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About the Program
Native American and Indigenous Studies Program (NAIS) is an undergraduate interdisciplinary program, currently offering a minor that is open to all students at UMass Boston. Successful completion of the minor is recorded on a student’s official university transcript.
Requirements
The minor in Native American and Indigenous studies requires the completion of 3 required courses and 3 elective courses for a total of 18 credits.
Online Course Catalog, Summer 2024 and Fall 2024 Required Courses
Minor information, along with all course requirements are listed on the Native American and Indigenous Studies Minor page in the online course catalog.
2024 Summer Course Offerings NAIS
- ANTH 106 - Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
- ANTH 263 - Environmental Anthropology
- ANTH 273 - Peoples and Cultures of Mesoamerica (Mexico and Guatemala)
2024 Fall Course Offerings NAIS
- ANTH 106 - Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
- ANTH 220G - Indigenous Peoples and Cultural Change in Amazonia
- ANTH 224G - The Rise and Fall of the Maya
- ANTH 263 - Environmental Anthropology
- ANTH 264 - Shamanisms: Anthropological Perspectives
- ANTH 273 - Peoples and Cultures of Mesoamerica (Mexico and Guatemala)
- ANTH 357 - Culture, Disease, and Healing
- ANTH 359 - Economies and cultures in comparative perspective
- ANTH 425 - Contemporary Issues in Anthropology
- HIST 185 - Mascots, Monuments, Massacres: Native American History in the Public Sphere
- HIST 255L - Gods and Slaves: Latin America before 1800
- NAIS 488 Working for Native Communities: Internship/Directed Study
- WGS 270 - Native American Women in North America
Goals of the Native American and Indigenous Studies Program
- to add complexity to “history” through teaching about diverse Native American and Indigenous histories and experiences
- to explore social, political, economic, cultural, and environmental issues affecting Indigenous people, communities, and nations in the United States and around the world, both past and present
- to equip students with methodological and theoretical tools for living in our complex and interconnected world
- to engage with Indigenous peoples, communities and issues in local, global, and transnational perspectives
- to engage the University of Massachusetts Boston’s urban mission by attracting, supporting and retaining Indigenous students, and working with local community partners to establish a strong presence and support for Native students and NAIS academic studies
Additionally, students will have opportunities to partner with Indigenous communities and organizations in a service learning and research capacity through the semester-long practicum designed to be done toward the end of their career at UMass Boston.
Where Do I Go for Additional Information?
To receive additional information about the program or to enroll in the minor, you can contact us by phone at 617.287.6860 or via email at Maria.John@umb.edu.