American Indigenous Studies
Undergraduate Programs
Description
American Indigenous Studies (AIS) provides a broad and interdisciplinary understanding of Indigenous Americans, especially the Dakota peoples, and their respective ways of life in the past, present, and future. AIS welcomes all students, Native and non-Native, to pursue knowledge of Indigenous cultures, languages, ways of knowing, histories, politics, media, and other topics. The AIS program prepares students to pursue careers in ethnically diverse settings and tribal communities or graduate work. AIS facilitates a space where Indigenous American worldviews are an enduring and integral part of the diverse intellectual atmosphere at the University.
Majors |
Program | Locations | Total Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Indigenous Studies BA | BA - Bachelor of Arts |
|
120 |
| American Indigenous Studies BS | BS - Bachelor of Science |
|
120 |
Certificates |
Program | Locations | Total Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Indigenous Studies CERT |
|
15 |
Minors |
Program | Locations | Total Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Indigenous Studies Minor |
|
21 |
Policies & Faculty
Policies
Admission to Major is granted by the American Indigenous Studies Program. The American Indigenous Studies Program adheres to the minimum University admission requirements: 1) a minimum of 32 earned semester credit hours and 2) a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00 (“C”).
Contact Information
359 Trafton North
Main Office (507) 389-6318https://sbs.mnsu.edu/ais/
Faculty
Director
- Rhonda Dass, PhD.
Faculty
100 Level
Credits: 3
Class introduces students to history of the discipline and surveys both historic and contemporary topics of importance to American Indian Studies including gender roles, education, sovereignty, treaties, and oral traditions.Prerequisites: none
Goal Areas: GE-05, GE-07
Diverse Cultures: Purple
Credits: 4
This course provides the first steps in understanding the Dakota culture through the language of the Oyate or Dakota people. Students will be introduced to culture and concepts through the Dakota language and learn to understand the words from a Dakota worldview.Prerequisites: AIS 101
Diverse Cultures: Purple
Credits: 4
This course provides the second step in understanding the Dakota culture through the language of the Oyate or Dakota people. Students will continue to explore an understanding of culture and concepts through the Dakota language and learn to understand the words from a Dakota worldview.Prerequisites: AIS 101, AIS 110
Diverse Cultures: Purple
Credits: 4
An introduction to the basic skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing in the Ojibwe language as well as non-linguistic aspects of cultural background and history.Prerequisites: none
Goal Areas: GE-07, GE-08
Diverse Cultures: Purple
Credits: 4
An introduction to the basic skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing in the Ojibwe language as well as non-linguistic aspects of cultural background and history.Prerequisites: none
Goal Areas: GE-07, GE-08
Diverse Cultures: Purple
200 Level
Credits: 4
Grammar review, oral practice, written composition, and development of reading and listening skills within a cultural context.Prerequisites: none
Goal Areas: GE-08
Credits: 4
Grammar review, oral practice, written composition, and development of reading and listening skills within a cultural context.Prerequisites: none
Goal Areas: GE-08
Credits: 3
Oral traditions are at the base of all American Indian cultures. This class will provide students with the necessary tools for a better understanding of traditional knowledge and its importance within diverse traditional cultures.Prerequisites: none
Goal Areas: GE-05, GE-07
Diverse Cultures: Purple
Credits: 3
This course is an introduction to Native American history from creation to 1900 in North America. It introduces students to the continuity of social, cultural, political, and economic diversity amongst Native American peoples and focuses on adaptions to intertribal and colonial relationships during this time period.Prerequisites: none
Goal Areas: GE-05, GE-07
Diverse Cultures: Purple
Credits: 3
This course is an introduction to Native American history from 1900 to present day. It introduces students to the continuity of social, cultural, political, and economic diversity amongst Native American peoples and focuses on the impact of federal Indian policy, issues of power, sovereignty, identity, activism, and self-determination.Prerequisites: none
Goal Areas: GE-05, GE-07
Diverse Cultures: Purple
Credits: 3
Course introduces students to the legal side of being American Indian. Politics and policies will be examined to show how a contemporary native experience is shaped through American courts, Presidential chambers, and Native activist movements.Prerequisites: AIS 101
Goal Areas: GE-05, GE-07
Diverse Cultures: Purple
Credits: 3
This course will provide overview of Minnesota Indian nations and their relations to each other and the effects of European incursion. Subsequent relations will focus on the US-Dakota war and its aftermath.Prerequisites: none
Goal Areas: GE-05, GE-07
Diverse Cultures: Purple
Credits: 3
Being American Indian and being woman creates a unique situation for women who have been directly influenced by the differences of gender roles from two intersecting cultures. This course will focus on how those differences have affected American Indian Women.Prerequisites: none
Goal Areas: GE-05, GE-07
Diverse Cultures: Purple
Credits: 3
The course is offered according to student demand and instructor availability/expertise. A variety of topics related to ethnic and cultural areas will provide curriculum enrichment on an ongoing basis.Prerequisites: none
300 Level
Credits: 3
Examines leadership prior to European colonization, the overlap of Indian and colonial leadership, contemporary governmental leadership, and contemporary tribal leadership. Define what is and is not leadership and examine characteristics of individuals deserving the title of leader among American Indians.Prerequisites: none
Diverse Cultures: Purple
Credits: 3
This class introduces students to Indigenous perspectives of education, knowledge, and learning. Students will explore the historical relationships between educational institutions, policies, practices, and Indigenous communities. Through an engagement with present day efforts of educators, programs, and institutions that incorporate and engage traditional knowledges, students will develop a deeper understanding of Indigenous education and ways to promote teaching practices and pedagogies that value and support a diverse educational community.Prerequisites: none
Goal Areas: GE-05, GE-09
Diverse Cultures: Purple
Credits: 3
This course examines American Indian identity as it relates to Hollywood film industry history. Underlying issues of contemporary Indians are also addressed through an introduction to Native Cinema and the effects of current technologies and globalization.Prerequisites: none
Diverse Cultures: Purple
Credits: 3
Introduces students to the differences between indigenous and Western views of the environment. Analyzes the impact of invasion and encroachment on indigenous societies' interactions with nature. Compares historical and contemporary environmental issues in indigenous societies.Prerequisites: none
Goal Areas: GE-10
Diverse Cultures: Purple
Credits: 3
Course introduces students to the various ways that land is used by American Indians. We will explore traditional land use, contemporary land use, and land issues that impact American Indians and cultural activities that are tied to the land.Prerequisites: none
Diverse Cultures: Purple
Credits: 0
Curricular Practical Training: Co-Operative Experience is a zero-credit full-time practical training experience for one semester and an adjacent fall or spring term. Special rules apply to preserve full-time student status. Please contact an advisor in your program for complete information.Prerequisites: At least 60 credits earned; in good standing; instructor permission; co-op contract; other prerequisites may also apply.
400 Level
Credits: 3
Introduces students to museum science and how historic constructs, practices, and contemporary issues of the museum as an institution relates to the representation of American Indians. Focus will be on translating western practices to a Indigenous aesthetic.Prerequisites: none
Diverse Cultures: Gold
Credits: 3
Working with a faculty advisor, students will gain practical knowledge of fieldwork techniques and gain practical experience through this experiential learning course. Students will learn to approach indigenous communities and people with respect to cultural practices and behave like relatives in their research practices. This course is a capstone research project for the AIS program.Prerequisites: none
Diverse Cultures: Gold
Credits: 3
This course is offered according to student demand and instructor availability/expertise. A variety of topics related to ethnic and cultural areas will provide curriculum enrichment on an ongoing basis.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 1-6
A brief, intensive or hands on experience based in Indigenous knowledge and methods. Variable topics.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 1-12
Field experiences in settings appropriate to the discipline of American Indian Studies. Requires advanced standing in American Indian Studies and consent of supervising faculty.Prerequisites: none
Diverse Cultures: Gold
Credits: 1-6
Allows for an advanced level pursuit of special projects of research on an independent basis. Requires coordination with a faculty member.Prerequisites: none
