GENI Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can the GENI program be completed entirely at a distance?

The GENI program can be completed almost but not entirely at a distance. During the first year of the program, you will need to attend two week-long field schools (one in northern Norway and one in northern Saskatchewan). The program's core courses are all available online but a reliance on online courses may limit the variety of electives you have to choose from.

The program uses a mix of synchronous and asynchronous courses, and synchronous meetings are scheduled to facilitate participation from students in European and North American time zone. Students who wish to join the program from Asia and Oceania are welcome, but they may find the scheduled meeting times inconvenient.

2. What kind of degree do I need to be accepted?

In order to be accepted into the GENI program, you need a bachelor's degree in social science, law or education. Degrees in natural sciences, business, engineering or related fields are in general not sufficient. However, a combination of education and experience might make you eligible without one of these degrees, please feel free to contact us with the specifics of your case.

For more information, please see the Admission Requirements. 

3. Do I need to prove my language proficiency?

All applicants must meet the language requirements of both UiT and USask.

Applicants with Higher Education Entrance Qualification (GSK) from a Norwegian High School are exempt from USask's English-language proficiency requirements. An applicant with a three-year degree from an eligible English-language institution may also be exempt (see USask requirements).

4. What is the Applied Research Project?

The Applied Research Project (ARP) is an example of "service learning" that allows students to put their research, writing and policy development skills into practice, for the mutual benefit of scholarship and local institutions.

The ARP is a collaboration between a host, academic supervisor and the student. The host may be a business, an organization, a governmental body, a northern community or some other institution. The project is a consultation process, in which the student works on an issue that the host has identified as a priority.

For students, the benefits of the project extend beyond the obvious sharpening of their analytical and communication skills. The students are able to get hands-on experience with an organization and establish useful contacts for future work. It also serves as the basis for later thesis work.

The ARP builds on preparatory work completed in the Research Methods and Indigenous Research Ethics course (IND-3012) the previous autumn. ARP work is undertaken in the spring and summer of the first year for full-time students (second year for part-time students). The research generally takes place in the country of your home institution, though other arrangements can be made on a case-by-case basis. When feasible and desirable for the host, students may spend time on site doing primary research, including interviews.

The course is taught separately at each partner institution. Further details on requirements for the ARP at UiT are included in the IND-3013 course description available online. For the NORD 870 course at USask see this course description.

5. What is the GENI thesis?

To research and write their thesis, GENI students develop a topic in conjunction with their supervisors, often building on the research completed in their Applied Research Project. The resulting paper is expected to be between 12 000-14 000 words (approximately 40-45 pages).

The thesis is part of a thesis seminar course (IND-3902), worth 35 ECTS. During this course, students draft a thesis proposal, take part in regular discussion, present their own texts, and give feedback to their peers. Students are encouraged to start participating in the thesis course as soon as they are ready to begin preparing their thesis. Part-time students research and write their theses over at least 4 semesters, while full-time students complete it over at least 2 semesters.

7. What are the program costs? Can I get funding?

All GENI students are required to pay off-campus student fees (charged three times a year) at USask as well as semester fees (charged twice a year) at UiT, but these are quite minimal.

Students with USask as their home institution are also required to pay USask tuition fees. Your home institution is decided based on your residence while completing the program; students living in European time zones have UiT as their host institution, while those living in North American time zones have USask as their host institution. The home institution of applicants living outside these two regions are decided on a case-by-case basis. Please note that all GENI students are registered as students at both universities, regardless of their home institution.

Students are responsible for covering the cost of their individual travel to and from the GENI field schools. Your home institution should be able to cover your costs during the field school, including accommodation, local transportation and meals, but please contact the program administrators from your nearest GENI partner institution for more information about potential field school costs.

Financial support

Information on financial support to cover tuition costs can be found on the USask website. Scholarships to cover tuition costs are available to eligible applicants.

For the duration of the program, you may be eligible for funding from UiT and/or USask to support exchange, your work with the Applied Research Project, and your thesis.

8. How and when will courses be delivered?

Course delivery methods are the prerogative of course instructors. Some prefer to organize the courses so that students communicate entirely in writing (via educational websites), whereas others prefer a mix of pre-recorded lectures and live videoconference seminars.

As such, a relatively high-speed internet connection and quality microphones are important to facilitate videoconferencing.

Because of the time difference between students in Saskatchewan and Norway, there are limited options for scheduling seminars involving all students. Videoconference seminars and other synchronous meetings usually take place either in the early morning (Saskatchewan/Central Standard Time) or in the late afternoon (Norway/Central European Time).

The officially program starts in August, but most classes do not begin until September. There is a week-long field school in the first semester of the program, and another in the second semester. Most GENI courses are done by June at the latest, but independent research projects like the ARP and thesis usually involve work during the summer months.

9. How much time and work will be required of me as a student?

We expect that part-time students following the standard course plan to spend an average of 20 hours per week, while full-time students are expected to spend twice that much work. Even part-time students are encouraged not to attempt to complete the program while engaged in full-time employment.

Videoconference seminars and other synchronous meetings usually take place either in the early morning (Saskatchewan/Central Standard Time) or in the late afternoon (Norway/Central European Time).

10. Can I go on exchange/mobility while enrolled in the GENI program?

Students in the GENI program are encouraged to apply for one semester of exchange at the partner institution. If you are considering an exchange semester, you should contact the program administrators at least six months ahead of time.

For students coming on exchange to UiT, the rules set by the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) apply. For a stay in Norway longer than 3 months, all students from outside the European Union require a student residence permit. Visiting students should apply for a student visa/study permit for Norway at least 3-4 months prior to the start of their semester at UiT. Applicants must document substantial funds at their disposal in a Norwegian bank account before a permit will be issued. Further information on this process can be found on the UiT student web portal and the UDI website.

GENI exchange students at UiT are guaranteed a room in student accommodation as long as they complete the online form at Samskipnaden (Norway's Arctic Student Welfare Organization) before the given deadline.