Leadership

Indigenous Ways of Knowing in Leadership

Offered Fall 2025

Transform your leadership practices to move forward in a good way with Indigenous Peoples

Led by a team of Indigenous instructors, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and recognized non-Indigenous social work instructors working in good relations, you'll be immersed in courses grounded in an Indigenous lens including circle process, and ceremony..

On Campus & Online

This certificate is offered mostly online. You'll be required to attend two on campus residencies at our Calgary campus.

Online courses consist of a mix of real time classes at set times and learning that can be done on your own schedule.

Internet access

You'll require regular access to an internet connection, and you'll need a camera and microphone.

A high speed internet connection is recommended, but not required.

Test your Internet Connection

8 months

You'll begin your Certificate studies in the fall semester (September), and the total completion time is eight months.

You'll follow the UCalgary academic calendar and be given specific assignment deadlines.

Indigenous Ways of Knowing in Leadership: Courses


Centering Indigenous Knowledge

Engage in experiential land-based learning to deepen understanding of Indigenous ways of knowing, being, doing, and connecting. 

Legacies of Colonization

Understand histories and legacies of colonization, as well as issues related to governance, policy, land, and relationships.

Relational Healing Practices

Reclaim Indigenous ways of knowing and explore relational, restorative, and healing practices to help decolonize and build collaborative relationships.

Shifting Leadership Perspectives

Develop transformational leadership skills for shifting perspectives and practices on policies, protocol, and approaches to create ethical space and resilient outcomes.


Admission Requirements

  1. A Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) from an accredited/recognized institution.
  2. A minimum of 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 point system, over the past two years of full-time study (a minimum of 60 units) of the undergraduate degree.
  3. The equivalent of two years of full-time paid work or a minimum of 3,000 hours of paid and/or volunteer work in the human services field by the application deadline.
    What is relevant social work and human service experience? 
  4. English Language Proficiency

    Offers of admission are valid for the term to which you apply.

 

Residencies

An important part of your graduate certificate experience are the skill-building residencies, where you apply the knowledge and theory you've learned.

Two on campus Calgary residencies 

On Campus Scheduled Dates

  • Sept. 3 - 6, 2025 (On campus)
  • April 9 - 10, 2026 (On campus)

9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day
*there are regularly scheduled online lectures weekday evenings in addition to residencies
Note: residency dates are tentative and subject to change

Degree Award

Your degree must be awarded prior to the start of the program. We cannot accept a letter of completion as a replacement for degree award. Your final transcript noting your degree must be received by June 30.

How to apply?

Applications open: Jan. 15, 2025
Deadline: April 16, 2025

Required Documents

  • Resume
  • Unofficial Transcripts
  • Test scores, if applicable
  • Self-Calculated GPA

Follow our step-by-step instructions

Information Session

Join us to learn more about our innovative Graduate Certificates.

  • Feb. 5: 6.30 pm to 7:30 pm MT
  • March 10: 6.30 pm to 7:30 pm MT
  • March 27: 6.30 pm to 7:30 pm MT

Register today!

Earned your BSW abroad?

If you completed an undergraduate degree in Social Work or equivalent in another country (outside Canada/USA), you must have your degree assessed by the Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW) as equivalent to a Canadian BSW, prior to applying to the MSW program.

Learn more