Indigenous Studies

Do you want to take part in shaping and producing solutions to global and local challenges through the study of indigenous issues? UiT The Arctic University of Norway is one of the very few in the world to offer an international Master's degree programme in comparative indigenous studies.

During two years of studies, students will take courses totaling 120 study points (credits). Most courses are obligatory, with some additional courses that can be chosen on the basis of the interests of the individual student as a preparation for the Master´s thesis. Courses are designed to give a broad base from which the individual student may choose a relevant topic for the Master´s thesis. The thesis work is to be supervised by academic staff from the cooperating units at the University of Tromsø, and topics are chosen in cooperation with appointed advisers. The Master thesis gives 60 credits. One 10-credit course can be chosen among other courses given at the University. The chosen course has to be approved by the Programme Board.

Upon graduation the students will have:

• thorough knowledge of the history of the global indigenous movement and the current situation of the Sami and other indigenous peoples;
• advanced knowledge of indigenous issues, including similarities and differences based on the different cultural contexts;
• thorough knowledge of different scholarly theories and methods in the field of indigenous studies, including the challenges posed by indigenous methodology;
• advanced knowledge of the concepts of indigenous peoples as used in areas of research and politics on global and local levels, and the scholarly and political debate on these issues;
• competence to analyse relevant academic problems in the field of academic indigenous research;
• basic knowledge of research ethics and the responsibility of the researcher.