Both the minor and certificate in American Indian studies require 18 semester hours of course credit, including a 9-credit core from anthropology, comparative ethnic studies, and history.

The core courses are:

• Native Peoples of North America
• Introduction to Indigenous Studies
• North American Indian History, Precontact to Present

See the WSU Catalog for detailed course requirements and talk with your academic advisor about planning and scheduling your courses. All students must meet requirements as outlined in the catalog in order to graduate.

A variety of state, federal, and university-sponsored programs are available to help students with educational costs.

Washington State University awards millions of dollars in financial aid and scholarships to students every year based on financial need, academic merit, or a combination of the two.

For all students

To get all the financial help WSU can provide, start by doing these two things:

• Complete the University’s WSU general scholarship application so you can be eligible for scholarship consideration.
• Complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) so WSU can consider you for aid (scholarships, grants, loans, etc.) based on financial need.

For students minoring in American Indian studies

The School of Languages, Cultures, and Race awards numerous scholarships annually for new students, continuing students, and those pursuing study abroad. Visit the school’s scholarship page for more information.

Students in a major within the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) may apply for University-level scholarships and more than $50,000 in scholarships awarded by the college. Visit the CAS website for more scholarship information.

A minor in American Indian studies can help advance your career in:

• Public relations, marketing, and advertising
• International business, banking, and finance
• Travel, tourism, and hospitality
• Health and social services
• Science, engineering, and technology
• Music, film, drama, entertainment, photography
• Journalism, publishing, and editing
• Translation and interpretation in healthcare and legal services professions
• Education/teaching in middle school, high school, and college
• Customer service and personnel management
• Customs and immigration
• Law enforcement
• Intelligence (CIA, FBI, National Security)
• Peace Corps and aid agencies

Skills you can market with a minor or certificate in American Indian Studies

• Cross-cultural communication
• Awareness of cultural differences and sensitivity to cultural issues
• Ability to adjust to new environments
• Ability to interact effectively with people of different backgrounds
• Independent, critical, and creative thinking with increased analytical and problem-solving skills

• American Indian Studies is an excellent complement to other disciplines, including business, communications, management and information systems, history, veterinary medicine, and agriculture.
• The School of Languages, Cultures, and Race offers four different faculty-led study abroad programs for spring and summer. Students can choose to study abroad during spring break in Guatemala or study abroad in the summer in Paris, Berlin, or Berlin/Austria. To learn more about these faculty-led study abroad experiences, visit the SLCR website. 
• Study abroad provides students a wide range of opportunities for adventuring, learning, and engaging with the foreign language and culture. Students can earn course credit while studying abroad in another country. Visit the Office of International Programs Study Abroad Programs for more information.
• Scholarships are offered annually to new and ongoing students, and for study abroad. Visit the SLCR scholarship page.
• Two active student organizations on campus: Native American Women’s Association and Ku-Ah-Mah (Native American Student Organization).