Department of Indigenous Studies

Connecting with other students is an invaluable way of navigating your academic journey and feeling a sense of community during your studies. Several groups have been established by and for Indigenous students. Through them, you can explore peer-to-peer support as well as resources for academic, financial, emotional and spiritual needs.

• University of Manitoba Indigenous Students' Association on Instagram 
• Métis University Students’ Association on Instagram
• University of Manitoba Indigenous Concerns on the Environment on Facebook

Graduates have attained careers with:

• Indigenous organizations (regional and national)
• government agencies (federal, provincial, municipal)
• public health
• law firms
• law enforcement
• political organizations
• local community organizations
• businesses
• museums
• social services agencies
• media
• schools
• non-profit organizations

Plan your university journey. Get the information you need for academic planning and connect with experiences to develop the knowledge, skills and attributes that employers are seeking.

View the Indigenous Studies Career Compass

Before submitting your application to the Faculty of Graduate Studies for the Indigenous Studies MA or PhD programs, you will need to first find an academic advisor (faculty member). The advisor will initially review your submission and may grant tentative acceptance into the program. 

Look for a faculty member who's research aligns with your own interests. In an email to that faculty member, please list the area of study and research you are interested in, and include the following:

• a bit about yourself, and how to best contact you,
• a brief summary of your relevant education, community and/or work experiences,
• a description of your proposed research topic.

If you are unsure of which faculty member(s) to contact, you can contact our Graduate Program Assistant at indg.grad@umanitoba.ca with a summary of your area of interest to receive suggestions on whom to contact.

Please note that tentative acceptance from an advisor does not guarantee admission into the program.

• Review what our current graduate students are researching

• See what our academics are researching

SAGE offers holistic programming that supports your cultural, academic, personal and professional development throughout your master’s-level and doctoral studies. Programming is open to all graduate students who identify as First Nations, Métis, Inuit or Native American.

SAGE programming is organic and evolving according the priorities of students who are in it. Some of the activities are:

• lunches/dinners
• SAGE Café — a weekly coffee gathering
• writing retreats
• cultural activities
• ceremonies
• elders’ teachings
• Indigenous-focused research workshops
• research presentations
• various social activities
• family-friendly events

Learn more about SAGE

Rising Up is an interdisciplinary and international annual graduate student conference. We work to make the conference friendly and welcoming for early career scholars, community members, and senior researchers. It’s a wonderful environment to meet amazing researchers and community members, a friendly environment to perfect your presentation skills, and a great chance to get feedback on your research.

Rising Up was on hiatus for 2021 and 2022 due to COVID-19. Check back for future events.

Contact Rising Up at risingup@umanitoba.ca.

Colette Lynn Eisinger (Robson) was an Ojibway from the Peguis First Nation. Her traditional name and clan was Makadi Kinew Ikwe Mikinak Odoodeman, Black Eagle Woman, Turtle Clan. Colette had one son Glenn Charles Robson whom she loved very much. Her smile and laughter was infectious. She was a beautiful, smart, kind-hearted woman that knew many people, always running into someone she knew wherever she went. She loved cooking, sports, traveling, shopping and above all, catching every picture perfect moment. She worked with many Aboriginal communities in accounting. We almost lost Colette in child birth, so the 39 years that we had with her was a blessing. With the sudden passing of Colette in 2012, she has been missed. The Robson family would like to say Kitchi Megwetch for the great honour in creating a bursary from the University of Manitoba in Colette's name. May her memory live long and may the bursary help a student in reaching their dream.

The Colette (Robson) Eisinger Memorial Bursary provides financial support to a student who:

• is Indigenous (Status, non-Status, Metis, Inuit).
• is enrolled full-time in any year of study in any faculty or school at the University of Manitoba.
• is a custodial parent with one or more dependents.
• has demonstrated financial need on the standard University of Manitoba bursary application.

The University of Manitoba General Bursary Application is available through Aurora Student at the beginning of August each year.

• Learn more about the Colette (Robson) Eisinger Memorial Bursary

The Renate Eigenbrod Bursary provides financial support to graduate students in Indigenous Studies. Each year the available annual interest from the fund is used to offer one bursary to a graduate student who:

• is enrolled full-time in the Faculty of Graduate Studies in either the first, second or third year of a masters' program in Indigenous Studies, or the first, second, third, fourth or fifth year of a doctoral program in Indigenous Studies.
• has achieved a minimum grade point average of 3.5 based on the previous 60 credit hours (or equivalent) of study.
• has demonstrated financial need on the standard University of Manitoba bursary application form.

The bursary is renewable for up to four years, provided the student continues to meet the criteria as outlined above. If in any given year the recipient does not qualify for renewal, a new student will be selected based on the criteria above.

The University of Manitoba General Bursary Application is available through Aurora Student at the beginning of August each year.

The Department of Indigenous Studies Graduate Scholarship (formerly Master of Native Studies Graduate Scholarship), of at least $2,000, is awarded to students who:

• are enrolled in the Faculty of Graduate Studies, in the Master of Indigenous Studies program.
• have achieved a minimum degree grade point average of 3.0 based on the last 60 credit hours of study (or equivalent).
• have completed the two required courses Methodology and Research Issues in Indigenous Studies (NATV 7230) and Issues in Colonization (NATV 7240) with a minimum combined grade point average of 3.0.
• will undertake thesis research during the summer term of their first or second year of study in the program.

Priority will be given to students who have completed their course work for the program and have submitted a thesis proposal.

• Learn more about the Department of Indigenous Studies Graduate Scholarship

These graduate fellowships are offered by the Centre for Creative Writing and Oral Culture. Students with lived experience of Indigenous and other oral cultures are particularly encouraged to apply.

• Learn about the C.D. Howe fellowships