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The Native American and Indigenous Studies Program offers students the opportunity to undertake a comparative study of the pre-Columbian, colonial, and contemporary cultures of North and Latin America and the greater Pacific world. The required and elective courses are drawn from a wide range of disciplines, representing the various topical and regional interests of ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ faculty whose specializations include archaeology, art, cultural anthropology, education, ethnomusicology, geography, history, law, literature, and religion. Themes and topics of the major include the integrity, richness, and complexity of Native cultures; the reciprocal impact of contact between Native and non-Native populations in the Western Hemisphere and the greater Pacific world; modes and processes of culture change; cultural disruption, resistance, and vitality; social movements; Indigenous ways of knowing; and an understanding of the variety of methodological and theoretical approaches to Native American Studies, including comparisons with other indigenous cultures. A major in Native American and Indigenous Studies provides an excellent foundation for graduate education in the disciplines mentioned, as well as professional work in areas such as contract archaeology, environmental and cultural resource management, government services, non-governmental and non-profit organizations, law, museums, public health, and teaching.

Honors and High Honors

Students interested in pursuing honors in a major can find the additional requirements on the relevant major page. Use the links below in the Majors and Minor section to navigate.

Santa Fe Study Group

An off-campus study group to Santa Fe, New Mexico, is offered to enable a select group of ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ students to further their understanding of Native American history, archaeology, life, and culture. For more information, see Off-Campus Study. Majors and minors are strongly encouraged to participate in this study group.

Extended Study

In conjunction with NAIS 300 - Continuity in Pueblo Communities/Santa Fe Study Group Prep : Developing Models for Cultural Understanding, extended study in New Mexico offers students the opportunity to consider how cross-cultural understanding is developed and where and when it is frustrated.

Transfer Credit

The department allows two courses to be transferred for credit toward the major, with prior approval of the courses by the department.

Awards

The Anthony Aveni Award for Excellence in Native American Studies — awarded by the program for excellence in Native American and Indigenous studies.

The Carol Ann Lorenz Award for Service in Native American Studies -- awarded by the program to recognize student involvement in Native American and Indigenous Studies programming.

Courses

The courses listed below are offered by the Native American and Indigenous Studies program. As an interdisciplinary program, select courses from other departments/programs may also count toward the major and minor requirements. Use the major/minor links below to find other courses that count toward these requirements. 

Note: The Program subject code is changing from NAST to NAIS, effective spring 2027. 

Majors and Minors

Major

• Native American and Indigenous Studies Major

Minor

• Native American and Indigenous Studies Minor

Courses

• NAIS 150 - Introduction to Native American and Indigenous Studies
• NAIS 243 - Native American History
• NAIS 244 - Indigenous Writing & Rhetoric
• NAIS 291 - Independent Study
• NAIS 300 - Continuity in Pueblo Communities/Santa Fe Study Group Prep
• NAIS 302 - Contemporary Issues in the Native American Southwest (Study Group)
• NAIS 303 - Service Learning in the Native American Southwest (Study Group)
• NAIS 310 - Indigenous LGBTQ and Feminist Studies
• NAIS 320 - Native American Religious Freedom
• NAIS 356 - Global Indigenous History
• NAIS 360 - Borderlands of North America
• NAIS 391 - Independent Study
• NAIS 491 - Independent Study