American Indian Studies minor

Office: E304 Thompson Hall

(716) 673-3274

Jennifer Hildebrand, Coordinator

Email: americanindian.studies@fredonia.edu

Website: http://www.fredonia.edu/department/interdisciplinary/

The American Indian Studies minor provides an interdisciplinary study of the anthropological, historical, cultural, educational and political developments that have formed present-day Native America. The program is designed for students with the desire to better understand American Indian and Alaskan Native cultures by studying pre-contact history via oral tradition, post-European contact via biography, and present day “Indian Country” through federal policies, films, and literature. American Indian ethnic identities and stereotypes, as formed by these media, will be studied to promote new ways of thinking about race and culture. The multi-disciplinary nature of the minor allows for participation from students of all backgrounds in developing a new view of American Indian cultures while helping to dispel the Pan-Indian stereotype endemic in the American education system.

Required Courses for the Minor in American Indian Studies (21 credit hours)

Students should select courses from the following categories, beginning with a choice of courses from the American Studies program. Students declaring a minor may use past courses retroactively after consultation with the coordinator. Minors must take one course in both Literature and History.

Core Courses (12 credit hours by advisement):

Required course:

AMST 202Introduction to American Studies

3

or

AMST 296American Identities

3

INDS 105Introduction to American Indian Studies

3

ENGL 242American Indian Literature

3

Literature:

ENGL 242American Indian Literature

3

History (One course from the following choices):

HIST 282Pre-Columbian and Colonial Latin America

3

HIST 283Latin America: Revolution and Reform

3

HIST 289Comparative North America

3

HIST 325Colonial America

3

HIST 356American Indian History

3

HIST 357Indians and Europeans in Early America

3

HIST 35820th Century American Indian Issues

3

HIST 380Pre-Columbian/Colonial Mexico

3

HIST 381Mexico in the Modern World

3

Electives: (6 credit hours)

ANTH 321Anthropology of Indian America

3

ANTH 350Special Topics

1-3

ARTS 291American Indian Art Studio I

SOC 316Minority Groups

3

Credited with approval from coordinator:

EDU 305Cultural and Linguistic Diversity in the Classroom

3

and

EDU 313Practicum in Inclusive Education III

0

HIST 340The Westward Movement

3

Possible alternate electives include American Indian Literature in Translation, American Indian Poetry, and American Indian in Film.

Capstone Course: (3 credit hours)

INDS 404
American Indian Capstone

or

INDS 492American Indian Studies Internship

0-6

Courses offered as Special Topics can be credited toward the minor with approval from coordinator of the American Indian Studies minor.