The first option is designed for young scholars interested in preparing for an academic career in Native American Studies. Students who plan to be teach Native American studies at any level would be interested in this option, Stein said. The second option prepares students who plan a career requiring a terminal degree but who are interested in in-depth study of Native American issues and history. For example, students interested in working in tribal or federal government might consider this option. The new program can accommodate up to 10 new students each year.
Future plans call for offering distance learning courses.
The program is designed to allow students to combine Native American Studies courses with classes from a particular area of interest, such as history, business, literature, political science, etc. Stein said the program can lead to an excellent career. Stein said he believes that the graduate program is the only one of its kind in the Northwest and the Northern Plains, and is enhanced with the recent addition of nationally-prominent Native American Scholar Henrietta Mann in the MSU NAS department. Students will be able to use their graduate training here to incorporate a perspective of Native American issues in their discipline-based careers. The 30-credit master's program is designed to be completed within three to four semesters of concentrated work and graduate students are expected to attend at least two full semesters on campus.