Minor in Native American Studies
The minor in Native American studies is an interdisciplinary minor administered by the Department of Anthropology that will permit students to study Native Americans from a variety of scholarly perspectives. The understanding of Native Americans, past and present, has been hindered by alternating efforts to dehumanize and vilify indigenous Americans as “ignoble savages” vs. efforts to exalt them as “noble savages.” Both sides of this stereotype deny their active and critical roles in history and contemporary society. The Native American studies minor raises awareness of central issues for Native Americans by critically examining their past, present, and future through diverse bodies of evidence, such as material culture, oral histories, ethnohistory and ethnography.
To complete the minor in Native American studies, students must earn a 2.0 cumulative GPA in:
- ANTH 205: Introduction to Native American Studies
Plus five of the following courses:
- ANTH 305 Peoples and Cultures of Native North America
- ANTH 312 Contemporary Native Americans
- ANTH 333 Aztec, Maya, and Inca Origins
- ANTH 336 North American Prehistory
- ANTH 420 Museum Anthropology
- ANTH 432 Prehistory of Illinois
- HIST 423A Trail of Tears: Native American History from Columbus to Removal
- HIST 423B Indian Wars, Progressives and Casinos: Native American History from Removal to Present
- HIST 430 American Colonial History
- HIST 451 Native Americans Encounter Lewis and Clark
- HIST 452 Native American Women
- IS 305 Native American Studies
- PHIL 337 American Indian Thought
Courses counted toward the Native American studies minor must come from a least two different academic departments. No more than two courses may be counted toward both the Native American studies minor and the student’s major. For more information regarding the Native American studies minor, please contact the Department of Anthropology, Peck Hall, room 0212, 618-650-2157 or email julzimm@siue.edu.
