The Certificate in First Nations Public Administration consists of 10 courses (30 credit hours) drawn primarily from the Department of First Nations Studies and Political Science, with offerings from Business Administration, and Economics. The courses from First Nations Studies provide students with foundations in internal and external First Nations issues and culture, and the courses from Political Science provide foundations in the principles of government, politics, and public administration, as well as some specialization in First Nations law, self-government and administration. The program is generic in nature so that the knowledge can be transferred to different community settings, as well as to the variety of situations that students will encounter throughout their lives.

Two important purposes of the Certificate are, first, to provide requisite education to assist individuals involved in the administration of First Nations governments and, second, to provide expanded educational opportunities at the university level for students who are not in a position to commit to a four-year program of study.