Skip to main content
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences Program for Native American Studies
Visit WVU Request Info Apply Now

Courses Descriptions

for the Native American Studies Minor

To complete the NAS minor, students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses.

Courses required:

  • NAS 200: Intro. to Native American Studies (satisfies GEF 7/GEC 4 or 9)
    Addresses historical and contemporary Native American issues, with attention to the diversity of North American tribes, federal policies impacting American Indians, pervasive stereotypes, and cultural preservation as an element of indigenous resistance and resiience.
  • ENGL 156: Literature of Native America Literature of Native America (satisfies GEF 6/GEC 5 or 9)
    A his torical survey of Native American prose, poetry, song, and story from the beginning to the present.
  • HIST 264: American Indian History (satisfies GEF 5/GEC 3 or 7)
    Surveys the history of Native peoples of what is now the United States, from pre-contact to the present. Ethnohistorical approach emphasizes cultural development as well as interactions with European and American peoples and policies.

Students must also complete nine upper-division credits, choosing courses such as the following:

  • NAS 493: Special Topics Courses (1-3 credits) such as:
    • Indigenous Intellectuals;
    • Native American Images: New World Film;
    • Eastern Woodland Indians;
    • Cherokee Culture and History;
    • Native Voices: Sites and Stories;
    • Working in Indian Country;
    • Lakota Studies;
    • Lakota Wisdom: Lessons from the Elders and the Land;
    • PowWow Highway: Music and Dance;
    • Akicita Spirit: Courage & Community;
    • Native American Filmmakers;
    • Contemporary Native American Issues;
    • Native American Women in Leadership;
    • Sovereign Tribal Nations;
    • Culture, Tradition, and the Sacred;
    • Native Hawaiian Culture and History;
    • Introduction to Mound Cultures;
    • Yup’ik Culture and History;
    • Native American Material Culture and Practices;
    • Navajo, Apache and the Southwest;
    • Research with Indigenous Peoples;
    • American Indian Health;
    • 2012: Myths of the Maya
  • NAS 491: Professional field Experience 
  • NAS 495: Independent Study 
  • NAS 499: Global Service Learning

Other Courses

  • ENGL 356: Topics in Native American Literature (The Hollywood Indian—a film retrospective) 
  • ENGL 387: Topics in Women’s Literature (Native American Women Writers and/or Indigenous Women Writers 
  • POLS 355: Governments of Latin America

Students should consult with the NAS coordinator to learn about other courses of interest and opportunities for additional academic exploration of Native American topics (such as HIST 442: 18th Century American History, ART HIST 307: Native American Visual Culture, etc.).