Academic Programs Catalog

College of Arts and Letters

Interdepartmental and Interdisciplinary Programs

Minor in American Indian and Indigenous Studies

The Minor in American Indian and Indigenous Studies, which is administered by the College of Arts and Letters, is available as an elective to students who are enrolled in bachelor's degree programs at Michigan State University. The minor is designed to help students understand American Indian and Indigenous cultures and identities and the place of Indigenous peoples and knowledge, historically and contemporarily, as well as to pursue cross-cultural diversity. It draws on interdisciplinary research, teaching, and community engagement to examine these complex concepts and to respond to them thoughtfully. Students who plan graduate study related to the humanities and social sciences or wish to pursue careers in education, social work, government, public health, law, non-profit management, museums, and cultural organizations that serve diverse populations, will find the minor engaging. With the approval of the department and college that administer the student's degree program, the courses that are used to satisfy the requirements for the minor may also be used to satisfy the requirements for the bachelor's degree.

Students who plan to complete the requirements for the Minor in American Indian and Indigenous Studies must contact the director of the American Indian Studies Program.  The director must approve each student’s program of study in advance of enrollment and in writing.

Requirements for the Minor in American Indian and Indigenous Studies

The student must complete a minimum of 15 credits from the following:

1. The following course (3 credits):
AIIS 201 Introduction to American Indian and Indigenous Studies 3
2. Complete at least three of the courses from two colleges (9 credits):
College of Arts and Letters
AIIS 491 Topics in American Indian and Indigenous Studies 3
ENG 354 Readings in Native American Literature 3
HA 253 Native North American Art 3
HA 254 Latin American Art 3
LL 151 First-Year Less Commonly Taught Language I 4
LL 152 First-Year Less Commonly Taught Language II 4
LL 251 Second-Year Less Commonly Taught Language I 4
LL 252 Second-Year Less Commonly Taught Language II 4
REL 306 Native American Religions 3
LL 151, LL 152, LL 251, and LL 252 must be approved in advance by the program director to ensure appropriate content. LL 151 and LL 152 may be used for this requirement only if they are not also being used to satisfy a college or departmental language requirement.
College of Social Science
ANP 411 North American Indian Ethnography 3
ANP 432 American Indian Women 3
ANP 433 Contemporary American Indian Communities 3
ANP 452 North American Archaeology 3
HST 378 Native Americans in North American History to 1830 3
HST 379 Native Americans in North American History from 1830 3
Other courses may be used to satisfy this requirement with approval of the Director of the American Indian and Indigenous Studies program.
3. Complete one of the following, either a. or b. (3 credits):
a. A 3-credit internship by enrollment in AIIS 493 American Indian and Indigenous Studies Internship. Students will work on a semester project with or for a tribal community, with an off-reservation Indigenous organization, or engage in an approved activity in consultation with a supervising faculty member.
b. A 3-credit independent study by enrollment in AIIS 490 Independent Study. Students will complete a capstone project through directed readings, or research with a supervising faculty member.