BA in American Indian Studies

Native Americans had a significant influence on the way we live today. Explore indigenous narratives, heritage, history, and how American Indians have affected virtually every aspect of our culture, including language, government, literature, recreation, medicine, hygiene, and food. The American Indian Studies program promotes an interdisciplinary understanding of the Native American experience by facilitating student encounters with various historical, literary, artistic, linguistic, and political perspectives on the Native American past and present.

Indigenous ways of knowing, postcolonial approaches to cultural criticism, and global understandings of native lifeways all prepare American Indian Studies majors to enter their professional lives with a sophisticated and culturally-rich understanding of the diverse worldviews of Native people in North America. In addition, the AIS program promotes awareness of common themes and distinctive features of indigenous peoples from around the globe. It emphasizes that a nuanced understanding of tribal sovereignty is essential to understanding the past, present, and future of American Indian life.