A certificate in American Indian & Indigenous Studies is a way of giving recognition to students who have made a significant effort to learn about American Indian & Indigenous culture and the place of American Indians in American society. Students receiving a certificate will have the achievement officially recorded via transcript notation.
What can I do with a certificate in American Indian & Indigenous Studies?
Students of American Indian & Indigenous Studies go on to successful careers in administration, advising, academics, advocacy, the arts, business, community outreach, consulting, education, government, health or health education, journalism, library science, literacy programming, lobbying, management, politics, publishing, school counseling, social work, research, and many more.
How to Get in
To begin the certificate declaration process, students must submit the Certificate Program Application form to the American Indian and Indigenous Studies office. This form can be found on our Certificate Website. The certificate is open to Special students and undergraduate students regardless of the college of enrollment.
Requirements
15 total credits are required, as follows:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction to American Indian Studies: | ||
| AMER IND 100 | Introduction to American Indian Studies | 3 |
| Complete four courses from at least two of the following areas: | 12 | |
History | ||
| Introduction to American Indian History | ||
Literature and Media | ||
| Literatures of Native America | ||
| Literature by American Indian Women | ||
| American Indians in Film | ||
Anthropology | ||
| Indians of North America | ||
| Archaeology of Wisconsin | ||
Language | ||
| First Semester Ojibwe | ||
| Second Semester Ojibwe | ||
| Beginner Level Indigenous Language | ||
| Beginner Level Indigenous Language II | ||
| Beginner Level Hoocak/Ho-Chunk Language | ||
| Survey of North American Indian Languages | ||
| Ojibwe Language III | ||
| Ojibwe Language IV | ||
| Intermediate Level Indigenous Language | ||
| Intermediate Level Indigenous Language II | ||
American Indian Social and Cultural Issues | ||
| Introduction to Comparative US Ethnic and American Indian Studies | ||
| Indians of Wisconsin | ||
| American Indian Communities: Sovereignty, Struggles, and Successes | ||
| Special Topics in American Indian Studies | ||
| American Indian Women | ||
| Issues in American Indian Studies | ||
| Poverty and Place | ||
| Social Work in American Indian Communities: The Indian Child Welfare Act | ||
Environment | ||
| Indigenous Peoples and the Environment | ||
| Indigenous Environmental Communicators | ||
| Caring for Nature in Native North America | ||
| Critical Indigenous Ecological Knowledges | ||
| Ethnobotany | ||
| Total Credits | 15 | |
Residence and Quality of Work
- Minimum 2.000 GPA on all certificate courses.
- 6 credits may be taken as pass/fail. All other credits must be taken for a letter grade.
- At least 8 certificate credits must be completed in residence.
Undergraduate/Special Student Certificates
This certificate may be completed within the context of an undergraduate degree or as a Special student after an undergraduate degree has been awarded from any institution. The certificate may be completed in its entirety while enrolled as a Special student. Candidates are encouraged to contact the certificate coordinator to discuss course enrollment and the sequencing of certificate requirements.
Learning Outcomes
- Apply knowledge and methods of inquiry characteristic of this interdisciplinary field.
- Apply knowledge of historical precedents to contemporary issues.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the creativity and ethos contained within the diverse ways of knowing (Indigenous Knowledge Systems) among American Indian nations and communities.
- Apply knowledge of the effects (ongoing) of oppression and racism that American Indians experience.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the contributions of American Indian value-belief systems and practical knowledge across all fields of human endeavor.
Advising and Careers
Students are required to declare the American Indian & Indigenous Studies (AIIS) certificate. For academic advising regarding the certificate, students should contact the AIIS certificate advisor to obtain more details about the certificate program and general academic advising. Contact Denise Wiyaka at denise.wiyaka@wisc.edu or request information by sending an email to aiis@letsci.wisc.edu.
L&S Career Resources
Every L&S major opens a world of possibilities. SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science helps students turn the academic skills learned in their major, certificates, and other coursework into fulfilling lives after graduation, whether that means jobs, public service, graduate school or other career pursuits.
In addition to providing basic support like resume reviews and interview practice, SuccessWorks offers ways to explore interests and build career skills from their very first semester/term at UW all the way through graduation and beyond.
Students can explore careers in one-on-one advising, try out different career paths, complete internships, prepare for the job search and/or graduate school applications, and connect with supportive alumni and even employers in the fields that inspire them.
- SuccessWorks
- Set up a career advising appointment
- Enroll in a Career Course - a great idea for first- and second-year students:
- INTER-LS 210 L&S Career Development: Taking Initiative (1 credit)
- INTER-LS 215 Communicating About Careers (3 credits, fulfills Comm B General Education Requirement)
- Learn about internships and internship funding
- INTER-LS 260 Internship in the Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Activate your Handshake account to apply for jobs and internships from 200,000+ employers recruiting UW-Madison students
- Learn about the impact SuccessWorks has on students' lives
People
Director
Denise Wiyaka, American Indian & Indigenous Studies
Faculty
- Jodi Byrd, Gender & Women's Studies
- Juliana Hu Pueges, Gender & Women's Studies
- Leah Horowitz, Environmental Studies
- Kasey Keeler, Civil Society & Community Studies
- Kai Pyle, Gender & Women's Studies
- Sasha Suarez, History
- Matt Villeneueve, History
Staff
- Susan Dominguez, Senior Lecturer
For a full list of faculty and staff, please see the department website.