American Indian Studies
1204 W. Nevada Street
Urbana, IL 61801
217.265.9870
Fax: 217.265.9880
Graduate Minor: American Indian and Indigenous Studies
Graduate Degree Programs
The American Indian Studies Program is an interdisciplinary academic unit housed in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The thinking and intellectual work of Indigenous Peoples -- including American Indians -- is at its center. Thus, our curriculum emphasizes tribal peoples' centuries-long fight for sovereignty, including self-government, economic self-determination, and cultural self-representation. Degree-seeking graduate students pursuing masters or doctoral degrees, and who are in good standing, may complete the Graduate Minor in American Indian and Indigenous Studies. Contact the American Indian Studies Program to obtain an updated list of participating degree programs and an application form.
Admission
Applicants to the Graduate Minor in American Indian and Indigenous Studies must be in good standing in a masters or doctoral program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Applications to the American Indian Studies Program are accepted by April 15 each spring semester and must include three letters of recommendation from scholars or teachers familiar with the applicants work and potential and a personal essay that includes a statement of purpose describing the student's academic background, career plans, and how they will use the Graduate Minor in American Indian and Indigenous Studies to enhance their program of research. A student’s intent to pursue the Graduate Minor must be approved by the student’s major advisor and graduate program director in their home department. The student’s home department will determine how many graduate hours of the minor may count toward the degree requirements in the student’s program.
Minor Requirements
| Required Courses | Required Hours |
|---|---|
| AIS 501, 502 and 503 (preferably in sequence) | 12 |
| Total Hours | 12 |
| Other Requirements:* | |
| In addition to the minor requirements, students must also complete the requirements of their major degree. The major department determines which and how many minor hours may also be applied to the major degree. Please contact your department for more information. |
While we think the professional interests of graduate students would best be served by including a member of the American Indian Studies (AIS) core faculty on their thesis and dissertation committees, we strongly recommend that graduate students at the very least seek guidance on their thesis or dissertation topic, resources, and methodology from an American Indian Studies faculty advisor and draw as much as is reasonable from all of the intellectual resources offered by the American Indian Studies Program in their professional development.
Because the fundamentals for research in fine arts degree programs are significantly different from other disciplines, upon petition, in lieu of completing AIS 502, MFA students may be allowed to substitute a 4 credit hour 400- or 500-level graduate course offered by the American Indian Studies Program.