American Indian Studies
Interdepartmental Undergraduate Minor
The American Indian Studies Program is a cross-disciplinary program in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences that emphasizes perspectives from American Indian Studies, Anthropology, art, history, literature, political science and sociology. The primary goal of the American Indian Studies program is to conduct interdisciplinary investigations of the intellectual practices, lived history, values, political Status, rights, and responsibilities of tribal nations. Students have the opportunity to learn about the cultural heritage of American Indians, their historical relationship with non-Indians, and their participation in contemporary American society. They analyze the tropes and techniques common to American Indian oral and written literatures; comparison/contrast of American Indian cultures to mainstream and other world cultures; and, articulation of the role American Indians are playing in approaches to modern social and environmental issues.
The courses in the American Indian Studies Program provide added background for students whose career interests may include multicultural education, human Services, legal services, or public administration.
Within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, courses in American Indian Studies can be used as electives, in a minor, or in an interdisciplinary studies major (for details, see Index, Interdisciplinary Studies). Students majoring in another college who wish to use these courses should consult with their advisers.
A minor in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences must include at least 15 credits of courses in the field. A minor in American Indian Studies must include:
| AM IN 210 | Introduction to American Indian Studies | 3 |
| Two courses chosen from the following: | ||
| Topics in American Indian Studies | ||
| Peoples and Cultures of Native North America | ||
| Current Issues in Native North America | ||
| American Indian Literature | ||
And two additional courses chosen from the program courses listed below. The American Indian Studies Program Committee will, upon application by the student and review of the program, certify that the student has completed a minor in American Indian Studies.
Because course offerings vary from year to year, any student interested in a minor in American Indian Studies should contact the American Indian Studies office for advising. (See Index, LAS Cross-Disciplinary Programs.)
Courses primarily for undergraduate students
AM IN 210. Introduction to American Indian Studies.
(3-0) Cr. 3.
F.S.SS.
Introduction to the multidisciplinary aspects of American Indian studies. Topics include literature, the arts, history, anthropology, sociology, education, and contemporary Indian politics. Guest lectures, media presentations, and discussion of assigned readings.
Meets U.S. Diversity Requirement
AM IN 240. Introduction to American Indian Literature.
(Cross-listed with ENGL). (3-0) Cr. 3.
F.
Prereq: Credit in or exemption from ENGL 150
Appreciation of oral and written forms of American Indian literatures. Tropes and techniques in oral, visual and written texts. Focus on the role of American Indians in interdisciplinary approaches to modern social and environmental issues as expressed in literary works.
Meets U.S. Diversity Requirement
AM IN 310. Topics in American Indian Studies.
(3-0) Cr. 3.
Repeatable, maximum of 6 credits. F.S.
Issues within specific topical areas of American Indian society and culture, such as social work with Indian families, tribal government, and environmental policy.
Meets U.S. Diversity Requirement
AM IN 315. Archaeology of North America.
(Cross-listed with ANTHR). (3-0) Cr. 3.
S.
Prereq: ANTHR 202 or 308
Prehistory and early history of North America as reconstructed from archaeological evidence; peopling of the New World; culture-historical sequences of major culture areas; linkages of archaeological traditions with selected ethnohistorically known Native American groups.
Meets U.S. Diversity Requirement
AM IN 320. Great Plains Archaeology.
(Cross-listed with ANTHR). (3-0) Cr. 3.
F.
Prereq: ANTHR 202
Prehistoric societies of the Great Plains region of North America, from initial occupation to European contact; emphasis on sociocultural changes, continuities, and adaptations to changing environments using archaeological, ecological, ethnographic information.
Meets U.S. Diversity Requirement
AM IN 322. Peoples and Cultures of Native North America.
(Cross-listed with ANTHR). (3-0) Cr. 3.
F.SS.
Prereq: ANTHR 201 or AM IN 210
Origin, distribution, and pre-contact life of the indigenous peoples of North America. Survey of culture areas; language families, social and political systems, ecological and economic adaptations, religion and spirituality; impact of European contact; cultural resilience and revitalization in contemporary American Indian life.
Meets U.S. Diversity Requirement
AM IN 323. Topics in Latin American Anthropology.
(Cross-listed with ANTHR). (3-0) Cr. 3.
Repeatable, maximum of 9 credits. S.
Prereq: ANTHR 201 or 306 recommended
Exploration of key contemporary and historical issues in Latin American Anthropology; discussion of current anthropological approaches to studying Latin American social issues in a global context. Topics vary each time offered.
A. Violence and Memory
B. Social movements and Democracy
C. Race, Class and Gender
D. Regional Focus
AM IN 328. American Indian Religions.
(Cross-listed with RELIG). (3-0) Cr. 3.
An introduction to the beliefs and rituals of Native American religious traditions, with attention to cultural and historical contexts and implications.
Nonmajor graduate credit.
Meets U.S. Diversity Requirement
AM IN 332. Current Issues in Native North America.
(Cross-listed with ANTHR). (3-0) Cr. 3.
S.
Prereq: ANTHR 201 or 306; 322 or AM IN 210 recommended
Conditions and issues of contemporary American Indian peoples, historical background of contemporary life; federal policies, treaty rights, and sovereignty. Economic development and politics on reservations, family and gender roles, cultural innovation and revitalization, urbanization, recent social movements, and other current concerns.
Meets U.S. Diversity Requirement
AM IN 342. American Indian Women Writers.
(Cross-listed with W S). (3-0) Cr. 3.
Prereq: ENGL 250
Literature of American Indian women writers which examines their social, political, and cultural roles in the United States. Exploration of American Indian women's literary, philosophical, and artistic works aimed at recovering elements of identity, redescribing stereotypes, resisting colonization, and constructing femininity.
Nonmajor graduate credit.
Meets U.S. Diversity Requirement
AM IN 346. American Indian Literature.
(Cross-listed with ENGL). (3-0) Cr. 3.
Prereq: ENGL 250
Survey of literature by Native Americans from pre-Columbian tales and songs to contemporary novels and poetry.
Nonmajor graduate credit.
Meets U.S. Diversity Requirement
AM IN 426. Topics in Native American Architecture.
(Cross-listed with DSN S, ARCH). (3-0) Cr. 3.
Repeatable, maximum of 6 credits.
Prereq: Junior classification
History, theory, and principles of Native American/American Indian architecture, landscape architecture and planning considering relationships to the culture, visual arts, site, and surroundings. Credit counts toward fulfillment of Studies in Architecture and Culture requirements.
Nonmajor graduate credit. A maximum of 6 credits of Arch 426 may be applied to degree program.
Meets U.S. Diversity Requirement
AM IN 490. Independent Study.
Cr. arr.
Repeatable, maximum of 9 credits.
Prereq: 6 credits in American Indian studies; permission of instructor
Designed to meet the needs of students who wish to study in areas other than those in which courses are offered.
No more than 9 credits in Am In 490 may be counted toward graduation.