Kathryn W. Shanley, Chair
Native American studies is an academic discipline committed to examining
the contemporary and past experiences and life ways of the first Americans
from their perspective. The curriculum is designed to provide a study
of American Indians from a holistic and humanistic viewpoint by focusing
upon their cultural, historical, and contemporary life. Courses are
designed for both Native American and non Native American students
so they can better understand human similarities and differences,
thereby leading to the development of better communications and interpersonal
relationships.
The Native American studies major supports the objectives of a liberal
arts education. The curriculum helps students develop cultural breadth
through the study of Native American perspectives and world view.
At the same time, the tribal perspective of the major offers students
a broader view of history and cultural change than is ordinarily found
in the traditional liberal arts courses and is appropriate to the
pluralistic society of our time. As a result, the Native American
studies major is interdisciplinary, offering courses from literature
to history, and provides a perspective that critically analyzes and
evaluates the strengths and limitations of each contributing discipline.
Special Degree Requirements
Refer to graduation requirements listed previously in the catalog.
See index.
For the Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Native American Studies,
students must complete a minimum of 39 credits, 30 credits in Native
American studies plus nine elective credits which can be met within
the department or out of department. The required NAS courses are:
100H, 102H, 200, 202L, 301E, 303E, 341S, 465H, 466H, and 494. The
nine credits met optionally out-of-department may be chosen from the
following: ANTH 180S, 323H, 330H; HIST 365, 366, 467; and SOC 308S.
Beyond the requirement of 30 credits in NAS, students have the option
to take an additional 17 credits from NAS as electives for a maximum
of 47 credits in NAS courses. These electives include NAS 195, 295,
300, 324H, 329, 342H, 388, 394, 395, 400, 496, and 499.
The Upper-division Writing Expectation must be met by successfully
completing an upper-division writing course from the approved list
in the Academic Policies and Procedures section of this catalog. See
index.
As part of the major's liberal arts and interdisciplinary focus, all
student completing the major must complete a minor in another field.
The department recommends cognate areas of study for the minor including
anthropology, history, sociology, and political science. Students
also are encouraged to pursue a double major. The department recommends
a compatible major in one of the following disciplines: anthropology,
English, foreign languages and literatures, history, linguistics,
political science, sociology, or social work.
Suggested Course of Study back
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First
Year |
A
|
S
|
ENEX 101
Composition |
3
|
-
|
MATH 107
Contemporary Mathematics |
3
|
-
|
NAS
100H Introduction to Native American Studies |
3
|
-
|
NAS
102H Indian Culture as Expressed Through Language |
-
|
3
|
General
Education |
6
|
6
|
Out of
department electives |
-
|
6
|
Total |
15
|
15
|
Second
Year |
|
|
NAS
200 Native American Studies Research and Writing Methods |
3
|
-
|
NAS
202L Oral and Written Traditions of the Native American |
3
|
-
|
General
Education |
6
|
3
|
Out of
department electives |
3
|
-
|
Electives |
-
|
6
|
Total |
15
|
15
|
Third
Year |
|
|
NAS
301E American Indian Religion and Philosophy |
3
|
-
|
NAS
303E Ecological Perspectives in Native American Traditions |
-
|
3
|
NAS
341S Contemporary Issues of American Indians |
3
|
-
|
Upper-division
writing course |
-
|
3
|
Electives
|
9
|
9
|
Total |
15
|
15
|
Fourth
Year |
|
|
NAS 465H
History of Indian Affairs to 1865 |
3
|
-
|
NAS 466H
History of Indian Affairs Since 1865 |
-
|
3
|
NAS 494
Readings in Native American Studies |
-
|
3
|
Electives |
3
|
9
|
Total |
15
|
15
|
Requirements for a Minor
To earn a minor in Native American studies the student must complete
the following requirements:
1. Complete NAS
100H, 202L, 301E and 303E.
2. Complete at least 9 credits of electives from the following
approved cognate courses: ANTH 180S, 323H, 330H; SOC 308S; HIST
365, 366; NAS 102H, 195, 295, 300, 324H, 329, 341S, 342H, 388, 394,
395, 400, 465H, 466H, 496, and 499.
Courses
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U = for undergraduate credit only, UG = for undergraduate or graduate
credit, G = for graduate credit. R after the credit indicates the
course may be repeated for credit to the maximum indicated after the
R.
U 100H Introduction to Native American Studies 3 cr. Survey
course to acquaint the student with Native American studies by a general
overview of Indian history, culture, philosophy and religious beliefs.
U 102H Indian Culture as Expressed through Language 3 cr. Introduction
to the language of American Indian peoples. Understanding, through
the language, the history, traditions, and modern life of Indian peoples.
U 195 Special Topics Variable cr. (R 6) Experimental offerings
of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses, or
one time offerings of current topics.
U 198 Cooperative Education Experience Variable cr. (R 6) Prereq.,
consent of department. Extended classroom experience which provides
practical application of classroom learning during placements off
campus. Prior approval must be obtained from the faculty supervisor
and the Center for Work-Based Learning.
U 200 Native American Studies Research and Writing Methods 3 cr.
Prereq., NAS major or minor. Introduction to the Research materials
pertaining to the study of American Indian peoples and cultures. Emphasis
on current research trends and writing.
U 202L Oral ad Written Traditions of the Native American 3 cr.
Analysis of the oral traditions of Native Americans including a study
of the literary works of early leading American Indian writers.
U 231 Indigenous World View Perspectives 3 cr. Offered spring
even-numbered years. Same as ANTH 231. Examination of indigenous belief
systems, with regard to world views, religious ceremonies, cultural
ways and the impact that Anglo-European culture has had upon these
systems. Focus on indigenous peoples of Australia, New Zealand, and
North America from Canada and the United States.
U 295 Special Topics Variable cr. (R 6) Experimental offerings
of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses, or
one time offerings of current topics.
UG 300 American Indian Education 3 cr. A study of modern Indian
education to the present; examination of Johnson O'Malley funding
for Indian education; and a look at the unique needs of the Indian
child.
UG 301E American Indian Religion and Philosophy 3 cr. Prereq.,
lower division course in Perspective 5 or consent of instr. Same as
RELS 301E. A study of selected ethical systems; origins, world views;
religious beliefs and the way they have been affected by western civilization.
UG 303E Ecological Perspectives in Native American Traditions 3
cr. An examination of Native American environmental ethics and
tribal and historical and contemporary use of physical environmental
resources.
UG 324H Indians of Montana Since the Reservation Era 3 cr. Offered
autumn odd-numbered years. Same as ANTH 324H. Examination of the history
of Montana Indians since the establishment of the reservations, contemporary
conditions, and issues among both reservation and non-reservation
Indian communities in the state. Special attention given to social
and economic conditions, treaty rights, tribal sovereignty, and legal
issues.
UG 329 Native American Literature 3 cr. Prereq., three credits
of lower-division ENLT courses and NAS 100H or 202L. Same as ENLT
329. Selected readings from Native American Literature with special
emphasis on the literature of writers from the Rocky Mountain West.
UG 341S Contemporary Issues of American Indians 3 cr. Same
as ANTH 341S. An examination of the major issues that affect the contemporary
experiences of American Indians.
UG 342H Native American Women 3 cr. Offered intermittently.
Same as WS 342H. Focus on American Indian women and their cultural
continuity and historical evolution. National in scope with concentration
on certain tribes. Group analysis of contemporary issues relevant
to Native American women.
UG 367H Art of the Ancient Americas 3 cr. Prereq., consent
of instr. Same as ART 367H. Artistic development of major ceremonial
and urban centers throughout the Americas before the coming of Europeans.
Analysis of how the visual arts articulate an ancient world view or
cosmology in relation to nature. Focus on various strategies of reading
the structure and meaning encoded in the layout of cities, stone sculpture,
wall murals, ceramics, precious metals, and textiles.
UG 368H Latin American Art 3 cr. Prereq., consent of instr.
Same as ART 368H. Offered alternate years. Exploration of themes in
the development of Latin American art from the colonial period to
the present such as the application of Renaissance ideals in the "New
World", syncretism of European, African, and indigenous roots,
the Black Legend, the Anglo vs. Latin debate, and the advent of such
movements as Academism, Modernism, Social Realism, and Magic Realism.
UG 388 Native American Health and Healing 3 cr. Same as ANTH
388. Offered alternate years. Examination of traditional and contemporary
uses of medicine in Native American societies. Issues discussed will
be the current health status of American Indians, the relationship
between medicine and culture, and introduction to various techniques
for assessing health status of American Indian populations.
U 394 Seminar Variable cr. (R 6) Offered alternate years. Variable
topics addressing Indian law, policy and culture by visiting scholars.
U 395 Special Topics Variable cr. (R 6) Experimental offerings
of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses, or
one time offerings of current topics.
U 398 Cooperative Education Experience Variable cr. (R 6) Prereq.,
consent of department. Extended classroom experience which provides
practical application of classroom learning during placements off
campus. Prior approval must be obtained from the faculty supervisor
and the Center for Work-Based Learning.
UG 400 Tribal Government 3 cr. Offered alternate years. An
examination of the evolution of tribal governments from a historical
and political perspective. Particular attention is devoted to the
issues of tribal sovereignty and tribal state conflicts.
U 410 Studies in Autobiography 3 cr. Offered intermittently.
Study of texts that present a first-person story of an American Indian
individual's life within his or her historical and cultural contexts,
with brief coverage of theories of autobiography.
UG 465H History of Indian Affairs to 1865 3 cr. Same as HIST
465H. A study of tribal encounters and adjustments to European and
American powers.
UG 466H History of Indian Affairs Since 1865 3 cr. Same as
HIST 466H. A study of tribal encounters and adjustments to the American
nation from 1865.
U 494 Reading Seminar in Native American Studies 3 cr. (R-6)
Offered spring. Prereq., NAS major or minor, 18 credits in NAS, and
junior standing or higher. Senior reading capstone course for the
review of past and current literature on and by American Indians.
UG 495 Special Topics Variable cr. (R 6) Experimental offerings
of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses or one
time offerings of current topics.
U 496 Independent Study Variable cr. (R 6) Prereq., upper division
standing and consent of instr. Selected topics on American Indians
under the direct supervision of a faculty member.
U 499 Senior Thesis in Native American Studies 3-9 cr. (R 9)
Offered every term. Prereq., NAS major or minor, 18 credits in NAS,
junior standing, and consent of instr. Independent research project
in Native American Studies, supervised by a faculty member, and leading
to completion of baccalaureate degree.
G 560 Methods and Sources in Native American Studies 3 cr.
Prereq., consent of instr. Methods, sources for, and actual experience
in the use of field observations, interviews, special collections,
federal records, and library materials in Native American studies
research and writing. Required of all Native American studies affiliated
graduate students.
G 594 Seminar in Native American Studies 1-3 cr. (R 6) Prereq.,
consent of instr.
G 595 Special Topics Variable cr. (R 9) Experimental offerings
of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses, or
one time offerings of current topics.
G 596 Independent Study Variable cr. (R 6) Prereq., graduate
standing and consent of instr. Study of selected topics or problems
on American Indians under the direct supervision of a faculty member.
G 598 Cooperative Education Experience Variable cr. (R 6) Prereq.,
consent of department. Extended classroom experience which provides
practical application of classroom learning during placements off
campus. Prior approval must be obtained from the faculty supervisor
and the Center for Work-Based Learning.
Faculty back
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Professor
Richmond L. Clow, Ph.D., University of New Mexico, 1977
Associate Professors
David L. Beck, Ph.D., University of Illinois at Chicago, 1994
Stephen Greymorning, Ph.D., University of Oklahoma, 1992
Kathryn W. Shanley, Ph.D., University of Michigan, 1987 (Chair)
Assistant Professor
Wade M. Davies, Ph.D., University of Arizona, 1998
Adjunct Professors
Rodney Brod, Ph.D., Stanford University, 1972
Heather Cahoon, M.F.A., The University of Montana, 2001
George Price, M.A., The University of Montana, 1996
Robert Stahl, Ph.D., University of Oklahoma, 1978