Native American and Indigenous Studies Minor

The minor in Native American and Indigenous Studies (NAIS) requires six courses from across a variety of departments. Courses reflect four scholarly directions:

  • Creative Expression (literature, dance, music, art, theater, ceremony)
  • Social Worlds (history, anthropology, journalism, sociology, law, education, policy, media)
  • Natural Worlds (science, traditional ecological knowledge, environmental psychology, political science, health, medicine)
  • Global Indigeneity (intercultural, transnational, Latinx studies, Pacific Islands Studies)
Course Title
Minor Requirements (6 units)
1 foundational course chosen from:
ENGLISH 274-0
Introduction to Native American and Indigenous Literatures
SOCIOL 277-0
Introduction to Native American Studies
2 courses from Creative Expression or Social Worlds
Creative Expression:
ART_HIST 228-0
Introduction to Pre-Columbian Art
ENGLISH 374-0
Topics in Native American and Indigenous Literatures
Social Worlds:
AF_AM_ST 214-0
Comparative Race and Ethnic Studies
ANTHRO 311-0
Indians of North America
JOUR 367-0
Native American Environmental Issues and the Media
RELIGION 260-0
Introduction to Native American Religions
2 courses from Natural Worlds or Global Indigeneity
Natural Worlds:
GBL_HLTH 305-0
Global Health & Indigenous Medicine
POLI_SCI 349-0
International Environmental Politics
PSYCH 356-0
Native Americans and Environmental Decision Making
or ENVR_POL 356-0
 Native Americans and Environmental Decision Making
Global Indigeneity:
ANTHRO 328-0
The Maya
GNDR_ST 363-0
Postcolonial Studies and Gender and Sexuality
SPANISH 340-0
Colonial Latin American Literature
1 elective course 1
1

One course elective at an advanced level (from any of NAIS's four scholarly directions), independent study, or capstone project in a contributing department or program and approved by the CNAIR curriculum committee.

In addition to the courses listed in the table above, classes taught under ANTHRO 390-0, ASIAN_AM 276-0, ENGLISH 313-0, ENGLISH 378-0, GBL_HLTH 390-0, HISTORY 200-0, HISTORY 300-0, HISTORY 393-0, HUM 210-0, JOUR 390-0, LEGAL_ST 376-0, POLI_SCI 395-0, and others may also be eligible to count towards the minor.  For more details and an up-to-date listing of courses consult the CNAIR website or contact the director of the minor at cnair@northwestern.edu.