The Center for Native American and Indigenous Studies (CNAIS) offers both a graduate and undergraduate certificate in Native American and Indigenous Studies (NAIS). These certificate programs offer students the opportunity to strengthen their interdisciplinary knowledge and experience in this increasingly important area.The rise of global and scholarly attention to issues of indigeneity signals a larger transformation in conceptions of nation, citizenship, and transnationalism in the context of globalization.
A founding principle of CNAIS is to value and expand upon the connections and interdisciplinary nature of Native American & Indigenous scholarly work. The issues facing Native American and Indigenous peoples today require expertise from multiple disciplines and draw from scholarship in a number of fields, including art & art history, anthropology, ethnic studies, environmental studies, geography, history, law, linguistics, literature, political science, religion and sociology.
CU Boulder has recruited an unprecedented number of faculty working in a wide array of areas related to NAIS, and already enjoys a high national and international reputation in several of these areas. In pursuing the NAIS certificate, students join a vibrant and growing community at CU Boulder, including graduate and undergraduate students and more than 40 professors.
For more information, visit the Center for Native American and Indigenous Studies website or contact cnais@colorado.edu.
Requirements
This interdisciplinary certificate requires a total of four courses (12 credits). One introductory course (ETHN 6103) is required of all students; the other courses can be taken electively, with the provision that two of the four courses be outside the student's home department.
Note: some courses listed in the catalog are taught by revolving faculty member who are not affiliated with CNAIS. Catalog course content is subject to change from semester to semester. For questions regarding course sections or more information on approved courses, please visit the department's graduate certificate webpage or contact cnais@colorado.edu.
Required Courses and Semester Credit Hours
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Course | ||
| ETHN 6103 | Indigenous Thought and Theory: Foundations in NAIS | 3 |
| Electives 1 | 9 | |
| At least three of the four required elective courses must be taken outside the student's home department. | ||
| Approved Anthropology Courses | ||
| Introduction to Museum Anthropology | ||
| Southwestern Archaeology | ||
| From Olmec to Aztec: The Archaeology of Mexico | ||
| Archaeology of the Maya and Their Neighbors | ||
| Plains Archaeology | ||
| Nomadic Peoples of East Africa | ||
| Critical and Theoretical Issues in Museums | ||
| Approved Art and Art History Courses | ||
| Graduate Seminar: Open Topics in Art History (Topic: Visual, Material and Artistic Culture of the Plains and Plateau regions, 1800-1900) | ||
| Approved English Courses | ||
| Multicultural/Postcolonial Studies | ||
| Advanced Multicultural/Postcolonial Studies | ||
| Approved Ethnic Studies Courses | ||
| Native American and Indigenous Environmental Issues | ||
| Indigenous Traditions and Law: A Global Perspective | ||
| Topics: Specialized Comparative Studies (Indigenous Film & Media) | ||
| Advanced Directed Readings in Ethnic Studies (Indigenous Topics) | ||
| Approved Geography Courses | ||
| Seminar: Political Ecology | ||
| Approved Law School Courses | ||
| Cultural Property Law | ||
| Indigenous Peoples in International Law | ||
| American Indian Law I | ||
| American Indian Law II | ||
| Independent Legal Research (on an American Indian Law topic) | ||
| Seminar: Advanced Topics in American Indian Law | ||
| Approved Linguistics Courses | ||
| Open Topics in Linguistics (Language Revitalization) | ||
| Approved Music Courses | ||
| Proseminar in Ethnomusicology | ||
| American Indian Music | ||
| Approved Museum and Field Studies Courses | ||
| Introduction to Museum Anthropology | ||
| Collections Research Practicum in Cultural Anthropology | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 12 | |
| 1 | Elective courses not taught by CNAIS core or affiliate faculty must be approved by the CNAIS director. |