Indigenous Content Requirement

FAQ's about the Indigenous Content Requirement

What is the Indigenous Content Requirement?

Lakehead University made a commitment in May 2014 that by the beginning of the 2016/17 academic year, all academic units will have calendared for all of their undergraduate degree programs, a degree requirement of at least one 0.5 Full Course Equivalent course containing at least 50% (equivalent to 18 hours) of Indigenous knowledge and/or Indigenous content.

Who made this decision on behalf of the university?

The decision was made by Senate. Senate is the highest academic decision making body in the University with representation from all Academic departments, Student Affairs, the Aboriginal Governance Council, the Board of Governors, and the Lakehead University Student Union.

Why was this decision taken?

Extensive internal and external consultation, leading to the development of our Strategic (2013-18) and Academic Plans (2012-17), resulted in a recommendation that all students would benefit from the integration of program appropriate or discipline relevant knowledge about Indigenous Peoples in Canada. Other Universities and Colleges across the country have implemented or are examining how to enrich their curricula in similar ways. We are fortunate Lakehead has faculty and staff with a wealth of expertise in this area that will help us meet this goal.

For more information on the Indigenous Content Requirement, please see our FAQ about the Indigenous Content Requirement (ICR) page.

Learner outcomes for the Indigenous Content Requirement (ICR) are as follows:

  • Identify Indigenous worldviews, knowledge, and practices that relate to faculty specialties
  • Identify culturally appropriate ways of engaging Indigenous communities in faculty specialties
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the effects of stereotyping, prejudice, and racism on interactions between First Nations, Inuit, and Métis and others in Canadian society
  • Demonstrate knowledge of Canadian Indigenous peoples’ history
  • Analyze the impact of legal decisions on Aboriginal and treaty rights, including the duty to consult
  • Identify approaches to reconciliation between First Nations, Inuit, and Métis and others in Canadian society
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the impacts of colonialism on Indigenous peoples and strategies to resist assimilation
  • Articulate the relationship between land, culture, language, and identity in Indigenous communities
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the nature of the relationship between the Crown and Indigenous peoples, as defined by treaties and agreements, or lack of them
  • Contribute to strategies for improving Indigenous communities’ well-being

Learner outcomes should be modified to reflect course level expectations.

  • Academic Units are encouraged to develop their own discipline-specific outcomes.

For more information on the Indigenous Content Requirement, please see our FAQ about the Indigenous Content Requirement (ICR) page.

  • We thank Confederation College for their inspiration and for developing a strong set of learner outcomes that we adapted.