The proposed Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (INTD) is an innovative 120‐credit undergraduate degree that offers students the flexibility to design a program of study aligned with their interests, career goals and community contexts.
The INTD is designed as a holistic and forward‐thinking degree that grounds interdisciplinary study in northern, Indigenous and multicultural contexts while situating northern knowledge in broader national and global conversations. Students will examine problems, topics, and processes of knowledge creation from perspectives that may extend across or beyond established academic fields. They will engage with diverse ways of knowing and learn to build relationships among knowledge traditions, including those of Western scholarship and Yukon First Nations.
Successful completion of the INTD will enable students to:
- Integrate knowledge, concepts, and approaches from multiple disciplines to examine complex questions and northern problems from interdisciplinary perspectives.
- Demonstrate understanding of Indigenous, northern, and place-based ways of knowing, with particular attention to Yukon First Nations contexts and intercultural knowledge relations.
- Apply critical thinking and analytical reasoning to evaluate ideas, evidence, and assumptions across disciplinary, cultural, and social contexts.
- Employ appropriate interdisciplinary and Indigenous-informed research methods to generate, analyze, and interpret knowledge, including qualitative, quantitative, and community-engaged approaches.
- Communicate effectively in written, oral, and other forms for academic, professional, and community audiences.
- Demonstrate ethical awareness, responsibility, and an understanding of reconciliation, including the social, political and cultural implications of knowledge creation and application.
- Exercise professional independence, collaboration, and reflective practice in preparation for employment, service, community engagement, and further study.
In addition to completing the following courses, students must take a minimum of 50% of the program at YukonU and maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher.
Lower-level courses
- ENGL 100: Academic Writing and Critical Thinking
- ENGL 101: Introduction to the Study of Literature
- INTD 100
- INTD 200
- Yukon First Nations Core Competency x 1 (choose one: FNGA 100, FNGA 101, or HIST 140)
- Regional Competency x 1 (e.g., LANG 140, NOST 100, NOST 101, NOST 201, NOST 202, etc.)
- Science x 2 courses
- Humanities (non-ENGL) x 1 (see list under Courses)
- Social Sciences x 2 (see list under Courses)
- INTD Elective x 3 (see list under Courses)
- Elective prerequisite or preparation x 3
- Open Electives x 3
Upper-level courses
- INTD 300: Theories and Problems in Interdisciplinary Research
- INTD 301: Interdisciplinary Research: Methods and Approaches
- INTD 390: Interdisciplinary Studies Seminar
- INTD 490: Interdisciplinary Studies Seminar
- INTD 400: Capstone I
- INTD 401: Capstone II
- Regional / Yukon First Nations Competency, Senior Level (choose from NOST or FNGA courses numbered 200 or higher)
- Open Electives x 3
- Thematic Area Core (from Area list) x 4
- Thematic Area INTD Major Elective (from Area list) x3
- Thematic Area Elective x 3
Choose one Thematic Area:
- Core consists of 4 courses selected from the Thematic Area list
- Electives are 6 courses selected from the Thematic Areas common list
Interdisciplinary Major required courses contribute to depth in interdisciplinary studies, chosen from INTD courses and designated courses that include ENST 3xx: Part of the Land, ENST 3xx: Part of the Water, INTD 3xx: Learning in Action, INTD 350: Special Topics I, INTD 450: Special Topics II, etc
INTD 100: Introduction to Interdisciplinarity
This introductory course is designed to provide students with a solid grounding in the history, debates, and trends of interdisciplinary academic enquiry. As the first of the core courses that make up the spine of the Interdisciplinary Studies degree, students will work towards establishing their own interdisciplinary toolkits, which they will go on to build throughout their studies. Prerequisite: None
INTD 200: Limits of the Disciplines
Students will explore the organizational structure of academic, institutional, and professional knowledge production; identify the potentials, boundaries, and limits of disciplinary approaches. They will also imagine interdisciplinary engagement with real-world problems and communities. Prerequisite: INTD 100
INTD 300: Theories & Problems in Interdisciplinary Research
Students examine the theories, concepts, and frameworks that underpin interdisciplinary inquiry. They explore how disciplines define problems, produce knowledge, and organize evidence, and consider the possibilities and challenges of integrating different perspectives. Students develop the ability to frame and analyze complex problems through coherent interdisciplinary approaches. Prerequisite: INTD 200
INTD 301: Interdisciplinary Research: Methods & Approaches
Students examine qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods approaches used in interdisciplinary research. They compare how different methodologies frame research questions, generate and interpret evidence, and address complex topics. Students assess the strengths, limitations, and appropriate uses of different approaches and develop the ability to select and combine methods suited to an interdisciplinary research problem. Prerequisite: INTD 200. Previous coursework in research methods is recommended.
INTD 390: Interdisciplinary Studies Seminar I
Students participate in a multi-year seminar focused on interdisciplinary scholarship, discussion, and public communication. Through readings, presentations, debate, and collaborative activities led by faculty and INTD 490 students, they practice respectful engagement with complex ideas, strengthen academic and communication skills, and begin planning their capstone work. Prerequisite: INTD 200
INTD 490: Interdisciplinary Studies Seminar II
Students lead and help coordinate the annual interdisciplinary seminar series while advancing their capstone projects. They present work in progress, facilitate discussion and academic activities, respond to feedback, and develop skills in collaboration, public communication, and constructive engagement with difficult ideas. The course culminates in the presentation of completed capstone work. Prerequisite: INTD 390
INTD 400: Capstone I; INTD 401: Capstone II (and optional INTD 402)
The six- to nine-credit capstone involves a student-directed engagement with their own interdisciplinary research topic. In discussion with an advisor, students will identify the specific contacts, institutions, communities, or field sites they will spend time embedded in for the project. The capstone project will be suggested by the student, and may involve research, service learning, experiential work, or a skills-based final project. Prerequisite: Enrolled in INTD; INTD 300 and INTD 301
Courses in these themes, while oriented differently, emphasize interdisciplinary analysis and applied skills, including ethical practice, qualitative and quantitative research, community engagement, and creative inquiry, preparing students to critically assess and respond to social, cultural, political, and environmental challenges and opportunities in the North and beyond.
1. Culture, Community, Place
This theme explores the complex relationships between individuals, communities, and the lands they inhabit.
It examines how governance, history, cultural practices, and social systems shape human experiences across different regions and global contexts.
Students will engage with topics such as wellness, language and storytelling, political thought, ethical decision-making, human geography, place and space, governance and policy, and the study of human societies.
2. Northern Knowledge, Circumpolar Context
This theme focuses on the cultural, political, and environmental dimensions of life in the North, connecting local, regional and circumpolar perspectives.
It explores contemporary issues and ways of knowing, considering challenges and solutions for northern and remote communities. Topics include sustainability, resource development, sovereignty, Arctic and human security, Indigenous self-determination, political institutions, literatures, and forms of representation and expression.
Culture, Community, Place core list (choose four)
- ANTH 300: Anthro of Gender
- BLAW 300: Business Law
- CRWR 201: Intro Creative Writing I
- CRWR 202: Intro Creative Writing II
- CRWR 241: Creative Non-Fiction Workshop
- CRWR 243: Writing Drama
- ECDV 301: Community EcDev
- ENGL 205: Literary Representations of the Natural World
- ENGL 206: Intro to the Short Story
- INTD 350: Special Topics (specific courses TBD)
- NOST/INTD 3xx: Mental Wellness in the North
- PSYC 3xx: Clinical Counselling in a Northern Context
- SOCI 203: Sociology of the Family
- SOCI 209: Society, Tech & Values
- WGST 200: Women & Social Change
- WGST 240: Men and Masculinities
- ANTH 3xx: Northern Culture and Food
- BIOL 210: Intro to Northern Botany
- BIOL 220 / 220L: Ecology
- BIOL 230: Conservation Biology
- BIOL 290: Beringia: Its Pleistocene Environment and Paleoecology
- GEOG 290: Climate Change and the Circumpolar World
- NOST 201: Natural History of the North
- NOST 324: Contemporary CP Issues I
- NOST 325: Contemporary CP Issues II
- NOST 326: Land/Environments CP World I
- NOST 327: Land/Environments CP World II
- SOCI 220: Social Issues in the North
Major electives
Students must take three of these courses. They
Planned
These courses are next to be developed. As a group, they will expand the range of interdisciplinary courses available to students.
ENST 3xx: Part of the Land (3 cr.)
This course is intended to explore aspects of Yukon and northern Indigenous Peoples’ profound relationships with the land. Guided by Indigenous faculty and/or visiting Elders, students may examine traditional ecological knowledge, sustainable harvesting practices, the cultural significance of terrestrial environments, and other topics. Learning is imagined drawing on storytelling, field experiences, and engagement with Elders, as well as relevant readings and writings. Participants will develop an understanding of Indigenous stewardship principles and how these perspectives can inform contemporary environmental approaches in northern regions. This course might be taught on the land or use experiential approaches. (draft description)
ENST 3xx: Part of the Water (3 cr.)
This course provides space for students to explore the vital connections between northern Indigenous communities and waterways. Led by Indigenous faculty and/or visiting Elders, students will learn about traditional fishing methods, water navigation, spiritual practices, and the cultural importance of rivers, lakes, and oceans. Through experiential learning and Indigenous teachings, as well as relevant readings and writings, participants will gain insights into water-based knowledge systems and their relevance to current water resource management and conservation efforts in the North. (draft description)
INTD 3xx: Learning in Action (3 cr.)
This course offers students an opportunity to undertake, with the support of a faculty member, hands-on learning experiences, including internships, community-based projects, field studies, service learning, creative endeavors, and research initiatives, tailored to their interests and educational goals. (draft description)
INTD 3xx: Knowledge Mobilization & Communication (3 cr.)
This third-year course examines the theory and practice of translating academic knowledge into accessible, actionable formats for diverse audiences. Students will explore effective strategies for communicating complex research findings to community partners, policy makers, and the general public. Through hands-on projects, participants will develop skills in various communication media, learn to adapt content for different stakeholders, and critically evaluate knowledge exchange initiatives. The course emphasizes ethical considerations in knowledge sharing, particularly with respect to Indigenous Knowledge systems and community-engaged research, preparing students to become effective knowledge brokers in their future careers. (draft description)
INTD 3xx: Directed Readings II (3 cr.)
Directed Readings II offers students the opportunity to pursue focused, self-directed study on a topic relevant to their academic interests or degree pathway. Under faculty supervision, students will engage with selected readings to deepen their understanding of a subject area, refine their research focus, or prepare for future project work. The course is structured around independent reading, discussion, and written reflection. Topics and materials are determined in consultation with the supervising faculty. (draft description)
INTD 4xx: Directed Readings III (3 cr.)
Directed Readings III supports advanced, independent study on a topic closely aligned with a student’s capstone project or interdisciplinary research focus. Students will work with a faculty supervisor to define a reading list and set goals for critical engagement with relevant scholarship. Emphasis is placed on developing theoretical, conceptual, or contextual grounding to inform final-year academic work. The course fosters initiative, sustained inquiry, and reflective analysis in preparation for a culminating project or paper. (draft description)
INTD 4xx: Advanced Topics & Themes in Interdisciplinary Studies (3 cr.)
This fourth-year course deepens students’ engagement with complex problems across multiple disciplines. Students will analyze how different fields approach shared challenges, conduct independent research projects, and develop innovative solutions that bridge disciplinary boundaries. The course builds advanced skills in integrating diverse perspectives and methods, preparing graduates to address complex issues through holistic approaches. (draft description)