Join us at Laurier

Becoming a Golden Hawk means more than just cheering on our (really good) varsity teams – it means being a student who cares about your community, who works hard in the classroom, and who takes advantage of all the learning opportunities that can happen outside the classroom, too.

Steps to Apply

Undergraduate Admissions Graduate Admissions

Steps to Apply

Undergraduate AdmissionsGraduate Admissions

Indigenous Studies (BA in Combination)

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Examine the social, political, historical and cultural diversity of Indigenous Peoples in Canada and worldwide, all from Indigenous perspectives. Explore Indigenous intellectual traditions and how they apply to Indigenous and Canadian issues to advocate for respectful change. Learn intercultural communication and awareness that provides a foundation for career success in a variety of fields. You must complete this program with another Bachelor of Arts program.

Looking ahead to a career in education? Apply to the Indigenous Studies with Teaching Option program.

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Apply Your Learning

Make the most out of your university career by taking advantage of all that Laurier has to offer you. Volunteer work, campus clubs, leadership programs, studying abroad, work experience – there are so many ways you can extend your classroom experience into the real world.

Here are just a few examples of the experiences you’ll get in the Indigenous Studies program:

  • Take courses with a Community Service-Learning component to gain hands-on experience volunteering in the local community while earning course credit.
  • Take the Medicine Garden course and engage with the community through a field placement, while also harvesting, drying and making tinctures from the on-campus garden.
  • Showcase your work for the public and Laurier community at the Academic, Creative and Engaged Research Showcase (ACERS).
  • Study abroad for an academic term.

Check out the Indigenous Studies Experience Guide.

 

2022 graduates who secured employment or went on to postgraduate studies

 

Laurier ranks in the top 6 percent of universities worldwide*

 

students who gained hands-on learning experiences at Laurier in 2022

*Center for World University Rankings (CWUR)

Admissions

Format: full time or part time      Duration: four years     Start: September (fall term) or January (winter term) or May (spring term)    
OUAC codes: UIS (Indigenous Studies); UIT (Indigenous Studies with Teaching Option)

Your Next Steps

Apply Now Strengthen Your Application Important Dates

Program Options and Courses

Teaching Option

Are you interested in a direct pathway to a Bachelor of Education?  

Laurier’s Indigenous Studies with Teaching Option consists of 4.0 credits: five core half-credit courses offered through the Faculty of Education, plus three elective half-credit courses from an approved list. The option is designed to provide students with a foundational course of study focusing on teaching.  

Students admitted into the Teaching Option pathway will have a guaranteed spot in Laurier’s Bachelor of Education (BEd) program as long as they successfully meet the Option’s requirements.  

Criteria for guaranteed admission to the BEd program of choice include:  

  • Meet all requirements of associated undergraduate program.  
  • Achieve a 10.5 GPA on the ten final full credits completed at Laurier.  
  • Complete all requirements of the Teaching Option.  
  • Satisfy all application requirements of the BEd program. 

Complement Indigenous Studies with Another Major

This program must be taken in combination with another Bachelor of Arts (BA) program. Combining a BA in Indigenous Studies with another BA program – such as Human Rights, Criminology, Health Studies or Youth and Children’s Studies – enhances the breadth and depth of your knowledge.

Check out other options to enhance your degree.

First-Year Courses

  • Indigenous Peoples and Media
  • Introduction to Indigenous Studies

Sample First-Year Electives

  • Human Rights and Human Diversity
  • Politics, Advocacy and Journalism
  • Youth and Children Through the Ages

Sample Upper-Year Courses

  • Decolonizing North America
  • Indigenous Forms of Justice
  • Indigenous Issues and Anthropology

Similar Programs

Community Service-Learning

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Community Service-Learning (CSL) courses at Laurier integrate service in the community with what you are learning in your classes. Placements are approximately 10 weeks and take place on a weekly basis from the second week of classes to the final week, typically for two hours per week.

CSL placements consist of volunteering at a local community service, such as a soup kitchen or a children's treatment centre. It’s a great way to apply classroom knowledge and gain practical experience in your field of study. Build your resume, develop your network, and graduate with experience.

Interested? Learn more about Community Service-Learning.

Tuition and Scholarships

Getting a university education is an investment in your future.

At Laurier, we take financial health seriously by providing a wide variety of funding opportunities for you throughout your degree, such as scholarships and bursaries, and by equipping you with the skills to manage your finances effectively in the years to come.

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"My favourite course was Introduction to Indigenous Studies. It’s the first course I took, and it opened my eyes to so much. Dr. Percy challenged my thinking through this course. [...] It was engaging to have assigned movies and reflections weekly to develop critical thinking skills and engage with the content."
Brittanie Hinzmann, current Indigenous Studies student

"Indigenous Studies has been amazing for learning about Indigenous resilience and rights from Indigenous professors themselves. A combination of formal and discussion-based instruction has allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of local and global Indigenous cultures and communities. I am so appreciative of the safe educational spaces in this program that foster learning and growth."

Shailyn Harris, Indigenous Studies graduate

Your Career Awaits

It’s not only about the journey; it’s about the destination. Let us help you get to where you’re going.

Here are just some examples of our graduates' destinations. What’s yours?

Sample Career Options

Note: Additional training and education may be required.

  • community developer
  • cultural resources manager
  • employment equity officer
  • Indigenous community liaison officer
  • Indigenous language specialist
  • inter-governmental officer
  • journalist
  • lawyer/paralegal
  • policy analyst
  • social worker
  • teacher

Explore more careers.

Support After Graduation

Alumni for life means that you have access to Career and Employment Support offered at Laurier for your entire career.

Brantford Campus

The Brantford campus is woven into the downtown core of the City of Brantford and is home to more than 3,000 students. Close to great walking and biking trails, you get the best of both worlds.

There are many ways to tour our Brantford campus, whether that's on a guided tour with one of our Laurier student ambassadors, on your own using virtual reality, or even on-demand through one of our pre-recorded tours. See our campus spaces and start to picture yourself at Laurier.

Interested in More Info?

Email chooselaurier@wlu.ca, call 548.889.8888 or see all contact information.

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