Graduate Student Experiences of Indigenous Studies in Post-Secondary Education: A Comparative Study of Norway and Canada

Indigenous Studies is a newer discipline in post-secondary institutions. In the current literature, much focus has been given to the emergence of the discipline, key qualities and concepts significant in shaping the discipline, and the goals and future of Indigenous Studies. However, at the time of this study, no attention has been given to the experiences of students within the discipline. This study intends to help fill the gap in the literature by exploring what the expectations and experiences of Indigenous Studies alumni in Norway and Canada are, and what this tells us about Indigenous Studies programs in these countries. Through semi-structured interviews and conversational method alumni from four different, yet comparable Indigenous Studies programs in Norway and Canada have shared their experiences in their master’s programs. By analyzing these experiences through an anti-colonial framework this study demonstrates that there are inconsistencies in the quality, depth, and breadth of Indigenous Studies master’s programs in Norway and Canada, and a gap between student expectations and their actual experiences.