American Indian Studies Minor

Declaring the AIS Minor

Any academic advisor can declare the minor in AIS.

Students can also declare an AIS Minor by filling out the online form. For more information, contact Vanessa DeCardenas.

DECLARE MINOR

ais minor Checklist

Overview

American Indian Studies (AIS) is committed to developing Native-centered scholarship on the contemporary and historic ways of life, knowledge, and experiences of:

• American Indian
• Alaska Native
• Native Hawaiian
• First Nation communities and individuals are fundamental

An AIS undergraduate minor provides students with a holistic and analytical study of critical issues facing Native North America in the past, present, and future and their political relationship to external governments. 

The minor plan of study focuses on fundamental AIS topics based on the discipline’s interdisciplinary strengths:

• Sovereignty: The study of the history, politics, laws, comparative political systems, colonialism, and core issues of Native self-determination and self-government from a political perspective with an emphasis on Nation-building and on the context within which tribal Nations operate, and their interrelationships with other government structures, especially states.
• Diversity: The study of dynamic processes of cultural exchange and social interaction among Native societies and with other Nations and the development of values of cultural awareness, self-awareness, and respect for self and others.
• Native Voices: The study of Native oral traditions, literatures, languages, and arts found in both historic and contemporary contexts; the study of creative expressions from humanistic and Indigenous perspectives.
• Indigenous Knowledge: The study of all aspects of knowledge developed by Native societies including science, technology, environmental understanding, philosophical principles, epistemologies, ethics, ways of interpreting the world, and sense of self and community, including traditional knowledge and sacred histories to the degree deemed appropriate for expression in transcultural situations.

The AIS minor is open to all students and can be used with almost any major on campus. 

It can be especially useful for individuals who plan to work for Native Nations so they can understand the unique sovereign relationship Indian Nations have with the federal government, and for individuals who would like to be culturally aware of the traditions and world views of the people with whom they will interact.

Minor Requirements

A minimum of 18 units in AIS courses is required for the minor. This includes 12 units of core courses and 6 units of elective courses. Nine (9) units must be in upper division (300-400 level) courses. The courses listed below can be used to complete the minor in American Indian Studies.

Other Information

• AIS minor courses may NOT be shared with any other major/minor.
• For information about rules regarding double dipping AIS minor courses with General Education requirements, contact the AIS minor advisor.
• AIS Minor Checklist

Course Clusters

Beginning Fall 2025

If student is already an AIS Minor course clusters are optional and will not change students' coursework

AIS Minors can choose 3 core courses (9 units) and any 3 courses (9 units) from the boxes below!