Graduate Certificate in Indigenous Sport and Recreation

Please Note [Oct. 17, 2023] - ADDENDUM. The Entrance Requirements section has been updated. See Amendments to the Calendar for more information.

The Certificate in Indigenous Sport and Recreation is a Graduate Certificate offered in partnership between the Faculty of Native Studies and the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation. The focus of this certificate is the health and well-being of Indigenous people through sport and recreation. The intended purpose is to serve a demonstrated need in the realm of community based Indigenous sport and recreation, establish a deep understanding of the cultural context of Indigenous communities and populations and to enhance leadership in the growing field of Indigenous sport and recreation. The program will be delivered in a blended format. Specifically, the curriculum will consist of three courses valued at four units each (12 units total), plus participation at a mandatory, one-week, in-class (i.e. face to face) experiential learning experience. This 10 month certificate is designed around a cohort model so students will work together in this innovative, blended program that can be completed with minimal travel and little disruption to their work and family lives. The online portion of the program will use both synchronous and asynchronous teaching modalities to create interactive, dynamic, and supportive communities of learning whose members will become integral participants in this specific program researching Indigenous Peoples and Recreation best practices.

Entrance Requirements

The requirements for admission will include an undergraduate degree with an admission GPA of at least 3.0 on the 4-point scale from the University of Alberta, or an equivalent qualification and standing from a recognized institution. The admission GPA will be calculated on the last 60 units of graded coursework completed, or on the equivalent of the last two years of full-time graded coursework.

A minimum of two years of professional experience is also recommended.

Applicants who do not hold a baccalaureate degree but have considerable relevant professional experience may also be admissible. Individuals who feel that this situation applies to them are encouraged to contact admissions to discuss their status. There will be no other routes in which admission will be granted. There will be no opportunity for a residency.

Program Requirements

The graduate certificate will be granted upon successful completion of the three required courses:

KSR 763 - Indigeneity and Settler Colonialism [4 units]
KSR 764 - Managing Recreation, Sport, and Physical Activity Programs in Indigenous Communities [4 units]
KSR 765 - Indigenous Peoples’ Physical Activity [4 units]
and attendance at the noncredit, mandatory intensive week

Laddering

Students who complete the certificate in good standing may be able to use the courses from the certificate to receive advanced standing in the course-based Master of Arts in the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation. Completion of the certificate does not guarantee admission to a master degree program. The certificate may be used for both the basis of admission and laddered into the course-based master degree. Details can be found in the Calendar under Regulations of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research .