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Program Information
Learn more about the Sustaining and Advancing Indigenous Nations program.
General Help
Ask general questions at our support center.
Course Sequence
The Academic Certificate (AC) in American Indian Studies program explores the unique experiences of the American Indian people living in the Southwest and provides students the opportunity to study the cultures, values, histories, and contemporary lives of the indigenous people of North America. The Certificate includes courses that investigate their language, literature, arts, philosophy, religions, and politics.
Details
Important information you’ll need when applying for admission:
- Field of Interest
- Culture and Society
- Type
- Academic Certificate (AC)
- Academic Plan
- American Indian Studies (CER)
- Academic Plan Code
- 6208N
- Total Credits Required
- 15
- Catalog Year
- 2025-2026
- Effective Term
- Fall 2020
- Notes
This program is not eligible for Title IV Federal Financial Aid.
Students must earn a grade of C or better for all courses required within the programFederal Indian policy stipulates tribal preference in hiring, which should be considered in seeking employment with tribal nations and selected federal agencies. Seek advice of the tribal agency for available employment opportunities.
What You’ll Learn
This pathway map will help you gain the expertise needed to:
- Examine the lifeways of Indigenous Peoples from time immemorial to the point of initial contact with non-Indigenous Peoples.
- Analyze the impact of Westernized social and political institutions upon Indigenous Nations during the eras of colonization.
- Examine the major US federal governmental Indigenous policies that culturally and politically impacted Indigenous Nations.
- Examine the scope of the past and present-day sovereign powers of Indigenous Nations.
- Analyze the past and present-day legal and political relationship between Indigenous Nations and US governmental entities, including federal, state, county, and municipal.
- Analyze the contemporary perspectives regarding diverse cultural, social, political, legal, and economic issues that continue to confront Indigenous Nations.
- Explain the role of Indigenous Nations within the sphere of international governmental relations.
Career Opportunities
Successful completion of this certificate may lead to employment in a variety of different occupations and industries. Below are examples of related occupations with associated Maricopa County-based annual median wages* for this certificate. Education requirements vary for the occupations listed below, so you may need further education or degrees in order to qualify for some of these jobs and earn the related salaries. Please visit with an academic advisor and/or program director for additional information. You can click on any occupation to view the detail regarding education level, wages, and employment information.
Anthropologists
$56,585 Show expanded career information for Anthropologists
Archeologists
$56,585 Show expanded career information for Archeologists
Curators
$69,810 Show expanded career information for Curators
Equal Opportunity Representatives and Officers
$65,499 Show expanded career information for Equal Opportunity Representatives and Officers
Historians
$59,855 Show expanded career information for Historians
Industrial Engineering Technologists
$47,033 Show expanded career information for Industrial Engineering Technologists
Middle School Teachers
$58,978 Show expanded career information for Middle School Teachers
Postsecondary Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers
$72,944 Show expanded career information for Postsecondary Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers
Postsecondary Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers
$72,944 Show expanded career information for Postsecondary Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers
Postsecondary Sociology Teachers
$72,944 Show expanded career information for Postsecondary Sociology Teachers
Secondary School Teachers
$63,199 Show expanded career information for Secondary School Teachers
- Legal Support Workers, All Other
Admission Criteria
None
Course Sequence by Term
The following is the suggested course sequence by term. Please keep in mind:
- Students should meet with an academic advisor to develop an individual education plan that meets their academic and career goals. Use the Degree Progress Report Tool in your Student Center to manage your plan.
- The course sequence is laid out by suggested term and may be affected when students enter the program at different times of the year.
- Initial course placement is determined by current district placement measures and/or completion of 100-200 level course and/or program requirements.
- Degree and transfer seeking students may be required to successfully complete a MCCCD First Year Experience Course (FYE) within the first two semesters at a MCCCD College. Courses include FYE101 and FYE103. Course offerings will vary by college. See an academic, program, or faculty advisor for details.
Ready to get started?
Follow one of the options below to get started on your personal career pathway.
Become a Student
Click here for MCC’s easy-to-use Enrollment Steps.
Program Information
Learn more about and find contact information for the Sustaining and Advancing Indigenous Nations program.
General Help
Ask general questions over the phone at 480-461-7400 or via online chat.
Course Area Key
Gateway Course = Generally the first major-specific course in a pathway.
Critical Course = A course that is highly predictive of future success in a pathway.
- C = Cultural Diversity in the US
- FYC = First Year Composition
- H = Historical Awareness
- HU = Humanities, Fine Arts, and Design
- L = Literacy & Critical Inquiry
- SB = Social-Behavioral Sciences
Disclaimer
Students must earn a grade of C or better for all courses required within the program.
Course Sequence total credits may differ from the program information located on the MCCCD curriculum website due to program and system design.
This certificate is not eligible for Title IV Federal Financial Aid.
At Maricopa, we strive to provide you with accurate and current information about our degree and certificate offerings. Due to the dynamic nature of the curriculum process, course and program information is subject to change. As a result, the course list associated with this degree or certificate on this site does not represent a contract, nor does it guarantee course availability. If you are interested in pursuing this degree or certificate, meet with an academic advisor to discuss the requirements at your college for the appropriate catalog year.
View MCCCD’s official curriculum documentation for additional details regarding the requirements of this award (https://aztransmac2.asu.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MCCCD.woa/wa/freeForm11?id=141923).
Previous Catalog Years
The pathway map presented above is for the current catalog year and is the intended pathway map for new students. All previous catalog years for this pathway map are available at the link below.
Previous catalog years for Academic Certificate (AC) in American Indian Studies