Minor in Native American Studies
PROGRAM MISSION
A NAS minor at Diné College seeks to broaden, connect, and dialogue the Navajo realities of our Diné College students to the larger indigenous experiences of tribal nations and indigenous communities throughout the United States and the Americas. In order to provide this kind of introduction to the variety of indigenous experiences in the Americas, the NAS minor draws from interdisciplinary perspectives and welcomes inter-school collaborations. Ultimately, this minor program will compliment Diné College bachelor students’ experiences, strengthen their tribal critical thinking, and provide a space for tribal perspectives to dialogue with Native nations and communities throughout the hemisphere.
PROGRAM GOALS
- To implement curriculum that allows for divergent thinking of academic disciplines which stem from a Native American Studies perspective.
- To graduate students who are prepared to advocate on behalf of and for Native communities.
- To prepare students for admission to graduate schools with applied practice of tribally centered critical thinking skills.
- To provide students for employment in communities with a specific emphasis on Native Nations.
- To establish partnerships with i) Diné College Student Services; ii) regional and national Native American Studies programs and iii) Native Nation building projects, especially within the Navajo Nation.
PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES
Program Student Learning Objectives (PSLO)
- SWBAT apply divergent thinking, which stem from a Native American Studies standpoint, to their perspective bachelor programs.
PSLO Matrix
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core Classes | ||||
| NAS111: Introduction to Native American Studies | x | x | x | x |
| NAS200: Decolonization and Resilience in Indigenous Communities | x | x | x | x |
| NAS250: Colonization and Ethnopolitics in the Americas | x | x | x | x |
| NAS413: Indigenous Research Methods | x | x | x | x |
| NAS Electives | x | x | x | x |
| 2025 – 2026 Checklist | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Native American Studies – MINOR | |||||||||
| PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS | |||||||||
| Course No & Title | Credit | Transfer | Grade | ||||||
| NAS Minor Core Requirement | |||||||||
| NAS 111 Intro to Native American Studies | 3.0 | ||||||||
| NAS 200 Decolonization & Self-Determination | 3.0 | ||||||||
| or | |||||||||
| NAS 250 Colonization and Ethnopolitics | 3.0 | ||||||||
| NAS 100 / 200 Level Elective | 3.0 | ||||||||
| NAS 300 / 400 Level Elective | 3.0 / 4.0 | ||||||||
| 12 – 13 hrs | |||||||||
| NAS Minor Elective Requirements | |||||||||
|
Choose 3 classes from the following options. At least 1 class must be from the SBS Elective: Any selection of NAS class(es) OR ANT 116, ANT 160, ANT 216, ANT 225, BUS 460, ECO 460, HST 234, MGT 320, MGT 420, MGT 460, POS 226, PSY 211, SOC 215, SWO 270 |
|||||||||
| 3.0 | |||||||||
| 3.0 | |||||||||
| 3.0 | |||||||||
| Interschool Elective Options: Maximum of 2 from the following | |||||||||
| SAHE Elective Options: ARH 211, ARH 361, ARH 413, Any CA, ENG 233, ENG 236, ENG 238 | |||||||||
| 3.0 | |||||||||
| 3.0 | |||||||||
| SDSE Elective Options: NAV 211 and above, NIS 118 and above (excluding NIS 221), EDU 353, EDU 360, EDU 487, EDU 488 | |||||||||
| 3 / 4.0 | |||||||||
| 3 / 4.0 | |||||||||
| STEM Elective Options: PUH 350, PUH 360, PUH 498 (excluding NIS 221) | |||||||||
| 3.0 | |||||||||
| 3.0 | |||||||||
| 9 – 12 hrs | |||||||||
|
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| MUST pass all courses with “C” grade or higher | |||||||||
DEAN'S OFFICE
Tsaile Campus
Phone: (928) 724-6967
Email: pblackwater@dinecollege.edu