Native American Studies

Brooke Hansen, Associate Professor and Coordinator

Native American Studies Minor

Native American studies (NAS) is an interdisciplinary minor organized around various themes related to the past and present of indigenous peoples in North America and Hawaii. The NAS minor may be particularly valuable to students pursuing careers in communications, education, multicultural outreach, human services, medicine, and the social sciences.

Ithaca is located within the homeland of the Cayuga Nation, one of the Six Nations of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy. Furthermore, Ithaca is not far from the Onondaga and Seneca Nations. Native Americans are therefore a prominent social and cultural presence in our region. Contemporary Native American issues such as cultural revitalization, land claims, health care, repatriation of human remains, and casinos appear regularly in the local news. Understanding these issues in terms of their history, cultural contexts, and economic impact is important for students in many fields of study. This region also hosts frequent cultural festivals, musical and theatrical performances, and art exhibits that provide opportunities for students to experience firsthand what they learn in NAS.

The minor in NAS requires 21 credit hours of work. A minimum of 3 credits is required from the "capstone experience" category. Capstone experiences are chosen from related class offerings that fall under the general categories of independent study, fieldwork, internships, and practicums from programs such as history, sociology, politics, women's studies, and anthropology (such as ANTH 47500 Ethnographic Fieldwork and Research or ANTH 47600 Archaeological Fieldwork and Research). Classes appropriate for this requirement are reviewed and approved by the student's minor adviser and NAS coordinator. The capstone experience integrates and synthesizes the knowledge and experience the student has acquired in the minor. Each student will determine the department for his or her capstone when declaring the minor.

Requirements for the Minor in Native American Studies

Introductory Courses

Select 9 credits from the following:

Origins, History, and Culture

Select 3 credits from the following:

Cultural Area Studies

Select 3 credits from the following:

Other Electives (maximum of 3 credits)

Capstone Experiences*

Select 3 credits from the following:

*Student will determine the department for the capstone when declaring the minor.