The Master Programme in Indigenous Studies

(2 years - 120 study points)

1. Responsible partners:

The Faculty of Social Sciences is responsible for the program, extensively supported by the Centre for Sámi Studies. A programme board has been appointed, including representatives from all contributing units at the University of Tromsø.

The programme is offered as a joint venture between the Faculties of Social Sciences, Humanities and Law, Tromsø Museum and the Centre for Sámi Studies. All units are located at the University of Tromsø.

2. Program description:

The Master Programme in Indigenous Studies is a multi-disciplinary graduate programme in comparative indigenous issues. The programme is taught in English and based on the particular research-based knowledge of issues regarding the Sámi and other indigenous peoples at the University of Tromsø. The Master programme is a part of the general focus on internationalisation at the University of Tromsø, and the goal is to attract international students to Tromsø as well as offering new opportunities for students in the region.

Admission to the programme is limited to 20 seats. However, the separate courses are open to all students and may be integrated into other Master programmes or taken separately. The different courses may thus be used to strengthen Sámi or indigenous perspectives in different disciplines.

3. Goals:

The different courses of the Master programme aim to give the students broad knowledge of interdisciplinary perspectives and issues in the study of indigenous peoples.

As one of the most international programmes at the University of Tromsø, we aim to develop this study to be a meeting place for research activities, communication and knowledge exchanging connected to indigenous issues in both a local and international perspective.

4. Course and exam organisation:

Through two years of studies, students will take courses totalling 120 study points (stp). Most courses are obligatory, with some additional courses that can be chosen on the basis of the interests of the individual student or as a preparation for the Master thesis. Courses are designed to give a broad base from which the individual student may choose a relevant topic for the Master thesis. The thesis work is to be supervised by academic staff from one of the cooperating units at the University of Tromsø, and topics are chosen in cooperation with appointed advisors. The Master thesis gives 60 stp.

The Master thesis provides an opportunity for in-depth studies of a chosen field. The topic of the thesis is chosen on the basis of the interests of the student and of relevant issues in the student's home country or chosen region.

The collection of data can be carried out through field work lasting up to three months, or through the collection of secondary data / literature studies (optionally in combination with limited interviews). Excursions to the UN (New York and Geneva) or other types of meetings or conferences are also possible starting points for the collection of data.

After fieldwork, teaching will consist of thesis seminars and individual supervision. The students writes a preliminary report on the work done so far (10 to 15 pages). The report is expected to give an outline of the setting studied and a discussion of the methodological challenges met. The student will together with the written work give an oral presentation of the report in plenum with fellow students. In addition, individual supervision is given.

5. Staying abroad:

After two semesters of studies, students will have the opportunity to do field work. International students accepted through the Quota Programme or the NORAD Fellowship Programme are required to do their field work in their home country. Other students may do their field work at home or in an area of their choice.

Provided that the exchange programme is approved by the University of Tromsø, some of the students will be able to participate in an exchange with the University of Oulu, Finland, and through them with University of Kansas, USA and University of Newcastle, Australia. In addition, it will be possible to stay at universities that have exchange agreements with the University of Tromsø (cf. NUFU and other partners: San Carlos, Guatemala, URRACAN, Nicaragua or Botswana, Ngaoundéré, Cameroon, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and St. Petersburg and Archangel, Russia etc.). All exchange must be approved in advance and must be arranged to fit the Tromsø Master programme.

6. Evaluation:

The programme will be continually evaluated, as well as after the first two-year period, both by students and by all partners from the different units. In order to ensure availability and accomplishment in the evaluation, the aim is to establish a web-based evaluation system based on an idea from the M.Sc-programme in International Fisheries Management.

7. Social environment:

Close supervision and coordination by administrative and research staff will be necessary for the programme. An international programme requires a strong focus on integration between the students and on social and cultural activities that will contribute to strengthen the unity in the student group and among the staff.

• Introductions, seminars and excursion


• JUR-3650 Indigenous Peoples' Rights


• HIS-3005 Colonization and Revival


• SOA-3006 Indigenous Culture and Ethnicity


• SVF-3026 Methodologies and methods in indigenous studies

• HIF-3620 Representations and Self-Representations


• SVF-3026 Methodologies and methods in indigenous studies


• Elective course


• Seminars and excursion

Summer: Data Collection/Field Work

1st semester Autumn	SOA-3006	JUR-3650		HIS-3005		SVF-3026
2nd semester   Spring	HIF-3620		1 Elective		SVF-3026
Summer	Data collection/ Fieldwork
3rd semester   Autumn	COUNTRY REPORT/ THESIS SEMINARS
4th semester   Spring	THESIS SEMINARS/ MASTER THESIS