Program Overview
Philosophy
The Mission of the American Indian Studies Program is to prepare American Indian/Alaskan Native students for positions of leadership in the development of tribal communities and in the preservation of sovereignty and self-determination for American Indian/Alaska Native peoples.
- Interdisciplinary curriculum providing thematic foundations of knowledge in history, sovereignty and government; health/wellness, social and community issues; language/culture acquisition and preservation; literature and fine arts, philosophy, religion, and museum/cultural center study.
- Emphasis on practical skills needed for immediate service to American Indian and non-American Indian communities, i.e. Advocacy, compact/contract negotiations, cultural and economic resource planning and management, grant writing, preparation of impact and needs analysis, historical research, cultural preservation and tribal management and organizational skills or for continued graduate education.
- Development of high-level intellectual skills in reading, writing, thinking analytically, critically and cross-culturally and communicating persuasively.
Admissions Requirements
- Must be admitted to Haskell Indian Nations University
- Completion of 45 hours of Institutional and General Education requirements by the time of admission to AIS
- Minimum GPA of 2.5
- Submission of all official academic transcripts
- Completed application
- Two letters of recommendation (one must be from a AIS faculty member)
- Student essay describing future professional plans and the role of a degree in AIS in accomplishing these
Courses offered in American Indian Studies
- Contemporary Issues of the American Indian
- History of North American Indian Tribes
- Introduction to American Indian Studies
- American Indian Experience in the 20th Century
- American Indian Music
- American Indian Film
- American Indian Literature
- Community Health Social Work with Indigenous Peoples
- Human Behavior in American Indian Communities
- Environmental Protection
- Introduction to Tribal Museum Management
- Foundations of Indigenous Philosophy
- The Sacred: American Indian Religions
- The Columbian Exchange
- American Indian Treaties & Agreements
Haskell Indian Nations University
Haskell Indian Nations University is a Federally funded, tuition free college for all Federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native entities. Among the most diverse of any universities in the United States. Haskell Indian Nations University currently serves students representing approximately 150 sovereign nations. As an institute of higher education, Haskell Indian Nations University plays a leadership role in providing a culturally sensitive education, as well as refining teaching styles which provide a relevant frame of reference for the diverse experiences and perspectives of American Indian and Alaska Natives.
Milestones of the American Indian Studies Program
In 1998, the American Indian Studies received its accreditation from the North Central Association of Colleges and schools and began offering upper level courses.
In 2003, a nationwide study of Black Issues in Higher Education ranked the American Indian Studies Program as the number one producer of students graduating with a degree in the Ethic Studies discipline.