INDS605 – Special Topics in Interdisciplinary Studies

The objective of the course is to engages students in the study of timely, socially relevant topic`s from inter-, multi-, and transdisciplinary perspectives. Provides students with insights into emerging topics offered by scholars with topic-specific expertise. Course themes will focus on broad and/or complex issues that draw on a variety of disciplines in an integrated manner. Students learn through scholarship and research, discussion, and an applied project as they explore emerging areas of expertise. Course themes may be related to culture, society, technology, economy, governance, and the environment.

Topic: Surveys, Interviews, and Focus Groups

Offered Oct 12 till Dec 19, 2027. Instructed by Stéphanie Vieille

This course offers master’s students deeper, practical guidance on collecting data from human subjects. It focuses specifically on three key methods: surveys, interviews, and focus groups. Students will gain applied skills in designing and conducting these methods, from crafting effective survey questions to facilitating interviews and moderating focus groups. Each module provides clear, step-by-step instruction, ethical considerations, and practical tools to support research planning and execution. By the end of the course, students will be well-equipped to gather qualitative and quantitative data confidently and rigorously—an essential step in conducting meaningful, human-centered research.

INDS620: Research Paper

Constitutes a substantial written examination of a topic relevant to an interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary program of study. May include studies of application of knowledge to the field, development of instructional or organizational practices or resources, evaluations of practices or resources, critical analyses of problems or issues, policy analysis or development, performative writing, documentary work, systematic literature reviews or data analyses as negotiated with the instructor and based on publicly available data. Optimum length for a research paper is 6,000 words and should involve approximately 200 hours of effort by the student resulting in the awarding of 6 credit hours.

INDS690: Thesis

A thesis is a written product of a systematic study of a significant problem. The thesis demonstrates the ability of a student to analyze existing research, collate or collect data, and apply it in the context of an existing problem. The result is a de novo synthesis of theoretical and empirical information. The thesis identifies a problem, provides a rationale for the study, and states the hypothesis or research question. It identifies major theoretical assumptions, explains the methods chosen to study the problem, analyzes the data, and offers a conclusion or recommendation based on the data and theoretical framing. The finished thesis evidences originality, critical and independent thinking, appropriate organization and format, and thorough documentation. The thesis should constitute approximately 400 hours of effort by the learner.

INED525: Developing and Managing Indigenous Enterprises

The course will explore the key topics and skills Indigenous managers, and others working with Indigenous communities, need to successfully develop and lead Indigenous enterprises and partnerships. Much of the learning in this course is complimented by guest presenters such as Indigenous practitioners, to present a practical perspective on the concepts covered in the course. This course covers concepts and exploring issues and solutions in the fields of ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) as a business reporting methodology, Human Resource Management, Environmental Planning and Management, Supply Chain and Procurement and related topics. All topics are underpinned in Indigenous culture and perspectives. Learners will be challenged to assess course concepts through applied analysis of concepts against an Indigenous lens. Learners will develop a prospective Indigenous business opportunity in the context of opportunity development and risk assessment.

INED550: Developing Strategic Indigenous Partnerships

This course serves as a capstone course for the Graduate Certificate in Indigenous Economic Development. The course has a focus on negotiations and partnerships in an Indigenous context and provides case-based scenarios and the use of real, practical tools and opportunities for students to develop negotiation skills and explore various models of partnerships for successful engagement with both Indigenous and non-Indigenous organizations. Students will examine ways to create new ideas and approaches that go beyond past agreements and thinking to expand the range of possible outcomes and benefits to be developed through successful partnerships. The course also focuses on leadership skills and understandings to support work with Indigenous peoples, communities and enterprises.

LEAD534: Considerations for Health Systems Renewal

Examines key leadership related challenges facing health leaders working in health systems and explores considerations for health systems renewal and transformation in practice. In this course, students with leadership experience and a health professions background explore health systems challenges they are currently experiencing through different perspectives and orientations to identify possibilities for health systems renewal, transformation, or change. Throughout the course, health systems leaders engage with students to share their perspectives and insights about critical facets of health systems renewal and transformation and engage in meaningful dialogue.

LEAD537: Anti-Racism and Cultural Safety in Health Care

Students with leadership experience and a health professions background, explore and address widespread racism and discrimination towards Indigenous and racialized People in healthcare and the direct link to health disparities and outcomes. The course begins by establishing a baseline of knowledge and skills around systemic racism, colonization, and discrimination and creates a supportive container for learning. Draws connection between yourself, your identities, and the land, and considers how you interact with systems. Finally, considers what it means to have an ‘anti-racist or equity stance’ and what attitudes, behaviours, and skills demonstrate both awareness and action.

LRNT524: Innovation, Design and Learning Environments

Explores a variety of design models and approaches in creating exemplar learning environments. Analyzes and gains an appreciation of student and stakeholder needs. Investigates effective and ineffective designs. Explores the role of innovation in re-imagining learning environments. Applies a design mindset to solve real-world problems. 

MGMT584: Derivatives and Risk Management

This course covers two main topics in finance: financial derivatives and risk management. The course provides an overview of the derivatives markets. It covers arbitrage, hedging, speculating, and other trading strategies. The course also teaches students how to price forward contracts, call and put options using discrete time and continuous time models for options. In particular, the course covers the binomial option pricing model and the Black-Scholes option pricing model. In addition to financial derivatives, the course also provides a comprehensive treatment of the theoretical concepts and modeling techniques of modern risk management. The course covers methods for market, credit, and operational risk modeling. Although the course draws on methods and techniques from financial economics and statistics, the focus is mainly practical. The objective is to equip students with relevant techniques to measure and manage risk in practice. (Prerequisite is either MGMT560 or BUSA523.)

MGMT583: Finance Theory and Investments

This course is an introduction to finance theory. Students are expected to bring the background of an introductory course in statistics, linear algebra, and optimization. The course covers in depth the fundamental equilibrium models of price formation in finance; namely, Markowitz’s mean-variance portfolio theory, capital asset pricing model, arbitrage pricing theory, and factors models. Other topics include models of bond prices, yields, and managing portfolio bonds. In addition to mastering the theoretical foundations, the course adopts a hands-on practical approach that matches the theory with practical applications that are routinely performed in the finance profession. In particular, students will learn how the portfolio management process (PMP) is performed in practice. In addition to using real data on financial assets (from Bloomberg, Thomson Reuters, and other sources), students will also learn how to analyze financial statements, perform fundamental and technical analysis, and how to construct financial portfolios. (Prerequisite is either MGMT560 or BUSA523.)