MA/MS in Canadian Studies and Indigenous Studies is a master's degree in Area Studies programme taught at Trent University in Peterborough, Canada. The programme runs for 24 months, delivered on campus. Tuition for international students is CAD 24,339 per year (CAD 8,250 per year for local students).
Trent University's Master of Arts in Canadian Studies and Indigenous Studies, housed within the Frost Centre for Canadian Studies and Indigenous Studies, has students lead research projects spanning the humanities, social sciences, and other interdisciplinary fields, producing either a major research paper or a thesis. The program grounds students in methodological and theoretical approaches to current scholarly research and writing about Canada, exploring themes and debates central to a critical understanding of the country. Delivered on the Peterborough campus, program length depends on the option chosen: 24 months for the thesis stream or 12 months for the major research paper stream; a formal co-op stream is not offered, though students can take part in a Humanities-wide co-op opportunity or work with a community partner on a community-based research project. Other experiential options include attending conferences and workshops to present papers, engaging with professional academic communities, and collaborating with peers to organize program-specific workshops and earn micro-credits with real-world applications. The program suits students planning an academic career as well as those aiming for roles in education, social services, or the not-for-profit and advocacy sectors, combining research training with practical, community-facing experience.
Requirements
Minimum GPA:77.00 / %
Admission Requirements: Applicants, whether domestic or international, need an honours degree (a four-year undergraduate bachelor's degree), with a minimum average of B+ (77%), or equivalent, in the last two years of full-time study or the last ten full academic credits, plus a clear interest in interdisciplinary graduate study and undergraduate coursework relating to Canada or Indigenous studies, or a willingness to take such courses as make-up work, typically before admission. International applicants must meet Trent's general graduate English-proficiency minimums: IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0, TOEFL iBT 93 overall with no section below 22 (or 4.5 overall, minimum 4.5 Writing and 4.0 Speaking, on the rescaled test), PTE Academic 60 overall with no sub-score below 60, or CAEL 60 overall with at least 60 in Writing; Duolingo is not accepted. No GRE score is required. Applicants submit transcripts, two academic references, a plan of study, a writing sample of about 20 pages, proof of citizenship, and identify a potential supervisor.
Application Details
Start Date:Fall
Application Deadline:Domestic applicants apply through OUAC with no fixed Trent-set closing date: Ontario secondary students starting September 2027 receive offers in rounds (early December 2026, early February 2027, mid-March 2027 and early May 2027, with final grades reviewed in July 2027 for anyone still waiting), Bachelor of Education's first offers go out mid-January 2027, and all other domestic applicants are assessed on a rolling basis. International applicants use a firmer timeline: applications open September 16, 2026 for fall and summer 2027 and June 3, 2026 for winter 2027, with deadlines of June 15, 2027 (fall, some programs by February 1, 2027), November 1, 2026 (winter) and February 1, 2027 (summer), after which offers continue rolling until programs fill. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
