Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics, College of Social and Applied Human Sciences

The Certificate in Indigenous Environmental Governance is designed to provide students with a mix of theoretical knowledge and applied skills in Indigenous environmental governance. The goal is to enable students to critically assess environmental stewardship from a knowledge systems approach and understand how Indigenous and western scientific knowledges describe and seek to address environmental change and (un)sustainable development. Special attention will be paid to biocultural approaches to environmental governance. The legal, political, economic, and social contexts of territorial stewardship and resource management in settler states, especially Canada, will also be foregrounded. Notably, students will be introduced to Indigenous-settler histories and relations in Canada, the Crown’s fiduciary duty to Indigenous Peoples, the Duty to Consult and international protocols such as the UN Declaration on Indigenous Peoples. Students will develop skills in research, understanding conflict and conflict resolution, and participate in a community-based, experiential learning capstone project.

The Indigenous Environmental Governance certificate program is offered through the Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics in the College of Social and Applied Human Sciences.

Learning Outcomes

A graduate of the certificate program will be able to:

• Examine the contemporary and historical context of colonialism and its impact on resource and environmental governance;
• Identify principles of different knowledge systems and analyze current environmental governance systems from a knowledge system perspective;
• Describe conflict resolution processes around Indigenous environmental governance;
• Assess the political, legal context of the duty to consult and the Crown’s relationship with Indigenous Peoples;
• Apply knowledge systems to environmental governance issues; and
• Engage in community-based research around environmental stewardship.

The Certificate in Indigenous Environmental Governance is exempt from the current Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree program regulations regarding double-counting of courses. Students completing the Certificate can count the Certificate towards the fulfillment of another specialization.

Students currently registered in a degree program or intending to transfer into a degree program should note double-counting regulations. Up to 50% of the requirements for a degree-credit certificate/diploma may be applied toward a major, minor or area of emphasis. The remaining 50% of the certificate/diploma requirements may be applied to electives, provided the specific courses in the certificate/diploma meet degree program requirements. BEng students can overlap 70% of their certificate courses with their major/minor, etc. requirements.

Certificate Requirements

The Certificate requires the five courses listed below:

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
GEOG*3210	Indigenous-Settler Relationships in Environmental Governance	0.50
INDG*1000	Indigenous-Settler Relations	0.50
INDG*4000	Capstone: Indigenous Env Gov	0.50
POLS*3340	Indigenous Politics in Canada	0.50
SOC*2280	Society, Knowledge Systems and Environment	0.50

If you have further questions about this Certificate, please contact the SCS advising office.