Department of Indigenous Studies
Chair, Rod Beresford BSc, MSc
The Department of Indigenous Studies of Unama’ki College brings together full and part-time faculty members involved in the teaching and development of university courses within the disciplines of Mi’kmaq Studies and MSIT /Integrative Science.
Mi’kmaq Studies as a discipline, examines aspects of Mi’kmaw culture including language, governance, spirituality and contemporary social issues. It offers 22 courses within the discipline of Mi’kmaq Studies and the courses are organized into two main streams: ‘language and culture’ and ‘governance and history’. Courses are open to all students enrolled at Cape Breton University. Students may obtain a Bachelor of Arts (BA) / Bachelor of Arts in Community Studies (BACS) Major or Minor in Mi’kmaq Studies or may simply wish to take a few courses as electives within the Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Arts in Community Studies (BACS) or Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) Degrees. M”kmaq Studies courses are often of interest to students who plan to pursue careers in Law, Medicine, Social Work, Teaching or Anthropology.
Integrative Science brings together scientific knowledge and ways of knowing from Indigenous and Western worldviews to provide science education. This “bringing knowledge together” is known as Toqwa’tu’kl Kjijitaqnn in the Mi’kmaq language and as “Two-Eyed Seeing” in the words of Mi’kmaq Elder, Albert Marshall. “Two-Eyed Seeing” is more than a label, it is a powerful reminder of the
Integrative Science program’s visionary goal of learning to see from our one eye with the strengths of Indigenous knowledges and from our other eye with the strengths of mainstream scientific knowledges and to use these together for the benefit of all. The Integrative Science program works to achieve such “Living Knowledge for the 21st Century” through learning opportunities in classrooms, laboratories, outdoors, community workshops and work placements. Bachelor of Science Community Studies (BScCS): Integrated Science/Toqwa’tu’kl Kjijitaqnn, offers a unique Bachelor of Science Community Studies (BScCS) four year undergraduate degree, with a concentration in Integrative Science/Toqwa’tu’kl Kjijitaqnn.
Please see the School of Arts and Social Sciences for Mi’kmaq Studies Departmental Regulations
Mi’kmaq Studies
1. Bachelor of Arts (BA)/Bachelor of Arts in Community Studies (BACS): Concentration, Major and/or Minor (Mi’kmaq Studies)
2. Electives: Bachelor of Arts (BA)/Bachelor of Arts in Community Studies (BACS)/Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) (Mi’kmaq Studies)
3. Bachelor of Science Community Studies (BScCS): Concentration (Integrated Science/Toqwa’tu’kl Kjijitaqnn)
4. Electives: (MSIT)
5. Mi’kmaq Studies as teachables for the Bachelor of Education (BEd)
MI’KMAQ STUDIES COURSES AS TEACHABLES FOR THE BACHELOR OF EDUCATION (BEd)
MI’KMAQ STUDIES courses are recognized as a teachable for application to Nova Scotia Bachelor of Education (BEd) Programs.
NOTE:
For purposes other than the Bachelor of Science Community Studies (BScCS) Toqwa’tu’kl Kjijitaqnn, MSIT1101, MSIT1103, MSIT2101, MSIT2103, MSIT3101, MSIT3103, MSIT4101 and MSIT4103 have been designated as science;
90 Credit Bachelor of Arts (BA)/Bachelor of Arts in Community Studies (BACS), CONCENTRATION in MI’KMAQ STUDIES
90 credit BA/BACS, concentration in Mi’kmaq Studies, requires completion of 15 courses
Bachelor of Arts (BA) Bachelor of Arts in Community Studies (BACS)
5 core courses (30 credits) 4 core courses (24 credits)
5 electives (30 credits) any discipline 3 electives (18 credits) any discipline
5 courses (30 credits) MI’KMAQ STUDIES 4 courses (24 credits) Career
4 courses (24 credits) MI’KMAQ STUDIES
(See following departmental requirements.)
CONCENTRATION IN MI’KMAQ STUDIES
MIKM1100 (6 credits) Compulsory
MIKM1102 (6 credits) Compulsory BA, Optional BACS
(6 credits) of MI’kmaq Studies at the 2000/3000 level* Choice from language/culture
(6 credits) of Mi’kmaq Studies at the 3000/4000 level* Choice from governance/history
MIKM4100 (6 credits) Compulsory
*Students may not take 3000/4000 level courses without completing six credits at the 1000/2000 level.
120 Credit BA/BACS, MAJOR in MI’KMAQ STUDIES
There are three Major programs available within the BA/BACS degrees: Major/Minor; Double Major; Area Major.
Students who wish to pursue any of the three BA/BACS Majors in Mi’kmaq Studies must choose between two streams of study:
I. MI’KMAW LANGUAGE AND CULTURE
II. MI’KMAW GOVERNANCE
Students may enter the major program when they begin the BA/BACS program or they may begin in the three-year program and apply to enter the major program at a later date. The following regulations apply to students seeking admission to the BA/BACS Major in Mi’kmaq Studies:
- A student in good academic standing who has achieved an average of at least 60% is eligible for admission to the BA/BACS Major in Mi’kmaq Studies. Students who opt for the four-year degree, from the beginning of their program, must maintain a 60% average to remain in the program.
- An average of 65% in years three and four are required to earn a BA/BACS Major in Mi’kmaq Studies
- A minimum average of 65% is required in the Mi’kmaq Studies courses offered towards the major.
BA/BACS MAJOR in MI’KMAQ STUDIES / MINOR IN RELATED SUBJECT
Core courses: BA/BACS five courses (30 credits)
Electives, any discipline: BA four courses (24 credits), BACS three or four courses (24/30 credits)
MINOR, any discipline: BA three courses (18 credits), BACS three or four (24/30 credits)
Directed studies/ thesis option: BA (6 credits) MIKM4800 OR MIKM4900, BACS COMS4100
MAJOR: MI’KMAQ STUDIES BA
seven courses (42 credits), BACS seven or eight courses (42 or 48 credits)
(See the following departmental requirements)
MAJOR in MI’KMAW GOVERNANCE with a MINOR
MIKM1100 (6 credits) Compulsory
MIKM1102 (6 credits) Compulsory
MIKM2220 (6 credits) Compulsory
MIKM3120* (6 credits) Compulsory
MIKM BA 12 credits, BACS 18 credits: Choice 3000/4000* level: Must be from government / history
MIKM BA/BACS 6 credits: Choice 3000 / 4000* level: Must be from the language / culture
*Students may not take 3000/4000 level courses without completing 12 credits at the 1000/2000 level.
MAJOR in MI’KMAW LANGUAGE & CULTURE with a MINOR
MIKM1100 (6 credits) Compulsory
MIKM1102 (6 credits) Compulsory
MIKM2113/MIKM2213 and MIKM2114/MIKM2215 (12 credits) Compulsory
MIKM3140* and MIKM3141/MIKM3143* (12 credits) Compulsory
MIKM4800* or MIKM4900* (directed studies/thesis option) (6 credits) Compulsory
MIKM BA 6 credits, BACS MIKM 6 or 12 credits Choice from 3000/4000* level courses
*Students may not take 3000/4000 level courses without completing 12 credits at the 1000/2000 level.
BA/BACS Double Major: FIRST MAJOR in MI’KMAQ STUDIES/SECOND MAJOR in related subject
Core courses: BA/BACS five courses (30 credits)
Electives, any discipline: BA four courses (24 credits), BACS three or four courses (24/30 credits)
MINOR, any discipline: BA three courses (18 credits), BACS three or four courses (24/30 credits)
Directed studies/ thesis option: BA (6 credits) MIKM4800 OR MIKM4900, BACS (6 credits) COMS4100
SECOND MAJOR: BA four courses (24 credits), BACS four or five courses (24 or 30 credits)
FIRST MAJOR: MI’KMAQ STUDIES: BA seven courses (42 credits), BACS seven or eight courses (42 or 48 credits)
(See following departmental requirements.)
DOUBLE MAJOR with 1st MAJOR: MI’KMAW GOVERNANCE
BA/BACS
MIKM1100 (6 credits) Compulsory
MIKM1102 (6 credits) Compulsory
MIKM2220 (6 credits) Compulsory
MIKM3120* (6 credits) Compulsory
MIKM4100* (6 credits) Compulsory
MIKM (6 credits) Choice MIKM2101/MIKM2103 or MIKM2114/MIKM2215
MIKM (6 credits) Choice any 2000/3000*/4000* level course
BACS
MIKM (6 credits) Choice any 2000/3000*/4000* level course
DOUBLE MAJOR with 1st MAJOR: MI’KMAW LANGUAGE & CULTURE
BA/BACS
MIKM1100 (6 credits) Compulsory
MIKM1102 (6 credits) Compulsory
MIKM3000* (6 credits) Choice (MIKM3630* + 3 credits) is recommended
MIKM3140* (6 credits) Compulsory
MIKM4140* (6 credits) Compulsory
MIKM4100* (6 credits) Compulsory
BACS
MIKM (6 credits) Choice any 2000/3000*/4000* level course
*Students may not take 3000/4000 level courses without completing 12 credits at the 1000/2000 level.
BA/BACS Area Major MI’KMAQ STUDIES
The three area majors are generally chosen from three closely related disciplines.
Core courses: BA/BACS five courses (30 credits)
Electives, any discipline: BA four courses (24 credits), BACS two courses (12 credits)
Directed studies/ thesis option: BA (6 credits) MIKM4800 OR MIKM4900*, BACS COMS4100
Third Major: BA three courses (18 credits), BACS four courses (24 credits)
Second Major: BA/BACS four courses (24 credits)
First Major: MI’KMAQ STUDIES>First Major: MI’KMAQ STUDIES: BA/BACS four courses (24 credits)
See following departmental requirements.
AREA MAJOR with FIRST MAJOR: MI’KMAW GOVERNANCE
Bachelor of Arts (BA) / Bachelor of Arts in Community Studies (BACS)
MIKM1100 (6 credits) Compulsory
MIKM2220 (6 credits) Compulsory
MIKM3120* (6 credits) Compulsory
MIKM4500* (6 credits) Compulsory
AREA MAJOR with FIRST MAJOR: MI’KMAW LANGUAGE & CULTURE
Bachelor of Arts (BA) / Bachelor of Arts in Community Studies (BACS)
MIKM1100 (6 credits) Compulsory
MIKM1102 (6 credits) Compulsory
MIKM3140* (6 credits) Choice (MIKM3630* + 3 credits) is recommended
MIKM4140* (6 credits) Compulsory
MIKM4100* (6 credits) Compulsory
BACS
MIKM (6 credits) Choice any 2000/3000*/4000* level course
*Students may not take 3000/4000 level courses without completing 12 credits at the 1000/2000 level.
120 Credit Bachelor of Arts (BA), MINOR in MI’KMAQ STUDIES
A minor in Mi’kmaq Studies is an excellent option to consider if students are pursuing one of the following Majors: Political Science, Anthropology, Sociology, Communication or Folklore.
A minor in MI’KMAQ STUDIES is made up of 18 credits in Mi’kmaq Studies.
6 credits MIKM1100 Compulsory
6 credits MIKM2120, MIKM2220, MIKM3120*, MIKM2222* Choice (Mi’kmaw governance)
6 credits MIKM1102; MIKM2110 or MIKM2114; MIKM3140*; MIKM3245*; Choice (Mi’kmaw language & culture)
MIKM3141* or MIKM3145*
*Students may not take 3000/4000 level courses without completing 12 credits at the 1000/2000 level
ELECTIVES in MI’KMAQ STUDIES
Mi’kmaq Studies courses may be used as electives within the, BA, BACS and BBA and as free electives in the BSc degrees as well as part of the BEng transfer program (writing courses only).
BScCS Concentration in Toqwa’tu’kl Kjijitaqnn/Integrative Science
Students wishing to enroll in this program must consult the Academic Vice Principal of Unama’ki College, the Chair of the Department of Indigenous Studies, the Dean of the School of Science and Technology, the Dean of the School of Arts and Social Sciences, or the Student Service Centre for detailed program information.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Toqwa’tu’kl Kjijitaqnn requires successful completion of 120 credits plus two work placements in a science or science-related environment. The overall degree structure consists of four parts and each part was designed to provide opportunities to learn science.
Toqwa’tu’kl Kjijitaqnn requires successful completion of the following courses:
1. Core (science via small group topic choice in Community Studies courses)
- COMS1100 Analysis and Decision Making (6 credits)
- COMS2100 Applied Research (6 credits)
- COMS3100 Community Intervention (6 credits)
- Other courses in the core must satisfy the following topic and credit requirements:
- Science and technology perspectives (6 credits) Recommended: PHIL2222, or equivalent
- World views and values (3 credits) Recommended: PHIL2123 or equivalent
- Aboriginal perspectives (3 credits) Recommended MIKM at 1000; 2000 or 3000 level
2. Concentration
Science – 24 credits
Technology 18 credits
3. Electives (science via student’s choice)
4. Work Placements (science via on-the-job experience)
Note: Changes to technology component are currently under review.
ELECTIVES in MSIT
MSIT courses may be used as electives within the Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.), Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Arts in Community Studies (BACS) and Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degrees.