BA/BS in Indigenous Studies

Trent University's Indigenous Studies program, delivered through the Chanie Wenjack School, is described as the first degree program of its kind in Canada, incorporating both Indigenous Traditional Knowledge and Euro-centric knowledge systems to examine the historical and contemporary relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. Students can focus their studies on areas such as politics, law, culture, or land, drawing on a faculty of Indigenous and non-Indigenous scholars and Elders. Delivered on the Peterborough campus, the program includes a paid co-op stream: students typically complete three four-month work terms of 35 hours per week with local businesses, government agencies, community organizations, or Indigenous groups, and can combine two consecutive terms into an eight-month placement. Study-abroad opportunities are available in locations such as China, Thailand, New Zealand, and Mexico, and students can develop language skills in Nishnaabemowin. Trent's Nozhem: First Peoples Performance Space, described as the only publicly funded theatre of its kind in Canada, hosts productions students can take part in, alongside annual events such as the Traditional Peoples and Elders Gathering and the Indigenous Women's Symposium. The program suits students seeking a cross-cultural, multidisciplinary approach to Indigenous history, culture, and contemporary issues, with paid work experience built into the degree.