American Indian Studies

UNCP, as North Carolina’s only historically American Indian University and North Carolina’s only four-year university designated by the U.S. Department of Education as an American Indian and Alaska Native-Serving Institution, expects its graduates to learn about the cultures and histories of Indigenous peoples to honor and deepen their connection both to the university and to the American Indian communities who founded UNCP. The Indigenous Cultures and Communities (ICC) Graduation Requirement allows graduates to: (1) develop an understanding and awareness of the social, political, economic, and sovereignty issues Indigenous peoples and communities faced in the past and/or are now facing; (2) experience and analyze the communities and cultures, including but not limited to languages, literature, arts, music, and spiritualities of Indigenous peoples; (3) enhance their ability to apply knowledge and agency to assist and support Indigenous communities in meeting their goals.

The University of North Carolina at Pembroke was established in 1887 as an institution for Native Americans. Since 1953, it has had a multi-racial student body. Because of its heritage, the University, through this Department, offers a program to educate students about the rich diversity of American Indian histories and cultures, to promote research and scholarship concerning American Indian issues, and to prepare students for professional or scholarly careers. The Department offers a Bachelor of Arts, a minor, and an academic concentration in American Indian Studies. Students are encouraged to select courses that touch on as many different aspects of American Indian histories and cultures as possible.