Bachelor of Arts in Native American Studies

The N.A.S. program is an interdisciplinary program focused on the Indigenous peoples of the Americas with an emphasis on the Plains Indians, particularly the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara. The curriculum provides an interdisciplinary and scholarly approach to Native American Studies from a Native perspective. The comprehensive program structure is designed to prepare students for employment within and outside their Native communities, to provide foundational courses for students continuing in Native American Studies or entering other disciplines, and to offer intellectually stimulating studies for student scholars and community members. The N.A.S. program uses a variety of applicable college resources ranging from laboratories of the hard science to the philosophical discussions of research methodologies proposed by other departments.

General Education Courses

• ENG 110 English Composition I
• ENG 120 Composition II
• COMM 110 Fundamentals of Public Speaking
• ENG 265 Native American Literature
• NAS 113 Hidatsa I, NAS 115 Mandan I, or NAS 117 Arikara I
• NAS 201 History of TAT
• NAS 213 Tribal Government
• PSY 111 Introduction to Psychology
• SOC 111Introduction to Sociology
• MA 103 (or above) College Algebra
• CSCI 101 Introduction to Computers
• BIO 106 Ethnobotany
• PSY 100 Psychology of Student Success
• ASMT 200 Assessment of Student Learning

Core Requirements

• NAS 102 Comparative Spiritual Beliefs
• POL SCI 234 Basic Indian Law
• HUM 255 NA Children’s Literature
• NAS 114,116,118 (Circle One) Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara II
• NAS 105 Native American Art
• NAS 121 Intro to History of Indian Ed.
• PHIL/NAS 203 NA Philosophy
• NAS 101 Introduction to Indian Studies
• NAS 240 Research & Writing in Indian Studies

Professional Development Requirements

• NAS 301, 302, 303 (Circle one) Early History of the Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara
• NAS 330 Contemporary Plains Indian Cultures
• NAS 331 Traditional Plains Cultures
• NAS 350 American Indian Languages
• NAS 352 Native American Philosophical Thought
• NAS 385 Native American Economic Development
• BIO 388 Native American Ecological Knowledge
• NAS 400 Indian Country Today
• NAS 401 Evaluating Research of the TAT
• NAS 402 Agricultural and Natural Resource Management in Native American Communities
• NAS 415 History of American Indian Education
• NAS 420 Federal Indian Law and Policy
• NAS 424 Native American Oral Literature
• NAS 499 Senior Thesis in Native American Studies

Native American Studies Approved Electives

• NAS 304 Native American Art History
• NAS 342 Native American Music
• NAS 307 NA Leadership, Past-Present
• NAS 308 Tribal, State, and Federal Programs
• NAS 309 American Indian Religion and Spirituality
• NAS 379 Special Topics
• NAS 418 Native American Judicial Issues
• NAS 425 Tribal Colleges and Higher Education
• NAS 430 Native American Studies Internship
• NAS 444 Native American Environmental Issues and the Media
• NAS 492 Direct Readings
• NAS 494 Independent Study

Four-Year Program Outcomes:

1. Students will engage in effective oral and written communication.
2. Students will be able to conduct critical analyses of texts.
3. Students will demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of contemporary and historical issues and ideas related to Native American peoples.
4. Students will be able to conduct research independently, being aware of the available Native Studies resources and appropriate research methodologies.
5. Students will demonstrate an understanding of historical and contemporary experiences and issues of Indigenous peoples in North America from the perspective of American Indian peoples