A new Masters of Education degree program is starting up in Prince Albert.

The Gabriel Dumont Institute is offering the two-and-a-half-year program.

It is intended to provide teachers with a wider degree of knowledge, particularly in the Aboriginal field.

Coordinator Michael Relland says that will give some graduates the chance to step into administration directly or another specialized field.  Some may even go into consulting.

Relland says the decision to offer the program was sparked by local interest.

“One of the questions we had from the school divisions is they want to focus on how to implement Metis and First Nations content into the curriculum.  So, it’s basically we want to raise awareness for all the students who enrol in this program on Aboriginal issues, and how to incorporate that in the curriculum.”

Relland says the program will start next July and take between 20 to 25 students.

The class is being offered in partnership with the University of Regina.