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First Nations and Indigenous Studies, Faculty of Arts

FNIS: First Nations and Indigenous Studies


  1. FNIS 100 (3-6) Indigenous Foundations

    The historical, cultural, political, economic and legal issues that inform the experiences of Indigenous peoples in Canada, examined from both Indigenous and non-Indigenous perspectives. Credit will be granted for only one of FNIS 100, FNSP 100, or FNSP 200. Restricted to Undergraduate Students.

  2. FNIS 210 (3) Indigenous Politics and Self-Determination

    The cultural, historical, political, economic, and gender dynamics that structure the relationship between Indigenous peoples and the state in Canada; Indigenous self-determination struggles in relation to constitutional recognition, self-government, land claims, and economic development. Credit will be granted for only one of FNSP 200, FNIS 210, or FNSP 210. Restricted to Undergraduate Students. Recommended pre-requisite: FNIS 100.

  3. FNIS 220 (3) Representation and Indigenous Cultural Politics

    Representation, identity, and cultural politics through Indigenous literature, film, and the visual arts; the relationship between these sites of cultural production and the self-determination struggles of Indigenous peoples. Credit will be granted for only one of FNSP 200, FNIS 220, or FNSP 220. Restricted to Undergraduate Students. Recommended pre-requisite: FNIS 100

  4. FNIS 260 (3-12) Applied Learning: Collaborative Place-Based Research

    Topic and community/location of instruction will vary from year to year. Applied, intense delivery experiential learning course designed and implemented in collaboration with faculty and Indigenous community partner(s). Examines the importance of Indigenous place-based research and learning for student and community empowerment. Restricted to Undergraduate Students. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

    Prerequisite: Permission of the Instructor.

  5. FNIS 300 (3) Writing First Nations

    writing-intensive course examining approaches to writing Indigenous research: Representation & the Other; Indigenous critiques of research & representation; Indigenous, feminist and cultural studies approaches to writing ethnography, oral history, and related research methods. Credit will be granted for only one of FNIS 300 or FNSP 300. Restricted to Undergraduate Students. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

    Prerequisite: One of FNIS 210, FNIS 220 and one of FNSP 210, FNSP 220.

  6. FNIS 310 (3) Critical Indigenous Theory Seminar

    Adapting and integrating current conceptual paradigms in the humanities, social sciences, performing arts, and Indigenous studies into approaches in First Nations/Indigenous Studies, including identity construction, political and cultural self-determination, representation, essentialism/authenticity, ethics, and decolonization. Credit will be granted for only one of FNIS 310 or FNSP 310. Restricted to Undergraduate Students. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

    Prerequisite: Either (a) FNSP 200 or (b) all of FNIS 210, FNIS 220 or (c) all of FNSP 210, FNSP 220.

  7. FNIS 320 (3) Critical Indigenous Methodologies and Ethics

    Responsible and community-based research from a critical Indigenous perspective; methods for identifying and assessing research materials, critical analysis, oral history/qualitative research interviewing and analysis, and research ethics in the design and implementation of community-based student research projects. Credit will be granted for only one of FNIS 320 or FNSP 320. Restricted to Undergraduate Students. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

    Prerequisite: Either (a) FNIS 310 or (b) FNSP 310.

  8. FNIS 360 (3-12) Applied Learning: Collaborative Place-Based Research

    Topic and community/location of instruction will vary from year to year. Applied, intense delivery experiential learning course designed and implemented in collaboration with faculty and Indigenous community partner(s). Examines the importance of Indigenous place-based research and learning for student and community empowerment. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

    Prerequisite: One of FNSP 200, FNIS 210, FNSP 210, FNIS 220, FNSP 220. And Permission of the Instructor.

  9. FNIS 400 (6) Practicum/Advanced Research Seminar

    Applied research/community oriented project designed and implemented in collaboration with student, faculty and Aboriginal community organization. Emphasis on examining ethical issues and developing culturally respectful and academically rigorous forms of research. Credit will be granted for only one of FNIS 400 or FNSP 400. Restricted to Majors in First Nations and Indigenous Studies. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

    Prerequisite: Either (a) all of FNIS 310, FNIS 320 or (b) all of FNSP 310, FNSP 320. Students must pass FNIS 320 or FNSP 320 with a B- or higher or request program approval.

  10. FNIS 401 (3-6) Special Topics

    Topics will vary from year to year. Consult the departmental website: http://fnsp.arts.ubc.ca. Restricted to Undergraduate Students.

    Prerequisite: One of FNIS 100, FNSP 200, FNIS 210, FNSP 210, FNIS 220, FNSP 220.

  11. FNIS 433 (3-6) Directed Study

    Restricted to Undergraduate Students.

  12. FNIS 451 (3) Indigenous Feminisms

    The historical, cultural, political, and activist roots of contemporary Indigenous feminisms. Indigenous feminist methodologies, theory, and praxis in relation to contemporary Indigenous politics and social justice movements. Credit will be granted for only one of FNSP 401D, FNIS 451, or FNSP 451. Restricted to Undergraduate Students. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

    Prerequisite: One of FNIS 100, FNSP 200, FNIS 210, FNSP 210, FNIS 220, FNSP 220.

  13. FNIS 452 (3) Indigenous Social Movements

    Draws on Indigenous and non-Indigenous intellectual traditions to explore the theoretical, cultural, political, economic, and historical bases of Indigenous peoples decolonization struggles in Canada. Credit will be granted for only one of FNSP 401A, FNIS 452, or FNSP 452. Restricted to Undergraduate Students. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

    Prerequisite: One of FNIS 100, FNSP 200, FNIS 210, FNSP 210, FNIS 220, FNSP 220.

  14. FNIS 453 (3) Indigenous Legal Traditions

    Socio-historical, political and cultural context of Indigenous legal traditions and strategies for ethical engagement within state and Indigenous polities. Methods include oral history analysis, legal theory, literary/narrative studies, and philosophy from an Indigenous studies perspective. Restricted to Undergraduate Students. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

    Prerequisite: One of FNIS 100, FNSP 200, FNIS 210, FNSP 210, FNIS 220, FNSP 220.

  15. FNIS 454 (3) Indigenous New Media

    New media and digital storytelling works designed and implemented by Indigenous artists, authors, and programmers. Restricted to Undergraduate Students. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

    Prerequisite: One of FNIS 100, FNSP 200, FNIS 210, FNSP 210, FNIS 220, FNSP 220.

  16. FNIS 455 (3) Indigenous Geographies: Our Home on Native Land

    Indigenous people's place-based relations, colonial processes of de-territorialization, and spatial negotiations of settler colonialism. Restricted to Undergraduate Students. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

    Prerequisite: One of FNIS 100, FNSP 200, FNIS 210, FNSP 210, FNIS 220, FNSP 220.

  17. FNIS 456 (3) Indigenous Two-Spirit and Queer Studies

    Cultural contexts, scholarship, literature, and artistic expressions of Queer, LGBTI, and Two-Spirited Indigenous people, both as an academic area of study and as lived experience and relationship. Restricted to Undergraduate Students. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

    Prerequisite: One of FNIS 100, FNIS 210, FNIS 220, FNSP 200, FNSP 210, FNSP 220.

  18. FNIS 501 (3/6) d Special Topics

    This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

  19. FNIS 533 (3/6) c Directed Study

    This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

  20. FNIS 560 (3-6) d Applied Learning: Collaborative Place-Based Research

    Applied, immersive experiential learning course designed and implemented in collaboration with faculty and Indigenous community partner(s). Emphasis on examining the importance of Indigenous place-based research and learning for student and community empowerment. Topic and community/location of instruction will vary from year to year. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

    Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor


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