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What is Native American Studies?

Native American Studies is an interdisciplinary field of study focused on the history, politics, and culture of Native American people of North America.  Native Americans are also known as American Indians, First Nations, Aboriginal, Native, and Indigenous Americans which are all meant to describe Natives in the Americas.  Unlike a traditional ethnic studies degree path, American Indian & Native American Studies differentiates itself due to the political sovereignty of indigenous nations.  The degree path for American Indian & Native American Studies will likely draw upon several areas of study including: history, anthropology, literature, sociology, politics, gender studies, archaeology, languages, philosophy, ethnic studies, and religious studies.

With over 500 federally recognized Native American tribes in the United States, the variety of studies offered is immense.  Approximately half of these tribes recognized by the U.S. government are associated with Indian reservations and sovereign nationhood.  Accredited colleges and universities offering American Indian study programs delve into a variety of historical facts, demographics, legal status, genetics, tribal membership, gambling establishments, sports, music, art, society, agriculture, languages, crime statistics, and a variety of other relevant cultural topics.

Degree Median Salary vs Adjacent Degree Types

Source: BLS, US Census, and IPEDS

2024 Best Native American Studies Degree

Stanford University is at the top of list this year for the best institution in the United States that offers a degree in Native American Studies. Providing a broad range of approaches to the academic study of Native American People, history, and culture. Students have the opportunity of participating in advanced work in a number of related fields. Their thorough program transforms students on being highly knowledgeable individuals in the area.

Acceptance Rate

4.34

Student to Faculty Ratio

5:1

Dartmouth College is yet again on the top of our study this year for colleges offering  Native American Studies. Help students develop interdisciplinary teaching and research and enhance their understanding of the field. The faculty consists of diverse instructors guiding students in viewing the area from a different perspective. Offering a major and minor in Native American Studies.

Acceptance Rate

7.93

Student to Faculty Ratio

7:1

UCLA offers a highly regarded degree program in American Indian Studies. The department is at the center of activities for Indigenous students, staff, faculty, alumni, and communities. Faculty and staff at UCLA foster innovative academic research to help understand past generations of American Indians and the future ahead for all related peoples.  Upon completing the course, graduates are equipped and will be highly knowledgeable of the field.

Acceptance Rate

12.32

Student to Faculty Ratio

18:1

UC Berkeley's Department of Ethics Studies offers a Native American Studies major. The program has a unique approach in training students in the study of Native Americans. Providing a strong foundation of knowledge needed to enhance and develop their understanding in the field. Completing the study will prepare them to excel in the area and enrich the lives of those through insights and historical facts.

Acceptance Rate

16.25

Student to Faculty Ratio

20:1

Native American Studies degree program at Colgate University draws on a wide range of disciplines to analyze Native American issues. Students have the opportunity to develop a foundation of knowledge in the field. The program offers a major and minor in Native American Studies. After finishing the program, graduates are equipped with essential information needed to teach or perform research to extend the body of knowledge in the area.

Acceptance Rate

22.58

Student to Faculty Ratio

9:1

UC Davis's Native American Studies provides student quality training for graduate and doctoral studies. The accredited degree programs at UC Davis help students to deeply explore and gain a deeper understanding of the history and traditions of the Indigenous peoples of North, Central, and South America. In addition, the coursework will help to enhance research capabilities and critical thinking skills to foster a wide area of understanding of past human activities. Graduates are prepared to excel and succeed in the history, religion, philosophy, political, economic, and environmental domains. 

Acceptance Rate

38.87

Student to Faculty Ratio

20:1

The University of Georgia's Institute of Native American Studies is a vibrant community for individuals interested in studying the area.  UGA offers undergraduate and graduate certificates in Native Studies. Through their intensive training and instruction, the faculty and staff at the University of Georgia help to produce highly intellectual individuals that will excel in the field. They are committed to providing top-notch quality education for students passionate about the study.

Acceptance Rate

45.3

Student to Faculty Ratio

17:1

The University of Washington offers a top ranked degree in American Indian Studies. UW staff and faculty help to promote quality knowledge essential to Native peoples through research, teaching, and community service. The American Indian Studies major is one of the most comprehensive programs in the Pacific Northwest in this learning domain.  The UW faculty strives to develop innovative theories to inspire students in studying the area. Degree completion equips graduates in navigating the field successfully.

Acceptance Rate

51.76

Student to Faculty Ratio

19:1

The American Indian Studies at San Diego State University is dedicated to teaching a broad range of topics related to the study of Native American people. Students have the opportunity to take their courses as electives or as supplementary coursework for other programs. The SDSU faculty consists of innovative instructors highly qualified in imparting their knowledge to the students. After completing the study, graduates are prepared to excel and succeed in the area as research specialist, community advocates, or teachers. 

Acceptance Rate

34.13

Student to Faculty Ratio

27:1

Hampshire College offers a highly regarded degree pathway in Native American Studies. Faculty work to provide students with a strong curriculum and broad range of interdisciplinary research into areas including American history, indigenous cultural studies, art history, agriculture, public health, anthropology, human rights, and legal studies. Through their extensive teaching, students are prepared to navigate their way in the field. Completing the course opens a variety of vocational opportunities for graduates.

Acceptance Rate

1.97

Student to Faculty Ratio

10:1

The University of California-Riverside's Department of Ethnic Studies offers a minor and major in Native American Studies.  The rigorously course studies the historical, social, economic, and cultural aspects of Native Americans.  It can be an ideal course for those seeking preparation for careers in tribal administration, human services, museum curatorship, library science, teaching, journalism, scholarship, law, health, and interethnic relations. Students are exposed to a wide variety of information that they can utilize after completing the study.

Acceptance Rate

56.52

Student to Faculty Ratio

23:1

The University of Minnesota offers a degree program in American Indian Studies. Dedicated to providing a critical and comprehensive education in the field of Native American and Indigenous Studies. Faculty at UM help to properly prepare students to pursue a variety of career paths in policy, education, community development.  In addition, students may elect to stay at UM to continue learning in one of their cutting-edge graduate programs. The University of Minnesota is committed to providing a strong foundation of knowledge needed for students to utilize in the study both in school and after completion.

Acceptance Rate

56.74

Student to Faculty Ratio

17:1

Offering a Graduate degree in Native American Studies, the University of Massachusetts Amherst guides students in gaining knowledge in the field.  Through their interdisciplinary program, individuals enrolled in the course engage in academic collaborations and research issues essential to Indigenous communities. Upon completing the course, graduates are well equipped with the needed information in the field to perform deep research, teach, or be a community advocate for Native American people across the country. 

Acceptance Rate

63.8

Student to Faculty Ratio

17:1

American Studies at the University of Hawaii at Manoa offers interdisciplinary teaching to its students. The University's unique location in the Pacific supports areas of special expertise in Indigenous Studies and U.S. relations with Asia and the Pacific. Students explore the history of the different lens of races, ethnicity, sexuality, region, class, immigration status, and gender. After finishing the program, graduates are prepared to showcase their knowledge in the area and extend the published works via targeted research projects.

Acceptance Rate

58.47

Student to Faculty Ratio

12:1

The University of Minnesota Morris offers an accredited degree program in Native American and Indigenous Studies. Their major and minor courses are designed to enhance the student's awareness and their overall knowledge in the field. Individuals enrolled in the course are required to engage and learn, within a globalized context. Its curriculum emphasizes the role of the students as an active learner and participant within a growing and vibrant Intertribal campus community.

Acceptance Rate

56.72

Student to Faculty Ratio

11:1

The University of Oklahoma's College of Arts and Sciences offers a course in Native American Studies. It is one of the leading programs in the United States in research, advocation, and historical perspectives of Native Americans and American Indians. The academic pathway combines the areas of emphasis according to their own scholarly and professional goals. Upon completing the program, graduates are qualified and prepared to analyze complex studies related to the Native Americans from social, political, economic, and spiritual viewpoints.

Acceptance Rate

80.41

Student to Faculty Ratio

18:1

The College of Liberal Arts at the University of Minnesota Duluth offers American Indian Studies. UM Duluth continues their four-decade legacy in the field and serving quality education to students interested in the study of American Indian peoples.  Faculty and staff work hard to build strong connections with Tribes within its geographic area. Dedicated to fulfilling top-notch instruction to students in the program.             

Acceptance Rate

74.89

Student to Faculty Ratio

18:1

The University of Michigan's Department of American Culture offers a minor course in Native American Studies. The curricular design of the University of Michigan Native American program is to analyze specific aspects of life along with broader inquiries into the nature of the human confrontation. The faculty and students work side by side to explore the history, economics, and political aspects of native peoples in an effort to gain a deeper understanding of this learning domain. 

Acceptance Rate

61.96

Student to Faculty Ratio

17:1

The American Indian Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire provides high-quality education for individuals interested in the field. Faculty and staff provide a robust curriculum for the benefit of students by investing resources to become experts in the cultural knowledge needed to thrive on a personal and professional level. With their intensive training, students are well equipped with the necessary information that they can utilize in the future. Upon completing the program, graduates are ready to create their path and navigate this important field of study.

Acceptance Rate

81.63

Student to Faculty Ratio

23:1

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Iowa offers a program in Native American and Indigenous Studies. Faculty at the University of Iowa work to promote a better understanding of the dynamic histories, cultures, literature, and politics of Native North Americans and other indigenous people of America. With their thorough instruction, students are well equipped with the necessary information needed to deeply understand the lives and history of indigenous peoples.  After finishing the course, graduates will have the opportunity to pursue their passion in a real-world setting.

Acceptance Rate

82.55

Student to Faculty Ratio

16:1

Washington State University offers quality degree program in American Indian Studies. Offering two options for undergraduate students and non-degree-seeking professionals, WSU faculty offer a platform for students to gain important knowledge and a deep cultural understanding of Native Americans. WSU offers both a minor degree and a certificate of completion in American Indian Studies for qualified students. 

Acceptance Rate

75.8

Student to Faculty Ratio

15:1

The University of Hawai'i Offers a program in Ke'elikolani Indigenous Studies. It addresses the broader world of indigenous people and the use of Hawaiian as an official medium of education for the state of Hawai'i. Providing intensive training instruction in the field allows students to gain a deeper understanding of the area. They are exposed to authentic history and lessons from the past of their culture through rigorous coursework and case studies.

Acceptance Rate

51.62

Student to Faculty Ratio

12:1

The College of Ethnic Studies at San Francisco State University offers a degree in American Indian Studies. Staff at SFSU are dedicated to providing qualified students with insights, historical facts, and inspiration regarding American Indian cultures.  The institution is a central hub for research and unifying force for a community passionate about American Indian studies. Their faculty consists of highly-intellectual instructors inspiring individuals in pursuing the program.  

Acceptance Rate

67.3

Student to Faculty Ratio

23:1

The American Indian Studies major at the University of North Dakota is a comprehensive liberal arts education program.  Faculty have created a curriculum that helps students think critically, write effectively, and communicate at a higher level.  One of the school’s primary objectives is to help students apply the knowledge and understanding they learn in the classroom to the real world. UND offers both a major and minor degree program for undergraduate and graduate students. The institution has a high academic standard and having a small department allows them to focus deeply on the area.

Acceptance Rate

81.12

Student to Faculty Ratio

18:1

The American Indigenous Studies at Minnesota State University-Mankato is an interdisciplinary program bringing together various learning domains to provide students with a well-rounded education. With broad teaching and understanding of Native Americans, faculty at MSU provide deep insights and learning opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in the program. It has a graduation rate of 49.79% and is one of the best institutions offering a degree in American Indigenous studies in the United States.

Acceptance Rate

62.71

Student to Faculty Ratio

22:1

Top Native American Studies Degree

With several degree programs to choose from, students need to understand the breadth of programs available. Depending on the school, you may find full online classes and traditional degree programs at accredited colleges and universities. Degrees may include certificates, associate degrees, bachelor degrees, and graduate degrees in American Indian studies. Likewise, the curricula of each degree program will vary from school to school. Some colleges may include classes that focus on law and policy while others emphasize culture and art. To learn more about programs that work best for you and your career objectives, simply connect with accredited programs on this portal today.

Educational Requirements in American Indian Studies

In terms of educational requirements, American Indian & Native American Studies degree holders will have typically studied the following courses while in college:

Schools Other Students Requested Information From:

Employment Information & Cultural Specializations

For students that earn a college degree in American Indian & Native American Studies, there are several fields of specialization that one can pursue. he options range from middle school teachers, high school teachers, postsecondary teachers, researcher, curriculum designer, historian, politician, community advocate, public policy specialist, marketing, advertising, and media specialist to name a few possible career tracks.

Job Growth & Career Outlook in Cultural Studies

The job growth in the greater American Indian & Native American Studies domain are steady for the foreseeable future.  For example, the rate of job growth for college professors is expected to rise 13% through 2024 and high school teachers a 7% growth rate is expected during the same period.  Given the broad nature of the American Indian & Native American Studies degree, compensation after graduation can vary greatly from career field to career field given prior experience and geographic location.  Related fields include teaching, curriculum design, research, politics, advertising, historian, geographer, and community advocate.

Additional Native American Resources for Students

As you can imagine, there are myriad resources for individuals and students seeking information about a specific American Indian tribe.  These online sources of data may be general or specifically target a tribe or tribal group.  National resources that you may find of interest include the United States Department of Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs, First Nation’s Experience, Indian Country Today, and the National Congress of American Indians.   Each repository of information has stores of value for individuals seeking information about American Indians, culture, networking, professional development, and history.

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