Circumpolar Studies

The Trent School of the Environment offers a unique online diploma for students who wish to undertake a single academic year of study (September to April) focused upon the landscape, peoples, and contemporary issues of concern in the Circumpolar world.

Students study the Circumpolar region from a variety of interdisciplinary perspectives. Introductory courses begin with the examination of the geography, history, and biophysical and physical systems of the Sub-Arctic and Arctic regions.

The diploma curriculum then turns to the Indigenous and contemporary peoples of the region, traditional economies and knowledge, governance systems, human security issues, and overall questions of economic development, cultural resilience, and environmental sustainability.

Resume Boosters

• Study abroad in an Arctic location through experiential learning opportunities with the University of the Arctic
• Participate in virtual field schools, like observing and journaling the experiences of an Inuit hunter in a remote Arctic community
• Learn the customs and traditions of northern Indigenous people, developing literacy in Inuktitut and other Arctic languages

Admissions Requirements

Completion of an undergraduate degree. In some cases, current undergraduate students from another institution may apply for this certificate program.