Major: American Indian Studies
American Indians share many of the same concerns as other people of color, such as equal access to education, jobs, and health care. They also have unique issues. These include disputes related to land ownership and the rights of tribes to govern themselves.
Students in American Indian studies look at both types of issues as well as the concerns of specific tribes, communities, families, and individuals.
If you enter this field, you'll learn how American Indians protest against and resist the cruel treatment they often receive from the United States government. You'll also explore the efforts they are making today to reclaim their land and revive their cultural practices.
Students in this major examine the history, sociology, politics, culture, and economics of the native people of the Americas from their first contact with Europeans to the present.
“It's only in my ethnic studies classes that I have really learned American history.”
Ronald, senior, ethnic studies,
University of California, Berkeley
Are You Ready To...?
- Take classes in many subjects, from history to sociology to religion
- Choose a concentration in an area of interest, such as American Indian literature, native people of Alaska, or American Indian history in the 1800s
- Participate in community projects, from activism on campus to internships on reservations
- Get firsthand information by conducting research or interviews off campus
It Helps to Be...
Open minded about varied cultures and religions and eager to work with people in the community. You must like reading, writing, researching, and communicating. You should also have an interest in issues relating to the environment and social justice.
College Checklist
- Does the program examine the global native community, the natives of North and Latin America, or solely American Indians of the United States?
- Is the program focused on studying the native people of a particular area -- for example, the Southwest?
- Does the program have a strong connection with another department, such as anthropology or history? If so, does it emphasize that subject?
- If American Indian studies is part of another department, such as ethnic studies, is the program independent, or are students required to pursue comparative studies?
Did You Know?
- You’ll study a vast range of subjects in this major, from tribal literature, art, and dance to religious traditions, economic structures, and views of the environment.
Course Spotlight
Classes in this field often draw on varied areas and methods of study. For example, in a course on contemporary issues in American Indian studies, you might look at current writing by American Indians (literature) and tribal newspapers (journalism). You might also study tribal arts and crafts (art), historical documents (history, political science), and court cases (law).
American Indian guest speakers might address the class, and you might get to conduct archaeological research. To succeed in this type of course, you must participate in class discussions and complete research and writing assignments.
