The First Nations and Endangered Languages Program offers a program of study that leads to a Bachelor of Arts.
The First Nations and Endangered Languages Program (FNEL) is part of UBC's commitment to community-based collaboration with First Nations and other Indigenous peoples, in recognition of the vital importance of their languages and of the cultural traditions they represent. FNEL is an interdisciplinary undergraduate program within the Institute for Critical Indigenous Studies in the Faculty of Arts.
British Columbia has an extraordinarily rich linguistic heritage, being the ancestral home of more than half of the Indigenous languages of Canada. The reality is that all of the 34 surviving First Nations languages of BC are critically endangered, many facing the loss of their last generation of fluent speakers within the next decade. The loss of any one of these languages, which have flourished for millennia being passed from generation to generation as rich and vibrant oral traditions, constitutes an irreplaceable loss of a living expression of intellect, of specific cultural understanding, of a vital link to the past, and potential keys to our collective well-being, health, and sustainability.
Through partnership with the Musqueam Indian Band, the Faculty of Arts' First Nations and Endangered Languages (FNEL) program offers university-level classes in the traditional language and cultural heritage of the Musqueam (Coast Salish) people, on whose ancestral territory UBC is situated. These classes are held at the Musqueam Indian Reserve, and are taught in collaboration with members of the Musqueam community. The program also offers courses in other First Nations and Indigenous languages, as well as courses in methodologies and technologies for endangered language documentation, conservation, and revitalization.
FNEL courses are broadly interdisciplinary in approach and hence are of relevance to students in a diversity of humanities and social sciences programs who are interested in the complex spectrum of human language diversity, and in the dynamics of change, loss, sustainability, and revitalization.
Students can pursue a Major or Minor in FNEL. Alongside classes in which students can learn First Nations languages at all levels, from introductory to advanced, FNEL courses explore the processes and protocols for the documentation, conservation, and revitalization of endangered languages, cultures, and Indigenous knowledge systems locally, regionally and internationally.
Students pursuing a Major may wish to consider a double Major or a Minor in related areas such as First Nations and Indigenous Studies, Anthropology, Anthropological Archaeology, Linguistics, English Language, English Literature, History, Political Science, or Canadian Studies, among other options.
Major in First Nations and Endangered Languages
The Major requires the completion of at least 54 credits in FNEL and related areas, of which 30 credits must be at the 300/400 level.
FNEL Language Requirement
- 12 credits of FNEL_V 100- and 200-level language courses or the equivalent1
1Students may satisfy this requirement by completing 12 credits of a single or multiple FNEL language courses, or the equivalent (for example: community-based language courses). Students should contact CIS Advising (cis.advising@ubc.ca) in advance to discuss their options. This requirement will be updated manually.
Lower-level Requirements
Students must complete the following 12 credits of FNEL_V and FNIS_V courses:
- FNEL_V 180 (3)
- FNEL_V 281 (3)
- FNEL_V 282 (3)
- 3 credits at any level from FNIS_V
Upper-level Requirements
Students must complete at least 12 credits of upper level FNEL_V courses, as follows:
- A minimum of 3 credits from FNEL_V 481 (3) or FNEL_V 482 (3)
- A minimum of 9 credits from FNEL_V 300- and 400-level courses.
In addition, students must complete at least 18 credits from the Approved Course List at the 300- and 400-level.
Students should visit the First Nations and Endangered Languages Program website for the Approved Course List and additional information.
Minor in First Nations and Endangered Languages
The Minor requires the completion of at least 30 credits in FNEL_V and related areas, of which 18 credits must be at the 300/400 level.
FNEL Language Requirement
1Students may satisfy this requirement by completing 6 credits of a single or multiple FNEL language courses, or the equivalent (for example: community-based language courses). Students should contact CIS Advising (cis.advising@ubc.ca) in advance to discuss their options. This requirement will be updated manually.
Lower-level Requirements
Students must complete at least 6 credits of 100- and 200-level FNEL_V courses, as follows:
- 6 credits from FNEL_V 180, 281 and 282
Upper-level Requirements
Students must complete:
- A minimum of 9 credits from FNEL_V 300- and 400-level courses.
- In addition, students must complete at least 9 credits from the Approved Course List at the 300- and 400-level.
Students should visit the First Nations and Endangered Languages Program website for the Approved Course List and additional information.