Discussion Forum: Master’s Program Offering at Yukon College

Graduate Programs – Phase 1  April – June 2013  Kicked-off project  Completed 27 interviews with internal and external representatives  Distributed survey via online list-serve  Received 26 responses  Presented final report and recommendations for moving forward based on these responses

Graduate Programs – What We Heard Program  Professional Master’s Program  Has a Certificate option  Delivered in a blended delivery format Instructors  Existing faculty, adjuncts, local Ph.D. holders (ideally with teaching experience)

Graduate Programs – What We Heard Academic Focus  Climate-induced environmental change in the north  Interdisciplinary  Practically apply climate change lens to existing disciplines  Science background not required  Focus on science / policy interface  Credible credential is offered

Graduate Programs – Phase 2  July – September, 2013  Performed a gap analysis on the development and delivery of graduate- level programming  Made recommendations for moving forward

Proposed Timeline

Northern Environmental Changes and Community Adaptation  Introductory course  Examine impact of climate-induced environmental change on a variety of factors and local responses to them (policies and decision-making processes)  Course will run from July 15 – Sept. 30  Field component from Aug. 16 – Aug. 29

2 Week Field Component  Issued an Expression of Interest for relevant, community-based project work that is meaningful to communities and to students  Projects must be funded  Related to course outcomes  studying biological, cultural, geological, or socio-economic impacts of climate change.  assessing the responses to these impacts by community, territorial, federal or First Nation governments.

Potential Project Types  Assessing trends in long-term freeze/thaw data;  Assessing impacts to food security resulting from long-term temperature changes;  Documenting evidence of cultural changes;  Cataloguing culturally important plants;  Investigating alternative energy or food sources to increase community resiliency;  Studying the impacts of traditional land use on community health; or  Developing a workplan for an existing project.

Discussion #1  What would a course like this have to offer in order to be of interest to you or other YG employees?  What does Yukon College need to consider when offering a course intended for professional development?

Discussion #2  Given your experiences with community- based field programs, what lessons have you learned from previous offerings?  Realities of working with communities  Logistics

Discussion #3  What does Yukon College need to consider if we were to initiate discussion with YG about instructional opportunities for qualified YG employees?

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