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Eberly College of Arts and Sciences Program for Native American Studies
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Shape your Destiny

The Native American Studies program promotes learning, engagement, and collaboration through shared research.

Minor in Native American Studies

Complement your degree with a minor in Native American Studies

Our Native American Studies (NAS) students have applied their education in a variety of successful professional roles, serving as educators, artists, researchers, interpreters at historical sites, engineers, legal consultants, in health care, and in other meaningful careers.

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Joins us for the 33rd Annual Peace Tree Ceremony

Monday, October 13, 2025, 11:30 am at the WVU Peace Tree outside of Martin Hall

Peace Tree Ceremony Details

Get Involved

We regularly host events like the annual Peace Tree Ceremony, a Human Rights Film Series, and a residency program that brings distinguished Native American leaders, writers, and artists to campus. 

Danny Trejo stands in front of a podium to give a presentation. He is wearing a white shirt and his grey hair is pulled back into a tight bun.

Annual Peace Tree Ceremony

A highlight of the academic year, we welcome Morgantown-area residents and members of the local Native American communities to campus to join in the Peace Tree Tradition .

About the Ceremony

A group of five individuals stand outside of a football stadium holding signs to speak out against mascots using native american imagery.

Explore Resources and Issues

Educate yourself on indigenous communities and issues. Here you will find resources for teachers,  research on mascots,  regional and national links, and more.

Resources and Issues

Man in a button down blue shirt, white hair and darkened glasses stands with a group of children dressed in their tribal regalia

News and Upcoming Events

Year after year, we welcome outstanding Native leaders to campus to offer their insights and share their perspectives. We host workshops, research colloquia, lectures, and more.

News and Events

Our Mission

A cornerstone of our educational mission has been the belief that the best learning takes place when people tell their own story, in their own words.

As part of their regular coursework, our students learn from films, artwork, scholarship, music, and literature produced by Native people and read Native news publications and tribal websites. Through our classes and other opportunities facilitated by our program’s faculty, students have traveled to visit and study in diverse indigenous communities.

Learn More About Us


Medicine Wheel

The Medicine Wheel

The iconic NAS medicine wheel was designed by the late WVU Art Professor Emeritus Urban Couch, a longstanding member of the NAS Committee.

The four points of the medicine wheel represent the cardinal directions and the four Great Powers of the wheel; the wheel represents universal harmony.  Professor Couch, former Chair of WVU’s Division of Art, was an award-winning visual artist, curator, and educator whose work is included in collections the the Art Museum of WVU and the Minneapolis Institute of Art, etc.