American Indian Studies is an interdisciplinary program with four subject areas:

  1. Culture, Identity, Ethics, and Community
  2. Sovereignty, Governance, and Politics
  3. Literature, Language, and Performance
  4. Colonialism, Decolonization, and Indigeneity

The courses chosen must form a coherent program of study and be approved by an AIS advisor.

Course List
CodeTitleHours
Foundation Courses 
AIS 101Intro to American Indian Studies3
AIS 102Contemporary Issues in Indian Country3
Subject Area Courses 
Students must complete 12 hours selected from 3 of the 4 subject areas.12
Culture, Identity, Ethics, and Community
 
Native Religious Traditions 
Lang & Culture Native North Am 
American Indians of Illinois 
Sovereignty, Governance, and Politics
 
US Citizenship Comparatively 
Encounters in Native America 
Native American History 
Intro to Federal Indian Policy 
Indigenous Governance 
Literature, Language, and Performance
 
Intro to American Indian Lit 
Am Indian and Indigenous Film 
Politics in Children's Lit 
Topics in American Indian Lit 
Politics of Popular Culture 
Colonialism, Decolonization, and Indigeneity
 
Indigenous Thinkers 
History of Amer Indian Educ 
Total Hours18

Only three courses (9 hours total) at the 100-level may be counted toward the minor.  Students also are required to complete two courses (6 hours) at the 300- or 400-level.  These advanced course credits must be distinct from credit earned for the student’s major or another minor.

  • The Statement of Intent to Pursue a Campus-Approved Minor must be submitted to the student’s college of enrollment prior to the last day to add a class in the semester in which the student intends to graduate to assure timely processing.
  • Any variance from courses required in the minor must be approved on the Modification of Minor form by the unit sponsoring the minor, that unit’s college and submitted to the student’s college office for final processing.
  • The student is responsible for notifying her/his college of cancellation of the minor by use of the Cancellation of of Minor Form.