The Indigenous studies M.A. degree program emphasizes Indigenous knowledge systems. The program is designed to provide graduate students from various fields of interest an opportunity to pursue in-depth study of the role and contributions of Indigenous knowledge in the contemporary world. Students are expected to demonstrate the ability to work effectively with Indigenous people in their studies.<br><br>Indigenous studies doctoral candidates will participate in research activities across a variety of UAF academic disciplines and applied fields. Students are encouraged to engage in comparative studies with other Indigenous peoples worldwide and to focus their dissertation research on issues of relevance to Indigenous communities. Using the interdisciplinary Ph.D. model of academic assignment, the student's home base will be in the school or college of the student's major advisor, who also serves as an affiliate faculty member for the program.<br><br>The program objectives and its curriculum center around six areas of concentration: Indigenous studies and research, Indigenous knowledge systems, Indigenous education and pedagogy, Indigenous languages, Indigenous leadership and Indigenous sustainability. Students may focus on one of these areas or draw on multiple themes in collaboration with their graduate committee to develop their areas of knowledge and dissertation research. In collaboration with the graduate committee, each student will develop a program of coursework and research that produces a unique intellectual contribution to the applied fields associated with Indigenous studies