Program Objectives

The Ph.D. program brings together, at the graduate level, Indigenous and non-Indigenous students to study at an advanced level the historical, cultural and contemporary situation of Aboriginal/Indigenous peoples.

It is designed to prepare graduate students for academic careers, to conduct basic and applied scholarly research, to develop innovative theoretical approaches, methodologies and research tools appropriate for Aboriginal/Indigenous communities and organizations and to train candidates to assume leadership and policy-making roles in higher education and in Aboriginal/Indigenous communities in Canada and abroad.

The program is unique in its structure in that it is interdisciplinary in nature and based on the integration of Indigenous and Western academic knowledges. It combines academic, cultural and experiential pedagogies through a partnership between the University and Aboriginal communities. Aboriginal peoples, particularly Aboriginal Elders who possess knowledge of traditional cultures, are central to the Trent Ph.D. program.

Specific Objectives of the Ph.D. Program

• To advance Indigenous Studies as an interdisciplinary field of study through the rebuilding and recognition of Indigenous knowledge and to generate academic research which reflects Aboriginal/Indigenous experiences.

• To make available to students, at an advanced level, education in Indigenous Studies that will enable graduates to employ a range of skills in the context of Aboriginal communities, as well as in Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal organizations.

• To explore research methodologies reflective of the Aboriginal/Indigenous experiences.

• To prepare students for careers in teaching and research, administration, business and government. Fundamental to the Ph.D. program is the incorporation and integration of Indigenous and Western knowledge within an interdisciplinary setting.

Please Note: The terms “Aboriginal”, “Indigenous”, “Native” and “Indian” will be used interchangeably on this website, reflecting the complexities surrounding appropriate terminology and the diverse contexts in which this terms are applied.