The certificate in American Indian Studies focuses on: the indigenous peoples the Europeans encountered when they first came to the United States, how the arrival of the Europeans impacted Native Americans, and how Euro-Americans and Native Americans transformed each other.Coursework for the certificate is taken through traditional academic disciplines, including Anthropology, English, History, and Sociology.
Independent study courses focusing on the American Indian experience may be accepted with the approval of the Certificate Program Coordinator. Other courses not on this list but relevant to the study of American Indians may be accepted with the approval of the Certificate Program Coordinator.
Requirements
To obtain the certificate, the student must complete, with a minimum grade point average of 2.0, at least 18 credits in approved American Indian Studies courses, of which 12 must be earned in residence at UWM. Of these 12 residence credits, nine must be taken at the 300 level or above. Twelve of the 18 required credits must be in the College of Letters and Science, with at least 6 of these at the 300 level or above. No more than 9 credits from any one department may count toward the certificate. A maximum of 6 credits of independent study may count toward program requirements. Courses for the certificate may not be taken on a credit/no credit basis.
Independent study courses focusing on the American Indian experience may be accepted with the approval of the Certificate Program Coordinator. If the core course is not offered in the years an undergraduate student is pursuing the certificate, the student can petition the Certificate Program Coordinator to accept another course in its stead. Other courses not on this list but relevant to the study of American Indians may be accepted with the approval of the Certificate Program Coordinator.
Credits earned at other institutions equivalent to courses in the certificate program may be accepted in partial fulfillment of the program requirements, subject to review by the Certificate Program Coordinator. Students currently enrolled at UWM who have fulfilled some of the program’s requirements prior to the program’s approval may have their credits applied retroactively to the certificate program.
The following are required:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core | ||
| AIS 101 | Introduction to American Indian Studies | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Select 15 credits from the list of approved courses 1 | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 18 | |
- 1
Students may petition the AIS Coordinator for approval of appropriate courses not on the approved list.
Approved Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AIS 105 | Anishinaabe Ethnobotany: Plants in Anishinaabe Culture | 3 |
| AIS 106 | Anishinaabe Ethnobotany: Plants in Anishinaabe Philosophy | 3 |
| AIS 171 | First-Semester Indigenous Languages of Wisconsin: | 4 |
| AIS 172 | Second-Semester Indigenous Languages of Wisconsin: | 4 |
| AIS 203 | Western Great Lakes American Indian Community Life of the Past | 3 |
| AIS/ANTHRO 225 | The Aztec Empire | 3 |
| AIS 252 | Fourth Semester Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe) | 4 |
| AIS/HIST 262 | North American Indian History to 1887 | 3 |
| AIS/HIST 263 | North American Indian History Since 1887 | 3 |
| AIS 271 | Third-Semester Indigenous Languages of Wisconsin: | 4 |
| AIS/ENGLISH 276 | Introduction to American Indian Literature: | 3 |
| AIS/ANTHRO 308 | Archaeology of North America | 3 |
| AIS/ANTHRO 310 | Archaeology of Middle America | 3 |
| AIS/ANTHRO 311 | The World of the Ancient Maya | 3 |
| AIS/ANTHRO 314 | American Indian Societies and Cultures | 3 |
| AIS/SOCIOL 321 | Contemporary Issues of the American Indian | 3 |
| AIS 360 | Ezhi-Kinomaageying: Anishinaabe Curriculum | 3 |
| AIS/ANTHRO/GLOBAL 362 | System Failure: Globalization and Language Extinction | 3 |
| AIS 370 | Anishinaabebiige: Archival to Contemporary Writing | 3 |
| AIS/ENGLISH 372 | Survey of American Indian Literature | 3 |
| AIS/HIST 473 | History of Wisconsin Indians | 3 |
| AIS/HIST 474 | Topics in North American Indian History: | 3 |
| AIS/HIST 475 | American Indian History, Law, and Government | 3 |
| AIS/ENGLISH 520 | Studies in American Indian Literature: | 3 |
| AIS/ENGLISH 525 | American Indian Literature, Culture, and Creative Arts | 3 |
| AIS/ENGLISH 632 | Seminar in American Indian Literature: | 3 |
| ANTHRO 213 | American Indian Peoples of Wisconsin | 3 |