- Aboriginal Community Resource Planning
- Aboriginal / Indigenous Health and Healing
- First Nations Language
- First Nations Public Administration
- General First Nations Studies
- Métis Studies
- Nisga'a Language Fluency
- Nisga'a Studies
- Traditional Ecological Knowledge
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 their 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 credit also can be applied to the program, as appropriate, to a maximum of 15 credit hours.
Due to the diverse nature of the courses required to complete a specific Certificate the University cannot guarantee that an individual student will be able to complete a Certificate within a specified time period. Before starting to take courses towards the goal of completing a Certificate, students are advised to consult with the Chair of the First Nations Studies Program, and where appropriate the Director of their regional campus, in order to confirm when the required Certificate courses are scheduled to be offered.
Aboriginal Community Resource Planning
The Aboriginal Community Resource Planning Certificate (ACRP) consists of 10 courses (minimum 30 credit hours) drawn primarily from First Nations Studies and Environmental Planning, with offerings from Geography, Commerce, Outdoor 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, and First Nations environmental philosophies. The courses from Environmental Planning 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
| ENPL 104-3 | Introduction to Planning |
| ENPL 105-3 | Principles and Practices of Planning |
| FNST 100-3 | The Aboriginal Peoples of Canada |
| FNST 304-3 | First Nations Environmental Philosophy and Knowledge |
| FNST 249-3 | Aboriginal Resource Planning |
| GEOG 205-3 | Cartography and Geomatics |
Any First Nations Culture Level 1 course or any First Nations Language Level 1 course
One of the following:
| ARTS 102-3 | Research Writing |
| ENGL 170-3 | Writing and Communication Skills |
| FNST 200-3 | Perspectives in First Nations Studies |
One of the following:
| FNST 217-3 | Contemporary Challenges Facing Aboriginal Communities |
| POLS 200-3 | Canadian Politics and Government |
One of the following:
| COMM 100-3 | Introduction to Canadian Business |
| GEOG 202-3 | Resources, Economies, and Sustainability |
| NRES 100-3 | Communication in Natural Resources and Environmental Studies |
Aboriginal / Indigenous Health and Healing
The Certificate in Aboriginal/Indigenous Health and Healing offers a multidisciplinary program allowing individuals to pursue their interest in Aboriginal/Indigenous Health and Healing through a concentrated program of courses on Aboriginal/Indigenous Health and Healing subjects.
The Certificate requires completion of 10 courses (30 credit hours). Individuals working with Aboriginal communities in a health-related field or desiring to pursue a degree in the health sciences with a concentration on Aboriginal health will be especially interested in this program.
The Certificate in Aboriginal/Indigenous Health and Healing allows individuals to receive a credential after 30 credit hours of study. The Certificate especially complements a major in First Nations Studies, Anthropology, Environmental and Sustainability Studies, Community Health, and Psychology. Students desiring to complete a degree after the Certificate are strongly encouraged to speak with the relevant program student advisor.
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 | Perspectives in First Nations Studies |
| FNST 203-3 | Introduction to Traditional Ecological Knowledge |
| FNST 217-3 | Contemporary Challenges Facing Aboriginal Communities |
| FNST 280-3 | Aboriginal Medicines I - Harvesting and Preservation |
| FNST 281-3 | Aboriginal Medicines II - Administering and Ethics |
| FNST 282-3 | Aboriginal Health Philosophy |
| FNST 298-3 | Special Topics in First Nations Studies |
| HHSC 101-3 | Introduction to Health Sciences I: Issues and Controversies |
| HHSC 102-3 | Introduction to Health Sciences II: Rural and Aboriginal Issues |
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.
Credit hours 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 British Columbia, including one immersion course.
Two courses (6 credit hours) of introductory First Nations Studies, including courses on culture and issues.
Two courses (6 credit hours) of English.
One course (3 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 Department 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
| COMM 210-3 | Financial Accounting |
| ECON 101-3 | Macroeconomics |
| ENGL 170-3 | Writing and Communication Skills |
| or ARTS 102-3 | Research Writing |
| FNST 100-3 | The Aboriginal Peoples of Canada |
| FNST 217-3 | Contemporary Challenges Facing Aboriginal Communities |
| FNST 249-3 | Aboriginal Resource Planning |
| FNST 350-3 | Law and Indigenous Peoples |
| POLS 100-3 | Contemporary Political Issues |
| POLS 200-3 | Canadian Government and Politics |
Three credit hours of any First Nations Culture Level 1 course or any First Nations 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
| ANTH 206-3 | Ethnography in Northern British Columbia |
| or FNST 304-3 | Indigenous Environmental Philosophy |
| FNST 100-3 | The Aboriginal Peoples of Canada |
| FNST 200-3 | Perspectives in First Nations Studies |
| FNST 217-3 | Contemporary Challenges Facing Aboriginal Communities |
| HIST 215-3 | Global History of Indigenous People |
Any one course from the series of First Nations Culture or First Nations Language Courses.
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 regional locations 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 | Perspectives in First Nations Studies |
Three of the following:
| FNST 131-3 | First Nations Language (Cree Language): Level 1 |
| FNST 132-3 | First Nations Language (Cree Language): Level 2 |
| FNST 231-3 | First Nations Language (Cree Language): Level 3 |
| FNST 232-3 | First Nations Language (Cree Language): Level 4 |
Note: Cree is subject to the availability of language instructors.
Five courses (15 credit hours) 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 Language Fluency
The Nisga'a Language Fluency Certificate provides an immersive education in the Nisga'a language, intended to create new Nisga'a language speakers. The fundamental pedagogical approach is to offer as much Nisga'a language instruction as possible, as early as possible. The program is offered in a manner that recognizes that learners, knowledge keepers, and their communities as a whole benefit from, and contribute to, the (re)development of Nisga'a language fluency.
In terms of goals and objectives, the program is designed to increase significantly the number of Nisga’a language speakers, and to prepare them for employment, particularly in the fields of education and a variety of Nisga’a organizations.
Students are required to complete 30 credit hours of university-level instruction.
During the program of study leading to the Certificate students complete the following courses. All courses listed will be included in the UNBC academic calendar for students.
| ARTS 101-3 | Learning Strategies |
| ARTS 102-3 | Research Writing |
| or ENGL 170-3 | Writing and Communication Skills |
| FNST 139-3 | Nisga’a Language: Level 1 |
| FNST 140-3 | Nisga’a Language: Level 2 |
| FNST 141-3 | Nisga'a Language Immersion: Level 1 |
| FNST 142-3 | Nisga’a Oral Culture: Level 1 |
| FNST 169-3 | Nisga’a Culture: Level 1 |
| FNST 170-3 | Nisga’a Culture: Level 2 |
| FNST 241-3 | Nisga'a Language Immersion: Level 2 |
| FNST 242-3 | Nisga’a Oral Culture: Level 2 |
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 WWNI. 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 | Perspectives in First Nations Studies |
| FNST 217-3 | Contemporary Challenges Facing Aboriginal Communities |
Six of the following:
| FNST 139-3 | Nisga'a Language: Level 1 |
| FNST 140-3 | Nisga'a Language: Level 2 |
| FNST 169-3 | Nisga'a Culture: Level 1 |
| FNST 170-3 | Nisga'a Culture: Level 2 |
| FNST 239-3 | Nisga'a Language: Level 3 |
| FNST 240-3 | Nisga'a Language: Level 4 |
| FNST 269-3 | Nisga'a Culture: Level 3 |
| FNST 270-3 | Nisga'a Culture: Level 4 |
Note: It is possible to take all four levels of one category, either language or culture, and two levels of the other category.
Two courses (6 credit hours) 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 Ecological Knowledge
The Certificate in Traditional Ecological 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. Options for a writing course include one additional First Nations Studies course. The remaining three courses (minimum 9 credit hours) must be selected from the approved list for Ecology, Chemistry, Geography, Physics and Natural Resources.
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 Ecological Knowledge |
| FNST 304-3 | Indigenous Ecological Philosophy |
Any First Nations Culture course or any First Nations Language Level 1 course.
Two of the following:
| FNST 206-3 | First Nations Oral Literatures |
| FNST 217-3 | Contemporary Challenges Facing Aboriginal Communities |
| FNST 302-3 | First Nations Health and Healing |
| FNST 303-3 | First Nations Religions and Philosophy |
One of the following:
| ARTS 102-3 | Research Writing |
| ENGL 170-3 | Writing and Communication Skills |
| FNST 200-3 | Perspectives in First Nations Studies |
Three courses (at least 9 credit hours) from the following:
| BIOL 103-3 | Introductory Biology I |
| BIOL 104-3 | Introductory Biology II |
| BIOL 201-3 | Ecology |
| CHEM 100-3 | General Chemistry I |
| CHEM 101-3 | General Chemistry II |
| ENPL 104-3 | Introduction to Planning |
| ENSC 201-3 | Weather and Climate |
| GEOG 200-3 | British Columbia: People and Places |
| GEOG 211-3 | Natural Hazards: Human and Environmental Dimensions |
| NREM 100-3 | Field Skills |
| NREM 204-3 | Introduction to Wildlife and Fisheries |
| NREM 210-4 | Integrated Resources Management |
| PHYS 100-4 | Physics for Life Sciences I |
| PHYS 101-4 | Physics for Life Sciences II |
| PHYS 110-4 | Introduction to Physics I: Mechanics |
| PHYS 111-4 | Introduction to Physics II: Waves and Electricity |
| PHYS 115-4 | General Introduction to Physics |
Updated: July 2, 2024