First Nations Heritage & Culture Program Open For Registration
Whitehorse – Registration is underway at Yukon College for the first ever Yukon First Nations Heritage and Culture Certificate Program. The project is supported through the Northern Strategy Trust and its partners Yukon Government, Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation, Yukon College and Yukon First Nations Heritage Group. The shared partnership has worked on developing a culturally relevant and accessible program that focuses on northern heritage and culture issues. The Yukon First Nations Heritage Group is comprised of the 14 Yukon First Nations.
“The collaborative effort among these sponsors has produced an excellent program that respects the implementation of self-governance,” says Dr. Karen Barnes, Yukon College Vice-President of Education and Training. “Our program is not only exciting for our 14 Yukon First Nations and Yukoners but has also been recognized nationally from other organizations such as the Museum of Civilization in Ottawa. The College continues its endeavors in building sustainable programs in northern research and technology”.
The program is ideal for those either working or who are interested in culture and heritage studies. The classes are being created by a cross cultural group of subject matter experts and instructors who will deliver theoretical and practical studies enabling students to conduct research and develop skills which are applicable within Yukon First Nations Government heritage offices. The First Nations partners requested a distance learning model to support the building capacity in community heritage offices. There are four courses per semester with components in archives and collections management, anthropology, Yukon First Nations history, language and culture preservation, and administration. Two courses per semester are being offered in a compressed format.
The one-year full-time program will be offered both by distance and community based learning at Yukon College community campuses. The course credits will eventually be transferable to university studies. While students will be doing most of the work in a distant synchronous learning classroom, there will also be opportunities for learning together in-person in an orientation and summer field school. Registration opened June 15 with courses commencing on September 02. Call Yukon College Admissions for registration at 1 800 661 0504 or 867 668 8710.
Ann Bowen
Coordinator, College Relations
Yukon College
867 668 8786
www.yukoncollege.yk.ca