Native Studies (MA) is a master's degree in Indigenous Focus programme offered by University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada. The programme runs for 2 years. Tuition for international students is CAD 10,519 per year.
This program is a Master of Arts (MA) in Native Studies, a thesis-based graduate degree offered through the Faculty of Native Studies. Students complete 18 units of graduate coursework plus the equivalent of 18 units of thesis work, for a total of 36 units, with a maximum of 6 units permitted from outside the Faculty with consent. Proficiency in a language other than English, including an Indigenous language, is recommended where relevant to the thesis topic, and students must successfully defend a thesis to complete the degree. The program includes a practicum component, NS 550, requiring 30 hours of work experience with an Indigenous organization or community chosen in coordination with a Practicum Coordinator and the student's thesis advisor, along with attendance at a weekly seminar scheduled each semester. Official transcripts and degree certificates may be required after a conditional offer of admission. The program suits students seeking research-intensive graduate study in Native Studies combined with structured community-based practical experience, and who are prepared to undertake independent thesis research under faculty supervision while completing a placement connected to their research focus.
Requirements
Minimum GPA:3.00 / 4.0
Admission Requirements: This MA in Native Studies requires a four-year undergraduate degree with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 on the University of Alberta's 4-point scale, calculated over the last 60 credits; the department notes that meeting this minimum is necessary but not always sufficient given competitive admission. Applicants should show an established background in Indigenous studies, ideally through a BA in Native Studies or through completion of at least 12 undergraduate courses in Native Studies or with significant Indigenous content. Required materials include a research proposal statement, an academic writing sample, three letters of reference, a resume/CV, and official transcripts issued within the past year. English Language Proficiency follows the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies' general minimum: IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0, TOEFL iBT 90 overall with no section below 21, Duolingo English Test 120 overall with no subscore below 100, CAEL 70 overall with no band below 60, or PTE Academic 61 overall with no skill below 60.
Application Details
Application Deadline:Domestic applicants apply directly to the University of Alberta, not through a provincial service: for Fall 2027 entry the application window opens 1 October 2026 and the deadline for most programmes is 1 March 2027, though several limited-enrolment programmes close earlier (Juris Doctor, 1 December 2026; Dental Hygiene, 1 November 2026) or later (Bachelor of Design and BFA programmes, 1 May 2027); Spring and Summer 2027 admission also opens 1 October 2026, while Winter intake is limited to a few programmes. International applicants use the identical published dates and online application; the university states no separate international closing date. The 1 March deadline is firm and late applications are not accepted, but admission decisions are then issued on a rolling basis, and offers made before 1 April must be accepted by 1 May 2027. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
