WINNIPEG, MB – Julie Pelletier, Ph.D., has accepted the position of Director of the new Master’s in Development Practice (MDP) in Indigenous Development. She will continue to serve as Chair of the Department of Indigenous Studies, formerly the Aboriginal Governance Program, a position she began in July, 2010. Dr. Pelletier earned a Ph.D. and an M.A. in Cultural Anthropology specializing in Indigenous cultures at Michigan State University. An award-winning teacher, she helped found the American Indian Studies degree at the University of Minnesota, Morris, before coming to UWinnipeg, where she brings a history of collaborative work inside and outside of academia, high standards of critical thinking for students and faculty, and a commitment to Indigenous issues, research, and applied work.
focus on indigenous development
“The Master’s in Development Practice in Indigenous Development is a perfect fit for the Department of Indigenous Studies,” said Dr. Pelletier. “We’ve been involved from the early days of Dr. Lloyd Axworthy’s interest in pursuing a grant from the prestigious John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to establish a unique and specialized Master’s in Development Practice (MDP) with a focus on indigenous development. We have a good track record for offering interdisciplinary degrees with an international focus, including a BA in Indigenous Studies and an MA in Indigenous Governance.”
UWinnipeg is the only university in the world to specialize in indigenous development within the MDP program. The MDP will combine training in the health sciences, natural sciences, social sciences and management to give practitioners the tools to address the world’s most challenging problems while creating leaders in indigenous development studies.
Dr. Pelletier reports, “The MDP Graduate Committee is impressed with the quality of our first set of applicants, who will start courses in August, 2011. We are looking for a cohort that is 1/3 domestic, 1/3 international, and 1/3 Indigenous (from any country) and 100% excellent! To attract more mid-career professionals, we will accept part-time applicants and invite these applications as soon as possible as there are limited openings available.”
For information on this exciting new MDP visit http://mdp.uwinnipeg.ca or email mdp@uwinnipeg.ca.
