Maskwacis Cultural College (MCC) is a private post-secondary institution within the Four Nations of

Maskwacis Maskwacis (; , ), renamed in 2014 from Hobbema (), is an unincorporated community in central Alberta, Canada at intersection of Highway 2A and Highway 611, approximately south of the City of Edmonton. The community consists of two Cree First ...

, Alberta, Canada. MCC offers programs from basic

adult literacy Adult education, distinct from child education, is a practice in which adults engage in systematic and sustained educating activities in order to gain new knowledge, skills, attitudes, or values. Merriam, Sharan B. & Brockett, Ralph G. ''The Pr ...

, two-year college diplomas, to university transfer programs.

Partnerships

Maskwacis Cultural College is a member of the First Nation and Adult Higher Education Consortium, a non-profit organization in Western Canada, which coordinates the efforts of its members to provide quality adult and higher education, controlled entirely by people of the First Nations.

History

In 1974, the Four Bands of Hobbema established Maskwacis Cultural Centre under the Cultural/Educational Centres Program of Indian Affairs Canada. From 1974 to 1986, the Maskwacis Cultural Centre's mission was to preserve Plains Cree culture and history, to support

Cree language Cree ( ; also known as Cree–Montagnais language, Montagnais–Naskapi language, Naskapi) is a dialect continuum of Algonquian languages spoken by approximately 86,475 people across Canada in 2021, from the Northwest Territories to Alberta to ...

development and to provide Post-secondary opportunities to members of the Four Nations by brokering courses from various public institutions. In 1986, the Board of Governors, with assistance and support of the Chiefs of Samson, Ermineskin, Louis Bull and Montana Bands, sought formal recognition for Maskwachees Cultural Centre as a post-secondary institution. In July 1988, the

Legislative Assembly of Alberta The Legislative Assembly of Alberta is the deliberative assembly of the province of Alberta, Canada. It sits in the Alberta Legislature Building in Edmonton. Since 2012 the Legislative Assembly has had 87 members, elected first past the post f ...

passed the Maskwacîs Cultural College Act (Bill PR20), establishing the Maskwachees Cultural College as a Private Post-Secondary Institution in Alberta with authority to grant certification to students at the Certificate and Diploma levels. In 1987, Maskwacis Cultural College's university courses were recognized as transfer equivalencies to the

University of Alberta The University of Alberta (also known as U of A or UAlberta, ) is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta, and Henry Marshall Tory, t ...

, the

University of Calgary {{Infobox university , name = University of Calgary , image = University of Calgary coat of arms without motto scroll.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms , former ...

, the

University of Lethbridge The University of Lethbridge (also known as uLethbridge, uLeth, and U of L) is a public comprehensive and research university located in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, with a second campus in Calgary, Alberta. Founded in the liberal arts traditio ...

and

Augustana University College Augustana University College was a Lutheran college in Camrose, Alberta, Canada, from 1910 until it merged in 2004 with the University of Alberta The University of Alberta (also known as U of A or UAlberta, ) is a public research university ...

. Since then Maskwachees Cultural College's university courses were brokered to Yellowhead Tribal Council in Edmonton and the MCC Early Childhood Development Program was brokered to

Lesser Slave Lake Indian Regional Council Lesser Slave Lake Indian Regional Council is a Tribal Council representing First Nation communities around Lesser Slave Lake in Alberta, Canada. The council is based in Slave Lake, Alberta. Member First Nations Current First Nation members are: * ...

Grouard Grouard, also known as Grouard Mission, is a hamlet in northern Alberta within Big Lakes County. It was previously an incorporated municipality between 1909 and 1944. Grouard is located north of Highway 2, approximately northeast of Grande ...

, Alberta.

Programs

Students can complete the first two years of various university degrees at MCC, as well as a variety of upgrading, certificate and diploma programs.

Academics

Students are instructed by professors from affiliated universities and colleges. Some of the academic programs offered at MCC are as follows: * Adult Basic Education (ABE) * Bachelor of Education * Bachelor of Arts * Academic Upgrading * Cree Language Instructor Training Diploma * Diploma leading to Bachelor of Education * Diploma leading to Bachelor of Arts * First Nations Management Diploma * Indigenous Social Work Diploma * Educational Assistant (Special Needs) * First Nations Management * Indigenous Social Work * Maskwacis Administrative Assistant * Off Campus Student Support * Prior Learning Assessment & Recognition (PLAR) Program * University & College Preparation (UCEPP) * University outreach program

Scholarships and bursaries

The

Government of Canada The Government of Canada (), formally His Majesty's Government (), is the body responsible for the federation, federal administration of Canada. The term ''Government of Canada'' refers specifically to the executive, which includes Minister of t ...

sponsors an Aboriginal Bursaries Search Tool that lists over 680 scholarships, bursaries, and other incentives offered by governments, universities, and industry to support Aboriginal post-secondary participation.

External links

Maskwacis Cultural College

References

{{authority control Colleges in Alberta Indigenous universities and colleges in North America First Nations education in Canada Community colleges in Canada Educational institutions established in 1988 1988 establishments in Alberta