collaborative processes that include traditional ways of living and knowing, environmental philosophies, and aboriginal governance.
The minor in Indigenous Ecological Knowledge requires the completion of a minimum of 21 credit hours of study, of which 12 must be at the upper division. A maximum of two courses (6 credit hours) used to fulfil the requirements for a major, or another minor, may also be used to fulfil requirements for this minor. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that they have the required prerequisites.
Required
| FNST 100-3 | The Aboriginal Peoples of Canada |
| FNST 203-3 | Introduction to Traditional Ecological Knowledge |
| FNST 217-3 | Contemporary Challenges Facing Aboriginal Communities |
Four of the following:
| FNST 301-3 | Art and Material Culture of BC First Nations |
| FNST 302-3 | First Nations Health and Healing |
| FNST 303-3 | First Nations Religion and Philosophy |
| FNST 304-3 | Indigenous Environmental Philosophy |
| FNST 350-3 | Law and Indigenous Peoples |
| FNST 416-3 | Indigenous Issues in International Perspective |
| FNST 440-(3-6) | Internship in First Nations Studies |
| FNST 451-3 | Traditional Use Studies |
Updated: December 5, 2024