Circumpolar Studies (Diploma - online only)

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

Career Paths

A Circumpolar Studies diploma prepares you for many possible career paths in a wide range of industries, including:

• Public Service
• Cultural and Heritage Consultant
• Immigration and Human Rights
• Public Health
• Diplomat
• Journalist
• United Nations Official
• International Civil Servant
• Educator
• Policy Professional

Courses

The Diploma in Circumpolar Studies consists of the following 5.0 credits:

• 1.5 GEOG credits consisting of: 
  • GEOG 1045H: Introduction to the Circumpolar World
  • GEOG-ERST 2320H: Lands and Environments of the Circumpolar North
  • GEOG-ERST 2330H: Changing Resources of the Circumpolar North
• 1.0 CAST credit consisting of: 
  • CAST 3241H: Histories of the Canadian North
  • CAST 3243H: The Contemporary Canadian North in A Circumpolar Context
• 1.0 INDG credit consisting of: 
  • INDG 3745H: Peoples and Cultures of the Circumpolar World
  • INDG 3750H: Language, Culture, Identity, and the Circumpolar World
• 1.0 GEOG credit from: 
  • GEOG-CAST 2811H: The International Arctic: Environment, Diplomacy, and Geopolitics
  • GEOG-CAST 3390H: Contemporary Issues of the Circumpolar World 
  • GEOG-CAST 3640H: Geography of the Polar Regions
• 0.5 credit from: 
  • ERST-GEOG 2812H: Northern research
  • ERST-INDG 3740H: Circumpolar Peoples, Health, and The Environment
  • GEOG-CAST 2810H: Canada's Peoples and Places
  • GEOG 3904H Reading Course in Circumpolar Studies

Admissions Requirements

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