As an American Indian Studies major, you will gain a broad understanding of cross-cultural and diversity issues in American Indian affairs, of cultural diversity, and of minority perspectives. Youll look at the histories, cultures, arts, languages, literatures, philosophies, religions, economies, politics, and legal status of indigenous peoples. Our program focuses on the native peoples of the United States and Canada but also draws on the experiences of indigenous peoples from other parts of the world. You will also focus on the many differences that have separated tribal nations as sovereign bodies and on the many similarities that unite them in common interests and causes.
The College of Liberal Arts Advantage: More Than a Major
When you study American Indian Studies at the University of Minnesota, you gain the added advantage of a College of Liberal Arts education. At CLA, the liberal arts mean you get more than just a degree in one major or another; it means you will be exposed to different areas of study, to different ways of thinking and learning. In fact, the liberal arts teach you how to learn—how to ask the right questions, how to problem solve, and how to innovate. The liberal arts prepare students for the complexities of our world, because here at CLA you will study not just, say, politics or art but also where politics and art intersect, where science and ethics intersect, where economics and the environment intersect.