This graduate program combines course work with practical experience and is grounded in ceremony. The goal of the program is to provide students with the opportunity to further develop their understanding of language revitalization by providing a forum for exchange of their ideas and share insights through active participation in colloquia, research groups and ceremony. Courses generally take place in the evenings, and students who live remotely may, in some cases, be able to attend online.

The program is designed for students who have achieved or are working towards fluency in a spoken Indigenous language, and who are passionate advocates for Indigenous languages.

One goal of the program is to build on student’s linguistic knowledge of their language towards better understanding language acquisition and learning, language status in their community. This program provides students opportunities to explore issues in the following topic areas: linguistic analysis, language revitalization at the community level, phonetics, second language acquisition and learning, language documentation and languages in the global context, among others.

Admission Requirements:

• Must demonstrate fluency or be working towards fluency in an Indigenous language
• Must provide proof of proficiency in English, (either a written test or an example of an undergraduate course paper) or completed an introductory university level English course
• Significant undergraduate training in aspects of Indigenous language grammar, revitalization or related fields.
• Prior undergraduate degree.
• In some cases, strong language and cultural or ceremonial experience will be considered in lieu of formal undergraduate training.

Program Requirements

• Minimum of six full courses (12 half-courses) at the graduate level and must include elements of the following, linguistics (morphology, phonology, and syntax), literacy and second language acquisitions.
• Students who are not fluent in an Indigenous language may be required to either take the first year of the BA program in an Indigenous language, or otherwise demonstrate concurrent coursework towards attaining fluency.
• Students who are fluent but do not have an undergraduate degree in linguistics may be required to complete either Cree 100 or IYIS 118.
• Involvement in a course-based research project or thesis paper.