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PRESENTED BY:          Beth Bilson, Chair, Planning Committee
 
DATE OF MEETING:    March 16, 2006
 
SUBJECT:                       New programs: BA Three-year, Four-year and Honours in

                                          Northern Studies; Minor in Northern Studies

DECISION REQUESTED:  

That Council approve the new programs for the BA Three-year, Four-year and Honours in Northern Studies and the Minor in Northern Studies

                                             
SUMMARY OF PROPOSAL:

The University of Saskatchewan recently joined the University of the Arctic, a consortium of 90 colleges, universities, research institutes and indigenous organizations from the eight Arctic countries.  The UArctic undergraduate office has been established at the University of Saskatchewan. 

The Northern Studies program is unique at the University of Saskatchewan and in the province as it relates to a specific region, the circumpolar north.  It integrates opportunities available from participation in the University of the Arctic network.   The program is an interdisciplinary BA Type B degree program based on seven NRTH courses together with additional courses on northern and aboriginal themes from departments such as Biology, Economics, English, Geography, Geological Sciences, History, Native Studies, and Political Studies as well as courses from the College of Agriculture.  The requirements for the Three-year, Four-year, Honours and Minor programs are described in the program proposal.

Courses:
NRTH 101.3 Introduction to the Circumpolar World

NRTH 321.3 Peoples and Cultures of the Circumpolar World I

NRTH 322.3 Peoples and Cultures of the Circumpolar World II

NRTH 331.3 Contemporary Issues of the Circumpolar World I

NRTH 332.3 Contemporary Issues of the Circumpolar World II

NRTH 480.6 Northern Studies Honours Thesis

NRTH 490.0 Seminar in Northern Studies.

The other two NRTH courses are equivalent to existing Arts and Science courses:

NRTH 311.3 Land and Geography I / GEOG 351.3 Northern Environments

NRTH 312.3 Land and Geography II / BIOL 312.3 Northern Ecosystems

COMMITTEE COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATION:
 
Academic Programs Committee
At its January 13, 2006 meeting, the Academic Programs Committee voted to recommend approval of the BA in Northern Studies.

The Committee discussed this program proposal over several meetings, including meeting with Greg Poelzer for background information regarding the University of the Arctic.   Alec Aitken and Francois Messier on the Academic Programs Committee were able to inform the Committee about a number of resource and enrolment issues which had been dealt with by the College of Arts and Science.  It was noted that there are now three of the Northern Studies courses being offered this term, with enrolments of 16 to 28 students in each course, providing  an indication of strong student interest in this area of study.

Budget Committee
The following motion was carried at the February 2, 2006 Budget Committee meeting:

That the Budget Committee recommends to the Planning Committee the approval of the proposal for a Bachelor of Arts in Northern Studies with the recognition that the College of Arts and Science will assume any financial risk associated with the program.

Planning Committee

At its March 1 meeting, the Planning Committee agreed to recommend approval of this program.

While the planning for this program is well advanced, and we are satisfied that it meets the academic criteria for a sound program, the proposal raised a general issue about appropriate models for interdisciplinary undergraduate programs. In our view, it is important that interdisciplinary programs have the following characteristics:

· a core group of faculty who interact regularly with a view to planning and sustaining the program

· opportunities such as involvement in research, exchanges or service learning that will support the student experience in the program, and capstone courses that will give students a genuinely interdisciplinary experience

· meaningful research activity in the interdisciplinary area at the University of Saskatchewan

In addressing future proposals, we need to consider whether interdisciplinary programs in the form of a set of courses a number of programs have been persuaded to contribute will be sustainable in the long term.

In this case, the Planning Committee is satisfied that strong student demand, the administrative infrastructure and student opportunities provided by its association with the University of the Arctic, and the co-operation of departments and faculty contributing courses mean that it is likely the program will be successful.

ATTACHED:  Proposal documentation and memos.