Native American and Indigenous Studies Minor

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Banner Code: NAIS

Phone: 703-993-1161

Faculty

Anderson (coordinator), Benitez, Bullard, Moore, Scully, Snead, Tichy, Yocom

Native American and indigenous studies is an interdisciplinary field of study committed to understanding both the unity and the diversity of present and past Native American tribes, cultures, and experiences. This interdisciplinary minor will help students think critically and respectfully about the complex dynamics of Native American cultures, considered both individually and comparatively. In addition to practicing and developing critical thinking and writing skills, students in this interdisciplinary minor will learn how value systems operate in different cultures, examine the roots of conflict and resolution across a broad historical and cultural spectrum, better understand the importance of language as a means of cultural expression, and heighten their appreciation of the unique status of present-day Native American tribes as nations with certain sovereign powers within the boundaries of the United States.

In addition to a required course that introduces key concepts, events, figures, and methodological approaches, students will take five 3-credit elective courses from no fewer than three departments. The course work for this minor will enable students to examine Native American cultures from a variety of disciplinary perspectives, including those that are anthropological, historical, artistic, philosophical, and political.

This program of study is an interdisciplinary minor offered by the College of Humanities and Social Sciences .

For policies governing all minors, see the Academic Policies chapter of this catalog.

Course Work

Students pursuing this minor must complete 18 credits distributed as follows:

One required course (3 credits):

NAIS 201 - Introduction to Native American and Indigenous Studies Credits: 3

Five elective courses (15 credits), chosen from:

ANTH 301 - Native North Americans Credits: 3
ANTH 302 - Peoples and Cultures of Latin America Credits: 3
ANTH 307 - Ancient Mesoamerica Credits: 3
ANTH 399 - Issues in Anthropology Credits: 3
ANTH 428 - Patterns in Prehistory Credits: 3
ENGL 311 - Writing Ethnography Credits: 3
ENGL 333 - Folklore of the Americas Credits: 3
HIST 340 - History of American Racial Thought Credits: 3
HIST 391 - History of Virginia to 1800 Credits: 3
HIST 401 - Colonial America Credits: 3
HIST 403 - Revolutionary Era in American History, 1763-1812 Credits: 3
HIST 404 - Jacksonian America, 1812-1854 Credits: 3
HIST 418 - Ethnic Groups in America Credits: 3
MUSI 103 - Musics of the World Credits: 3
SOCI 308 - Racial and Ethnic Relations Credits: 3

Notes:

Special topics courses and summer field work offerings, when relevant, may be used to fulfill elective credits for the minor with prior approval of the coordinator.

No more than two courses from a single department can be applied to the minor. No more than 3 credits can be applied to both university general education requirements and the minor. A minimum GPA of 2.00 is required for course work in this minor.

Total: 18 credits