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American Indian Studies B.A.

American Indian Studies

College of Liberal Arts

Program Type: Baccalaureate
Requirements for this program are current for Fall 2023
Required credits to graduate with this degree: 120
Required credits within the major: 31 to 41
Degree: Bachelor of Arts

American Indian studies is dedicated to advancing awareness and understanding of the histories and contemporary experiences of American Indian people. The program focuses on the native peoples of the United States and Canada, but also draws on the experiences of indigenous peoples from other parts of the world. This multidisciplinary field looks at the histories, cultures, arts, languages, literatures, philosophies, religions, economies, politics, and legal status of indigenous peoples. The program also focuses on the many differences that have separated tribal nations as sovereign bodies and on the many similarities that unite them in common interests and causes. It gives special attention to the sovereignty of American Indian nations as this is expressed in all walks of life - from the preservation and revitalization of native languages to the protection and retention of native lands.

Program Delivery

This program is available:

via classroom (the majority of instruction is face-to-face)

Admission Requirements

For information about University of Minnesota admission requirements, visit the Office of Admissions website.

General Requirements

All students in baccalaureate degree programs are required to complete general University and college requirements including writing and liberal education courses. For more information about University-wide requirements, see the liberal education requirements. Required courses for the major, minor or certificate in which a student receives a D grade (with or without plus or minus) do not count toward the major, minor or certificate (including transfer courses).

Program Requirements

Students are required to complete 4 semester(s) of any second language. with a grade of C-, or better, or S, or demonstrate proficiency in the language(s) as defined by the department or college.

CLA BA degrees require 18 upper-division (3xxx-level or higher) credits outside the major designator. These credits must be taken in designators different from the major designator and cannot include courses that are cross-listed with the major designator. The major designator for the American Indian Studies BA is AMIN. Students must choose to specialize in either the General Track or the Language Track. A given course may only count towards one major requirement. At least 14 upper-division credits in the major must be taken at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus. Students may earn a BA or minor in American Indian Studies, but not both, and students who declare the Language sub-plan in Ojibwe may not earn the Ojibwe Language BA. All incoming CLA first-year (freshmen) must complete the First-Year Experience course sequence. All incoming CLA first-year (freshmen) students earning a BA, BS, or BIS degree must complete the second-year career management course CLA 3002. All students must complete a capstone in at least one CLA major. The requirements for double majors completing the capstone in a different CLA major will be clearly stated. Students must also complete all major requirements in both majors to allow the additional capstone to be waived. Student completing an addition degree must complete the capstone in each degree area.

Introductory Course

Take exactly 1 course(s) totaling exactly 3 credit(s) from the following:

· AMIN 1001 - Introduction to American Indian & Indigenous Peoples [DSJ] (3.0 cr)

Capstone

The Capstone Seminar is the culmination of a student�s career as an American Indian Studies major. The seminar guides students in the process of developing and producing an original research project that demonstrates their skills as interdisciplinary critical thinkers and writers in American Indian Studies. AMIN 4821W is only offered in the fall term, careful pre-planning is important.

Take exactly 1 course(s) totaling exactly 3 credit(s) from the following:

Students who double major and choose to complete the capstone requirement in their other major may waive the American Indian Studies BA capstone, and they do not need to replace the 3 credits.

· AMIN 4821W - Capstone Seminar [WI] (3.0 cr)

Upper Division Writing Intensive within the Major

Students are required to take one upper division writing intensive course within the major. If that requirement has not been satisfied within the core major requirements, students must choose one course from the following list. Some of these courses may also fulfill other major requirements.

Take 0 - 1 course(s) from the following:

· AMIN 3201W - American Indian Literature [LITR, DSJ, WI] (3.0 cr)

· AMIN 4821W - Capstone Seminar [WI] (3.0 cr)

· OJIB 5204W - Ojibwe Mastery II [WI] (3.0 cr)

· AMIN 4525W - Federal Indian Policy [WI] (3.0 cr)

or POL 4525W - Federal Indian Policy [WI] (3.0 cr)

Program Sub-plans

Students are required to complete one of the following sub-plans.

General

The General track requires at least 33 credits of coursework, including AMIN 1001 & AMIN 4821W. It is intended for majors who do not wish to complete their second language requirement in Dakota or Ojibwe.

Foundation Course

Take exactly 1 course(s) totaling exactly 3 credit(s) from the following:

· AMIN 1002 - Indigenous Peoples in Global Perspective [GP] (3.0 cr)

or POL 1019 - Indigenous Peoples in Global Perspective [GP] (3.0 cr)

· AMIN 1003 - American Indians in Minnesota [HIS, DSJ] (3.0 cr)

Core Courses

AMIN 4990, 4991, 4994, & 4996 may be used to satisfy a specific group's requirements with the permission of the director of undergraduate studies.

Take 3 or more course(s) totaling 9 or more credit(s) from the following:

Tribal Arts and Humanities (Group A)

Take 1 or more course(s) totaling 3 or more credit(s) from the following:

· AMIN 3201W - American Indian Literature [LITR, DSJ, WI] (3.0 cr)

· AMIN 3304 - Indigenous Filmmakers [AH] (3.0 cr)

· AMIN 4532 - Vine Deloria, Jr.: A Renaissance Indigenous Figure (3.0 cr)

· AMIN 3402 - American Indians and the Cinema [AH, DSJ] (3.0 cr)

or AMIN 5402 - American Indians and the Cinema [AH, DSJ] (3.0 cr)

· AMIN 3301 - American Indian Philosophies [AH, DSJ] (3.0 cr)

or RELS 3321 - American Indian Philosophies [AH, DSJ] (3.0 cr)

· Culture and History (Group B)

Take 1 or more course(s) totaling 3 or more credit(s) from the following:

· AMIN 3711 - Dakota Culture and History [HIS, DSJ] (3.0 cr)

· AMIN 4532 - Vine Deloria, Jr.: A Renaissance Indigenous Figure (3.0 cr)

· AMIN 3409 - American Indian Women: Ethnographic and Ethnohistorical Perspectives [HIS, DSJ] (3.0 cr)

or AMIN 5409 - American Indian Women: Ethnographic and Ethnohistorical Perspectives [HIS, DSJ] (3.0 cr)

· AMIN 3871 - American Indian History: Pre-Contact to 1830 [HIS, DSJ] (3.0 cr)

or HIST 3871 - American Indian History: Pre-Contact to 1830 [HIS, DSJ] (3.0 cr)

· AMIN 3872 - American Indian History: 1830 to the Present [HIS, DSJ] (3.0 cr)

or HIST 3872 - American Indian History: 1830 to the Present [HIS, DSJ] (3.0 cr)

· Political, Social, and Policy Issues (Group C)

Take 1 or more course(s) totaling 3 or more credit(s) from the following:

· AMIN 3312 - American Indian Environmental Issues and Ecological Perspectives [ENV] (3.0 cr)

· AMIN 4501 - Law, Sovereignty, and Treaty Rights (3.0 cr)

· AMIN 4511 - Indigenous Political Economies (3.0 cr)

· AMIN 5202 - Indigenous Peoples and Issues Before the United States Supreme Court (3.0 cr)

· AMIN 3141 - American Indian Language Planning (3.0 cr)

or AMIN 5141 - American Indian Language Planning (3.0 cr)

· AMIN 3501 - Indigenous Tribal Governments and Politics [HIS, DSJ] (3.0 cr)

or POL 3701 - Indigenous Tribal Governments and Politics [HIS, DSJ] (3.0 cr)

· AMIN 3602 - Archaeology and Native Americans [DSJ] (3.0 cr)

or AMIN 5602 - Archaeology and Native Americans [DSJ] (3.0 cr)

or ANTH 3601 - Archaeology and Native Americans [DSJ] (3.0 cr)

or ANTH 5601 - Archaeology and Native Americans [DSJ] (3.0 cr)

· AMIN 4525W - Federal Indian Policy [WI] (3.0 cr)

or POL 4525W - Federal Indian Policy [WI] (3.0 cr)

· AMIN 4231 - Color of Public Policy: African Americans, American Indians, Asian Americans, & Chicanos in the U.S. (3.0 cr)

or AAS 4231 - Color of Public Policy: African Americans, American Indians, Asian Americans & Chicanos in the U.S. (3.0 cr)

or AFRO 4231 - Color of Public Policy: African Americans, American Indians, Asian Americans & Chicanos in the U.S. (3.0 cr)

or CHIC 4231 - Color of Public Policy: African Americans, American Indians, Asian Americans & Chicanos in the U.S. (3.0 cr)

Electives

Take 15 or more credit(s) from the following:

· AMIN 3201W - American Indian Literature [LITR, DSJ, WI] (3.0 cr)

· AMIN 3304 - Indigenous Filmmakers [AH] (3.0 cr)

· AMIN 3312 - American Indian Environmental Issues and Ecological Perspectives [ENV] (3.0 cr)

· AMIN 3604 - Indigenous Immersion Methods for the Home, Classroom, and Community (3.0 cr)

· AMIN 3711 - Dakota Culture and History [HIS, DSJ] (3.0 cr)

· AMIN 3920 - American Indian Studies Topics (3.0 cr)

· AMIN 4501 - Law, Sovereignty, and Treaty Rights (3.0 cr)

· AMIN 4511 - Indigenous Political Economies (3.0 cr)

· AMIN 4532 - Vine Deloria, Jr.: A Renaissance Indigenous Figure (3.0 cr)

· AMIN 4990 - Topics in American Indian Studies (1.0-4.0 cr)

· AMIN 4994 - Directed Research (1.0-12.0 cr)

· AMIN 4996 - Field Study (1.0-12.0 cr)

· AMIN 5107 - The Structure of Anishinaabemowin: The Ojibwe Language (3.0 cr)

· AMIN 5202 - Indigenous Peoples and Issues Before the United States Supreme Court (3.0 cr)

· AMIN 5920 - Topics in American Indian Studies (3.0 cr)

· AMIN 3001 - Public History (3.0 cr)

or AMST 3003 - Public History (3.0 cr)

or HIST 3001 - Public History (3.0 cr)