In response to the growing concern about the quality of education in northern schools, the College of Education initiated an experimental summer session in 1961 aimed at the education of teachers for Indian and Metis communities. The success of the session prompted the creation of the Indian and Northern Education Program the following year. The goal of the program was to provide teachers intending to work in northern communities with the special skills needed to be productive in that environment. The program offers undergraduate, graduate and summer session classes and has published the periodicals "The Northian", "The Northian Newsletter", and "The Northian Research Bulletin". Recently the program became part of the Department of Educational Foundations. The following have served as head of the Program: A. Renaud (1962-1974); A.J. Dyer (1975-1985); C. King (1985-1992).

The Department of Educational Foundations was created as a result of the College of Education reorganization of 1974. Courses are designed to enable undergraduate and graduate students to look at education from a general or more specialized perspective. The department is best known for its work in the philosophy and sociology of education. The following have served as head of the department: G.J. Langley (1974-1980); D.B. Cochrane (1981-1986); W. Stephan (1986-1991); D.B. Cochrane (1991-1994); R. Wickett (1994- ).

Beginning in 1910, courses in educational theory and history, as well as summer courses for practising teachers, were offered through the College of Arts and Science. The failure to coordinate its efforts with those of the Normal School (teacher's college, established in Saskatoon in 1913), prompted the University to create a School of Education to prepare students to teach in the secondary school system. After one year's operation, the School became the College of Education in 1928. The College offered a one-year certificate programme as well as a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) degree for students completing additional course work. In 1947 a 4-year degree programme was introduced. In 1964 the College, on behalf of the University, assumed the responsibilities and absorbed the personnel of the province's Normal Schools. The following individuals have served as Dean: F.M. Quance (1928-1947); S.R. Laycock (1947-1953); C.E. Smith (1953-1955); A.C. McEown [Acting] (1955-1956); J.B. Kirkpatrick (1956-1976); R.H. Farquhar (1976-1981); Naomi L. Hersom (1981-1986); M.P. Scharf (1986- ).

In 1989 the College of Education appointed a Coordinator of French Programs. The program was designed to prepare French Immersion teachers and was a variation on the regular four year program. Two-thirds of the classes in the initial two years were taught in French and students attended a Quebec university during their third year. The program was eliminated in 1992. C. Larette (1989-1992) served as coordinator of the the program.

With the opening of its Murray Point Summer School of Art at Emma Lake in 1936, the University of Saskatchewan became the first Canadian University to establish an outdoor art school. The classes were designed to be equivalent to winter session courses with an emphasis on the needs of students from small towns, the majority of whom were teachers. In 1955 the Regina Campus Art Department decided to establish a two-week professional artists' workshop. Many acclaimed painters, sculptors, and art critics, especially from New York, made the trip north to Emma Lake. With the creation of the University of Regina in 1974, the University of Saskatchewan took sole administrative responsibility for the Murray Point School. In 1989 the Emma Lake Art School was renamed the Kenderdine Campus. A. "Gus" Kenderdine was director of the school from 1936 to 1947.

The Department of Women's and Gender Studies was established in 1992. It uses an interdisciplinary approach to such topics as the relationship between biology and gender construction, patterns of language use, identity formation, socialization, gender in literature, art and religion, and women's changing economic and political roles. The department's first head is D. Relke (1993- ).

Although the Sociology Department was formally established in 1958, classes in Sociology had been offered since 1940 through the Department of Economics. The merger of Economics and Political Science in 1947 resulted in the creation of a sub-department of Sociology. Within a year of its creation the Department of Sociology was offering graduate level classes and was developing a research program that would focus on ethnic relations, medical sociology, family studies and community development. In an effort to further facilitate excellence in research and scholarly work, the social research unit was created in 1983. The following have served as head of the department: R.E. DuWors (1957-1968); J.E. Abramson (1968-1972); D.R. Cherry (1972-1974); G.S. Basran (1974-1978); B.S. Bolaria (9178-1990); K. Storrie (1990-1993); T. Wotherspoon (1993-).

A proposal for the formation of a School of Theology was introduced and approved in principle in 1969. The proposed School would have offered a second, or post-BA, Bachelor's Degree in Theology, contributing to the requirements for ordination in some Christian denominations. This program would have involved the study of theology--specifically, Christian theology--rather than religious studies or world religions. By 1971, however, the proposal had failed to materialize. In December 1972 approval was granted to establish a School with close cooperation among the theological colleges already affiliated or federated with the University of Saskatchewan. The professoriate, which commenced its duties in September 1973, was drawn from the theological colleges and from various faculties from the College of Arts and Science. The School, using Arts and Science procedures, received approval from the College of Education to present a 5-class major and 4- and 3-class minors in Religious Studies in its Secondary Program and an area of concentration in Religious Studies in the College's Elementary Program. By September 1983, a proposal was under consideration to reorganize the School of Religious Studies into a department in the College of Arts and Science. This reorganization was approved and implemented by the 1984 winter session. R.W. Nostbakken served as Director of the School from 1973-1983. The following individuals have served as Head of the Department of Religious Studies: R.W. Nostbakken (1983-1985) [Acting]; Braj M. Sinha (1985- ).

In 1984, the Saskatchewan Health Research Board awarded a two year grant to Dr. Richard Wollert, Department of Psychology, University of Saskatchewan, to study self-help groups whose major focus of activity was to provide members with support and assistance in coping with a shared life problem. The program continued with the support of the Psychology Department until 1989, when it was renamed the Saskatchewan Self-Help Network, and began to operate in partnership with the University's Extension Division.

The first class in physics was offered during the 1910-1911 session. The department was charged with the task of developing classes designed to meet the physical science needs of all University colleges. The purchase of seismic instruments, the establishment of a campus weather station, and the planning and construction of the Physics Building were achieved during the department's first decade. Faculty interests in the 1920s and 1930s served as the foundation for much of the department's future research. Expertise in meteorology, climatology, and the physics of the aurora led to the creation of the Institute of Upper Atmospheric Physics (1956), the Institute of Space and Atmospheric Studies (1965), and the Space Engineering Division (SED Ltd) in 1965. Interest in nuclear physics led to the purchase of the Betatron (1948), the first non-commercial cobalt-60 unit for cancer treatment (1952), and the linear accelerator (1964). The following have served as head of the department: J.L. Hogg (1911-1919); A.G. McGougan (1919-1924); E.L. Harrington (1924-1952); B.W. Currie (1952-1961); R.N.H. Haslam (1961-1964); L. Katz (1956-1976); R. Montalbetti (9176-1991); E.J. Llewellyn (1991-1993); H.S. Caplan (1993- ).

The Department of Philosophy first appeared in the University Calendar of 1910, listing President Murray as a lecturer. In addition to the traditional classes on ethics, logic and religion the department offered classes in political science and psychology before those disciplines became separate departments. During the 1960s and 1970s the Department of Philosophy expanded its faculty to keep pace with the demand for both undergraduate and graduate courses. The department is known for its work in logic and act-utilitarianism. The following have served as head of the department: I.A. Mackay (1910-1912); L. Brehaut (1912-1918); J.A. Sharrard (1919-1946); J.V. Bateman (1947-1961); L.G. Millar (1961-1980); D.J. Crossley (1980-1983); T.Y. Henderson (1983-1985); P.T. Mackenzie (1985-1988); E. Dayton (1988-1995); D.J. Crossley (1995- ).

In 1931 the Carnegie Corporation awarded the University a three year grant to establish a school of music. In 1936 it became a College but remained a one person operation and was reduced to an Arts and Sciences elective in 1947. The Department of Music was formed in 1952 and expanded steadily adding classes in music education, literature, history and theory. With the amalgamation of the Teacher's College with the College of Education all music studies on campus were conducted by the Department of Music. The department has been involved in the community by sponsoring recitals and acting as consultants and directors for provincial and community ventures. The following have served as head of the department: A. Collingwood (1931-1947); J.M. Macrea (1947-1951); M. Adaskin (1952-1966); D. Kaplan (1966-1982); D. Nelson (1982-1984); R. Wedgewood (1984-1990); C.L. House (1990- ).

The Department of Mathematics was one of the original four departments of the University. From the beginning the department was charged with the responsibility of teaching classes in mathematics to students in all colleges of the University. This is still true, with the exception of a few specialized classes in areas such as statistics and applications of differential equations taught by other departments. The department teaches classes in pure and applied mathematics and statistics. The following have served as head of the department: G.H. Ling (1909-1938); R.D. James (1940-1943); W.H. Watson (1944-1946); H.H. Ferns (1946-1962); A.P. Guinand (1962-1964); C.E. Miller (1964-1970); G.H.M. Thomas (1970-1978); B.S. Lalli (1978-1979); R. Servranckx (1980-1982); M.A. Marshall (1982-1983); R. Manohar (1983-1988); R.V. Moody (1988-1990); T.R. Martin (1990- ).

The Department of History was one of the original four departments of the University. E.H. Oliver gave the first lecture on the first day of classes, set the first examination, and did the first research--collecting and editing documents concerning the history of Western Canada. The first MA awarded by the University was in History (1912). The History Department also played an important role in the founding of the Departments of Economics. Political Science, and Anthropology and Archaeology. Classes were original offered in Ancient, Medieval, Modern European and British History. As time progressed classes were added in Canadian, American, Slavic, and World History. The following have served as head of the department: E.H. Oliver (1909-1914); F.H. Underhill (1914-1915); A.S. Morton (1915-1940); G. Simspson (1940-1958); H. Neatby (1958-1969); I.N. Lambi (1969-1974); P.G. Bietenholz (1974-1978); T.D. Regher (1978-1982); H.C. Johnson (1982-1984); J.M. Hayden (1984-1988); C.A. Kent (1988-1990); D. Miquelon (1990-1995); W.A. (Bill) Waiser (1995-1998); Larry Stewart (1998-2003); Dave DeBrou (2003-March 2004); Martha Smith-Norris (Acting head) April-June 2004; Brett Fairbairn (2004-2006); Chris Kent (2006-2007); Brett Fairbairn (2007-2008); Valerie Korinek (2008- ).

German was offered in the University's first year of operation in 1909 with the Department of Germanic Languages being created in 1930. The Department was amalgamated with three other College of Arts and Science language units (Russian, Ukranian, and Spanish) into the new Department of Modern Languages in 1989. At the time the Departments of German and Slavic Studies were small, independent units in the College, and Spanish was part of the Department of French and Spanish.