Why Arctic and Subarctic Futures @ Memorial?

The Labrador Campus of Memorial University (Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador) was officially established in January 2022, building on the 42-year presence in the region. The Labrador Campus is situated on the homelands of the Innu and Inuit and, as such, has a special obligation to the Indigenous Peoples of the region and to working in partnership on Indigenous-driven and Indigenous-led research and education initiatives.

The Labrador Campus is home to the School of Arctic and Subarctic Studies (SASS). SASS works in partnership with Northern and Indigenous governing organizations and communities to provide accessible, place-based, Northern-focused, and Indigenous-led educational and research opportunities, guided by priorities for education, research, and socio-cultural wellbeing of the diverse peoples of Labrador and throughout the North. SASS is governed by an Academic Council which has, for the first time at Memorial University, voting representatives from the Nunatsiavut Government, Innu Nation, and NunatuKavut Community Council, ensuring Indigenous needs, priorities, knowledge, languages, and cultures guide our programming and our campus.

The Arctic and Subarctic Futures graduate programs at the Labrador Campus are interdisciplinary, flexible, and modular, and offer diverse pathways at the Master’s, PhD, and diploma levels (full-time and part-time). Each of these pathways provides students with the opportunities to pursue graduate learning that emphasizes land-based learning, Indigenous pedagogies and research methods, and focuses on the needs and priorities of the North. Our faculty cover a diverse range of Northern-focused research topics, including (for example): Indigenous pedagogies and methodologies; cultural resources management; archaeology; education; governance and self-determination; climate change; Indigenous health and wellbeing; language and cultural reclamation; food security; co-management; and natural resources management.

Studying at the Labrador Campus in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador, provides the rare and unique opportunity to pursue graduate education and research immersed in a stunning Northern location, studying at a Northern-led and Indigenous-focused campus, connecting with and learning from Innu and Inuit lands and cultures, and working closely with an interdisciplinary group of faculty, researchers, Indigenous leaders, Elders, communities, and organizations. This program begins in the spring semester (each May), to allow for an exploration of academic, cultural, and personal learning across all seasons in Labrador.

All research conducted through the Arctic and Subarctic Futures program must directly respond to and address Northern and Indigenous-led research priorities and work in partnership with Northern and Indigenous government, organizations, communities, and/or leaders. As such, this program makes a strong contribution to understanding and addressing the most pressing needs and priorities of the North, and to training a network of learners and leaders who will contribute to Northern social, cultural, and economic growth, development, and prosperity and support healthy and flourishing futures.

Part-time and full-time options are available. While normally an undergraduate degree is required for entrance to graduate studies, consideration of prior learning, professional background, and lived and cultural experiences will be considered for acceptance.

Graduates from this program will be well-trained to pursue diverse career paths, particularly in Northern locations and for Northern-focused and Northern-led organizations, including in government (Indigenous, municipal, provincial, territorial, federal), academia, business and industry, and the not-for-profit sectors.

Description of Programs

• MASF (Course) - The Master's in Arctic and Subarctic Futures (MASF) (Coursework) normally involves the completion of six courses and a major project and takes up to two years of full-time study.
  
  
• MASF (Thesis) – The Master’s in Arctic and Subarctic Futures (MASF) (thesis) normally involves the completion of four courses and a thesis based on Northern-focused needs and priorities and takes two years of full-time study.
  
  
• PhD – The PhD program normally involves courses, a qualifying examination, and a thesis based on Northern-focused needs and priorities. It is normally completed in four years of full-time study. If a student has come through the Master’s options in Arctic and Subarctic Futures, all courses will be waived unless the student did not complete SASS 6003: Developing Research Partnerships in Arctic & Subarctic Studies.
  
  
• Graduate Diploma – The graduate diploma normally requires the completion of four courses and is completed in one year.

Contact a Faculty Supervisor

Graduate applicants interested in research-based programs are strongly encouraged to connect with a faculty supervisor at the time of application. Visit the School of Arctic and Subarctic Studies website for a list of faculty members, their research interests, and contact information.

The School of Graduate Studies offers advice on how to search for and contact potential supervisors. Need more help? Try attending one of our webinars and information sessions for prospective graduate students.

Minimum Admission Requirements

• MASF (course work): Bachelor’s degree (minimum second class) in a relevant area of study OR some combination of educational, personal, professional, and cultural experience aligned with the program and proposed area for the major project.
  
  
• MASF (thesis): Bachelor’s degree (minimum second class) in a relevant area of study OR some combination of educational, personal, professional, and cultural experience aligned with the program and proposed area for the major project.
  
  
• PhD: Master’s degree in a relevant area of study and an excellent academic record OR 12 months in a Master’s program and demonstration of exceptional ability to pursue research at the doctoral level OR Bachelor’s degree with honours (or equivalent) and 5 years of related full-time professional experience OR some combination of educational, personal, professional, and cultural experience aligned with the program and proposed research area (with permission).

• Graduate Diploma: Bachelor’s degree (minimum second class) in a relevant area of study OR some combination of educational, personal, professional, and cultural experience relevant to the program.

Potential Career Options & Outcomes

Students graduating from these unique Northern-focused interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary graduate programs will have diverse career path opportunities, particularly in Northern regions. Some examples include:

Government and Non-Governmental Agencies

Graduates of the Arctic and Subarctic Futures program are highly qualified for working in Indigenous, municipal, provincial, territorial, and federal government agencies, as well as non-governmental organizations.

Industry, Business, & Services

Graduates from this program have employment opportunities in leadership roles in a range of industries and service areas in and serving the North, including businesses, research firms, legal work, consultancies.

Academia, Research, and Consultancy

Graduates of the Arctic and Subarctic Futures will be qualified to pursue positions in academia, research, and consultancy in a diversity of disciplines. Additionally, graduates are qualified to work in a variety of positions within universities and colleges, including as faculty, researchers, staff, and instructors.

Note: All figures are in Canadian dollars and subject to change. Fees are approved by the University’s Board of Regents. In the event of a discrepancy between the fees approved by the Board and those published on this website, the fees approved by the Board will prevail. Financial policies are enforced through the Department of Financial and Administrative Services. For the complete and official list of all fees and charges, visit www.mun.ca/finance/fees/.