Undergraduate Course Catalogue

Lower Division Courses and Descriptions


1. Introduction to Native American Studies (4)
Lecture—3 hours; discussion—1 hour. Introduction to Native American Studies with emphasis upon basic concepts relating to Native American historical and political development. GE credit: SocSci, Div | ACGH, DD, SS, WC, WE.—I, II, III. (I, II, III.) 

2v. Introduction to Native American Studies & Indigenous Studies (4)
Virtual lecture—3 hours; virtual discussion—1 hour. Introduction to the field of Native American Studies. Regional, national, and hemispheric focus. Native American/Indigenous Studies theory, methodology, and pedagogy. Diverse realities and original languages of Indigenous Nations. GE credit: AH or SS, DD, WC.

5. Introduction to Native American Literature (4)
Lecture/discussion—4 hours. Prerequisite: completion of Subject A requirement. Intensive focus on analysis of Native American literary texts, with frequent writing assignments to develop critical thinking and composition skills. GE credit: ArtHum, Div, Wrt | AH, DD, OL, WE.—I, II, III, IV. (I, II, III, IV.)

5v. Introduction to Native American Literature (4)
Virtual lecture/discussion—4 hours. Prerequisite: completion of Subject A requirement. Intensive focus on analysis of Native American literary texts, with frequent writing assignments to develop critical thinking and composition skills. GE credit: ArtHum, Div, Wrt | AH, DD, OL, WE.—I, II, III, IV. (I, II, III, IV.)

5A. Writer's Workshop (2)
Workshop—2 hours. Prerequisite(s): Has not yet completed the Entry Level Writing Requirement (ELWR); concurrent enrollment in NAS 005 required. Disciplinary writing support course focuses on the development of writing and revision strategies, exploring ways to understand a writing task, to develop appropriate content for a writing task, to revise content to reflect competence as a communicator.

7. Indigenous and Minority Languages (4)
Lecture—3 hours; discussion—1 hour. Survey of the status of indigenous, immigrant, and other minority languages in the Americas and around the world. Topics include linguistic diversity, language endangerment and revitalization, heritage language maintenance in immigrant communities, and language change due to transcultural interactions. GE credit: ArtHum or SocSci, Div, Wrt | AH or SS, DD, WC, WE.—I, 

10. Native American Experience (4)
Lecture—3 hours; discussion—1 hour. Introduction to the diverse cultures of Native American peoples from North, Central, and South America. Emphasis on Native American voices in the expression of cultural views and in the experience of conflicting values. GE credit: ArtHum or SocSci, Div, Wrt | AH or SS, DD, WC, WE.—I, II, III, IV. (I, II, III, IV.) 

12. Native American/Indigenous Film (4)
Lecture—3 hours; film viewing; discussion—1 hour. Survey and analysis of the visual colonization of Native American peoples and the contemporary responses by Native American/Indigenous filmmakers claiming visual sovereignty. Examines a range of filmic genres including documentary, features, shorts, festivals, tv and internet screening. GE credit: ACGH, AH or SS, DD, VL, WC, WE.

30. Homeland History (4)
Lecture/discussion—4 hours. Indigenous histories of the Wintun Patwin homelands in which the University of California, Davis is situated. Tribal-federal, tribal-state, and tribal-university relations from the 19th century through the present. GE credit: AH or SS, DD.

32. Native American Music and Dance (4)
Lecture/discussion—4 hours. Introduction to the music and dance of the native peoples of the Americas. Students will study secular native music and dance from a cross-section of regions and tribes. GE credit: Div.—(I.) 

33. Introduction to Native American Art (4)
Lecture—4 hours. Introduction to Native American Art from throughout North America, inclusive of traditional forms, techniques and designs in a range of media including ceramics, basketry, fiberwork, carving, painting, sculpture and photography within a context of social and political history. GE credit: AH or SS, ACGH, DD, OL, VL, WE .

34. Native American Art Studio (4)
Lecture—2 hours; studio—6 hours. Studio projects to be influenced by contemporary and traditional Native American arts. Examples of designs and media presented in lectures will be of indigenous origin. Introduction and familiarized with various materials and techniques. GE credit: ACGH, AH, DD, OL, VL, WC.

50. Colloquium in Native American & Indigenous Studies (1)
Prerequisite: consent of instructor. Speaker series on contemporary theory and research in Native American and Indigenous Studies. GE Credit: AH. Open to Native American Studies majors and minors only. (P/NP grading only.)

93. Powwow Internship (1-4)
Prerequisite: consent of instructor. (P/NP grading only.)

98. Directed Group Study (1-5)
Prerequisite: consent of instructor. (P/NP grading only.)

99. Special Study for Undergraduates (1-5)
Prerequisite: consent of instructor. (P/NP grading only.)

Upper Division Courses and Descriptions

101. Contemporary Native American  Art (4)
Lecture—4 hours.  Examination of contemporary artworks by selected Native American and Indigenous Master artists, in a wide range of media, including ceramics, metal arts, photography, video, painting, installation and performance within a context of political and social histories. GE credit: AH or SS, ACGH, DD, OL, VL, WE. 

107. Learning Native American Languages (4)
Lecture/discussion—4 hours. Prerequisite: consent of instructor. Self-directed study of a Native American language using revitalization strategies. Origins of language endangerment and the importance of language for cultural reclamation. May be repeated for credit when a different topic is studied. GE credit: AH, DD, OL, WC. 

108. Indigenous Languages of California (4)
Lecture/discussion—3 hours; term paper. Survey of the indigenous languages of the California region: linguistic prehistory, languages at first European contact, subsequent language loss, current efforts at language and cultural revitalization, indigenous languages of recent immigrants to California. GE credit: ACGH, AH or SS, DD, WE.—II. (II.) 

109. Native American Language Spotlight (4)
Lecture/discussion—3 hours. In-depth examination of the history, structure, and sociolinguistics of a particular Native American language or language family. Different language studied each time the course is offered. Oral proficiency component included in some years. GE credit: AH or SS, WC, WE.

110A. Quechua Language and Society, Beginning Level 1 (4)
Lecture/discussion—4 hours. Introduction to Quechua language and society emphasizing the practical use of the language. Provides the student with some basic Quechua communication skills and with an initial knowledge about contemporary Andean society and the status of Quechua language today. Not available for students who took NAS 107 in the Fall quarter of 2007. GE credit: SS.

110B. Quechua Language and Society, Beginning Level 2 (4)
Lecture/discussion—4 hours. Prerequisite: course 110A. Second Level of the teaching of Quechua language and society. Emphasis on development of conversational and reading skills. Continuation of the study of aspects of contemporary Andean society and the status of Quechua language today. Offered in alternate years. GE credit: SS.—II. 

110C. Quechua Language and Society, Intermediate Level 1 (4)
Lecture/discussion—4 hours. Prerequisite: courses 110A and B. Third level of the teaching of Quechua language and society. Emphasis on development of conversational and reading skills. Introduction to more complex grammatical structures. Continuing the study of contemporary Andean society and the status of Quechua language today. Offered in alternate years. GE credit: SS.—II. Mendoza

110D. Quechua Language and Society, Intermediate Level 2 (4)
Lecture/discussion—4 hours. Prerequisite: course 110A, B and C. Fourth level of the teaching of Quechua language and society. Emphasis on complex structural patterns while emphasizing conversational skills and improving reading competence. Study of different sociopolitical processes that have affected Andean identity and the status of Quechua language. Offered in alternate years. GE credit: SS.—III. 

115. Native Americans in the Contemporary World (4)
Lecture/discussion—4 hours. Prerequisite: course 1, 10, or 55. The sociocultural development of American Indian populations in modern times with emphasis upon North America. Attention will be given to contemporary Indian affairs and problems as well as to the background for present day conditions. Not open for credit to students who have completed Anthropology 141B. (Former course Anthropology 141B.) GE credit: SocSci, Div, Wrt.—I. (II.) 

116. Native American Traditional Governments (4)
Lecture—4 hours. Prerequisite: course 1; Anthropology 2. Study of selected Native American Tribal Governments, confederations, leagues, and alliance systems. Offered in alternate years. GE credit: SocSci, Div.

117. Native American Governmental Decision Making (4)
Lecture—4 hours. Prerequisite: course 116, Political Science 2; Anthropology 123 recommended. Native American governmental and community decision making with emphasis on federal and state programs, tribal sovereignty, current political trends and funding for tribal services. Offered in alternate years. GE credit: SocSci, Div.—ll.

118. Native American Politics (4)
Lecture—3 hours; discussion—1 hour. Prerequisite: course 117. Examination of the various interest groups and movements found among Native people and how they relate to the determination of Indian affairs. Study of political action available to Native groups, and local communities, along with relevant theory relating to underdevelopment. Offered in alternate years. GE credit: ACGH, DD, SS, OL, WE.—III. 

119. Introduction to Federal Indian Law (4)
Lecture—3 hours; term paper. Introduction to the foundational cases and statutes of federal Indian law, from European Contact through the 20th century. GE credit: ACGH, SS, WE.—III. (III.) 

120. Ethnopolitics of South American Indians (4)
Lecture/discussion—4 hours. Prerequisite: course 1, 10 or 55. Social, political, cultural movements of indigenous South Americans in response to establishment, expansion of European colonialism, post-colonial nation-states. Ethnopolitical processes developed through interactions between Indians, Euroamericans. Socioethnographic analysis of main indigenous areas and the development of national societies. GE credit: SocSci, Div, Wrt.—(I.)

121. Corporate Colonialism (4)
Lecture/discussion—4 hours. Price of progress and modernity for native and non-native people. History of the corporation and neoliberalism, military and intelligence agencies, debt, Taylorism, education institutions, media, and law. Discussion of alternatives advocated by contemporary and indigenous social movements.  GE credit: SocSci| SS, ACGH. DD, WC, WE.—II, 

122. Native American Community Development (4)
Lecture—4 hours. Prerequisite: course 1 or 10. Application of community development theory and techniques to the development problems of Native American communities. Offered in alternate years. (Former course 161.) GE credit: ACGH, DD, OL, SS, WE.—II.

123. Native Foods and Farming of the Americas (4)
Lecture/discussion—4 hours. Cultural and social history of native American foods like maize, potatoes, quinoa, chocolate, peppers, beans, avocados, etc. Discussion of socio-economic, environmental, legal challenges facing indigenous and peasant farmers today. Offered in alternate years. GE credit: SciEng or SocSci, Wrt|DD, SE or SS, WC.—S. (S.) 

123v. Native Foods and Farming of the Americas (4)
Virtual lecture/discussion—4 hours. Cultural and social history of native American foods like maize, potatoes, quinoa, chocolate, peppers, beans, avocados, etc. Discussion of socio-economic, environmental, legal challenges facing indigenous and peasant farmers today. Offered in alternate years. GE credit: SciEng or SocSci, Wrt|DD, SE or SS, WC.—S. (S.) 

124. Indigenous Justice Laboratory (1-4)
Lecture/discussion—1-4 hours. Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor and prior or concurrent enrollment in a NAS course with this instructor. Civic applications of research, theory, and practice to real world challenges faced by Indigenous communities on a group topic(s) from a previous or concurrent NAS course taught by the same instructor. Mentorship in advocacy for justice and self determination. GE credit: SS, VL. 

125. Performance and Culture Among Native Americans (4)
Lecture—3 hours; listening—3 hours. Prerequisite: upper division standing in division of humanities or social sciences or consent of instructor. Interdisciplinary study of public expressive forms among Native Americans. Comparative analysis of music, dances, rituals, and dramas from throughout the Americas in their social and cultural contexts. Offered in alternate years. Not open for credit to students who have completed Music 125.—(III.) 

130A. Native American Ethno-Historical Development (4)
Lecture—4 hours. Prerequisite: course 1 or 10; History 17A recommended. Study of Native American ethno-history in North America before 1770s. GE credit: SocSci, Div, Wrt | ACGH, DD, SS, WC, WE.—I. (I.) 

130B. Native American Ethno-Historical Development (4)
Lecture/discussion—4 hours. Prerequisite: course 1; History 17A-17B recommended. Study of Native American ethno-history in North America, 1770-1890. GE credit: SocSci, Div, Wrt | ACGH, DD, SS, WE.—II. (II.) 

130C. Native American Ethno-Historical Development (4)
Lecture/discussion—4 hours. Prerequisite: course 1; History 17A-17B recommended. Study of Native American ethno-history in North America after 1890. GE credit: SocSci, Div, Wrt | ACGH, DD, SS, WE.—III. (III.) 

132. Native American History in California (4)
Lecture/discussion—4 hours. Native American History in California. Significant questions, topics, and methods in the field of American Indian and Indigenous history. Recently published scholarship in California Indian Studies and Indigenous history that broadened the field. GE credit: AH, ACGH, DD. 

133. Ethnohistory of Native People of Mexico and Central America (4)
Lecture/discussion—4 hours. Ethnohistorical development of pre-colonial, colonial, post-colonial Mexican and Central American indigenous people; the impact of economic and political factors on the process of cultural adaptation. Attention is given to the questions of nation-building, forced assimilation, indigenous resistance, organized political responses. GE credit: SocSci, Div.—III. (III.) 

133A. Ethnoshistory of Native Peoples of Mexico and Central America to 1500 (4)
Lecture/discussion—3 hours; term paper. Ethnohistorical development of the indigenous peoples of Mexico and Central America up to and including the earliest period of European contact. Focus is on indigenous written historical records of the Maya, Mixtec, and Nahuatl peoples. May be repeated one time for credit. GE credit: SocSci, Div, Wrt.—I, II, III. (I, II, III.) 

133B. Ethnohistory of Native Peoples of Mexico and Central America 1500 to 2000 (4)
Lecture/discussion—4 hours; term paper. Ethnohistory of indigenous peoples of Mexico and Central America from 1500 to contemporary times. Focus on social and cultural dynamics, particularly the role of indigenous people in the process of nation-state building in Mexico and Central America. Offered in alternate years. GE credit: SocSci, Div, Wrt | AH, OL, SS, WE.—(III.)

134. Race, Culture, and Nation (4)
Lecture—4 hours. Prerequisite: upper division standing or consent of instructor. Exploration of complexities of Native American racial, cultural and national identities and alliances. Study of tribal and federal citizenship, mixed descent and diasporic people(s), claims to resources, ethnic fraud and contemporary movements of cultural resurgence and political sovereignty and self-determination. Offered in alternate years. GE credit: SocSci|ACGH, DD, SS, WE.—W (W.) 

135. Gender Construction in Native Societies (4)
Lecture—4 hours. Prerequisite: upper division standing or consent of instructor. Historical and traditional Native American constructions of feminine, masculine, and non-binary genders. Examines culture- and place-based gender roles and statuses. Addresses the problems with contemporary terminologies and impacts of colonization on contemporary constructions of gender identities. Offered in alternate years. GE credit: AH or SS, DD, OL, WE.—(III.) 

146. Orientation to Research in Native American Studies (4)
Lecture/discussion—4 hours; term paper. Prerequisite: Native American Studies major or minor, or consent of instructor. Limited enrollment. Introduction to basic research resources pertinent to Native American subjects available in the region, including libraries, archives, museums, etc. Emphasis on learning to use documentary resources or other collections of data. Students will carry out individual projects. GE credit: ACGH, DD, SS, WE.—II. (II.) 

157. Native American Religion and Philosophy (4)
Lecture/discussion—4 hours. Religious and philosophical  traditions of Native American/indigenous peoples of the Americas. Offered in alternate years. GE credit: ArtHum, Div|AH, OL, WE.

161. California Indian Environmental Policy I (4)
Lecture/discussion—4 hours; term paper. Contemporary California Indian environmental policy issues, with a focus on water, minerals, contamination, and alliance-building. Issues will be placed within historical and political context, drawing on theories of Native environmental ethics, environmental justice, and Federal Indian law. Offered in alternate years. GE credit: ACGH, DD, SS, WE.

162. California Indian Environmental Policy II (4)
Lecture/discussion—4 hours; term paper. Contemporary California Indian environmental policy issues, with a focus on planning, site protection, and collaborative structures. Issues will be placed within historical and political context, drawing on theories of Native environmental ethics, environmental justice, and Federal Indian law. Offered in alternate years. GE credit: SocSci | ACGH, DD, SS, WE.

165. Keepers of the Flame: Native American Cultural Burning & Land Stewardship in California (4)
Lecture/discussion—1.5 hour(s), Fieldwork. Prerequisite: consent of instructor; course involves regular field days working with cultural burn practitioners. Use of fire by California Indian tribes to maintain ecosystems that sustain their economic, cultural, and spiritual well being. Guests include Native American cultural practitioners and prescribed fire professionals. GE credit: AH or SS, DD, ACGH.

171. Indigenous Mesoamerica (4)
Lecture/discussion—4 hours. Peoples, cultures and history of Mexico and Central America from pre-Columbian civilizations to the present. Resistance to colonial and neo-colonial rule. Maya movements in Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize, past and present. GE credit: AH or SS, DD, OL, WE.—II. (II.)

175v. Hemispheric Indigenous Connections (4)
Virtual lecture/discussion—4 hours. Indigenous worlds in motion in the Americas, 1491-present. Comparative Indigenous experiences of colonialism and neocolonialism, plus histories of resistance, cultural survival, and transnational grassroots organizing with an emphasis on environmental justice movements. GE credit: SS, VL, WC.

180. Native American Women (4)
Lecture/discussion—4 hours. Prerequisite: course 1, 10, or Women's Studies 50. Native American women's life experiences, cross-cultural comparisons of gender roles, and Native women's contemporary feminist thought. Utilizes texts from literature, social science, and autobiography/biography. GE credit: AH or SS, DD, OL, WE.—II. (II.)

181. Native American Poetry (4)
Lecture/discussion—4 hours. Contemporary Native American/Indigenous poetry, poets, and the practice of writing poetry. Understanding poetry from the perspective of Indigenous oral and ritual traditions and from the contemporary aesthetic/poetic practices of the selected poets. GE credit: AH, DD, WC.

181v. Native American Poetry (4)
Virtual lecture/discussion—4 hours. Contemporary Native American/Indigenous poetry, poets, and the practice of writing poetry. Understanding poetry from the perspective of Indigenous oral and ritual traditions and from the contemporary aesthetic/poetic practices of the selected poets. GE credit: AH, DD, WC.

182. Native American Fiction (4)
Lecture/discussion—4 hours. Study of literature through short stories, novels, and literary studies scholarship. Attention to the cultural/aesthetic/artistic trajectories of the writers. Primary focus on fiction from U.S. Native writers, but also some fiction from First Nations writers of Canada and Indigenous writers of Mexico. GE credit: AH, DD, WC, WE.

183. Native American Non-Fiction (4)
Lecture/discussion—4 hours. Works by or about Native American writers, including non-fiction novels, biographies and autobiographies, and selected literary studies scholars whose works help frame the study of literature. Attention to the cultural/aesthetic/artistic trajectories of the writers themselves. Primary focus on non-fiction from U.S. Native writers, but also some non-fiction from First Nations writers of Canada, and Indigenous writers of Mexico. GE credit: AH or SS, OL, WC.—IV. (IV.)

184. Contemporary Indigenous Literature of Mexico (4)
Lecture/discussion—4 hours. Prerequisite: course 1 or 10; course 181A or 181C recommended; reading knowledge of Spanish required. Contemporary indigenous literature of Mexico, with a focus on the genres (poetry, fiction, drama, essay); analysis of cultural, historical, and spiritual themes, imagery, styles and performances; biographies of and influences on the Native writers themselves. Offered irregularly. GE credit: AH or SS, OL, WC.—IV. (IV.) 

185. Native American Literature in Performance (4)
Performance instruction—4 hours. Prerequisite: consent of instructor. Performance of contemporary Native American literature onstage, through adaptations of selected literature as well as the creation of original pieces. Offered in alternate years. May be repeated up to four units for credit. GE credit: AH, DD, OL, WC.—(III.) 

188. Special Topics in Native American Literary Studies (4)
Lecture/discussion—4 hours; term paper. Prerequisite: upper division standing and one of the following recommended: course 5, 10, 181A, 181C. Special topics drawn from Native American literature. May be repeated for credit when topic differs. Offered irregularly. GE credit: Div, Wrt | AH, DD, OL, WE.—III, IV. (III, IV.) 

189. Powwow Internship (1-4)
Prerequisite: consent of instructor. (P/NP grading only.)

190. Advanced Seminar on Sovereignty & Autonomy  (4)
Discussion—4 hours. Prerequisite: consent of instructor. Open to junior and senior NAS majors; NAS minors with consent of instructor. Advanced course for NAS majors on contemporary theory and practice in Native American and Indigenous Studies.(P/NP grading only.) GE credit: AH, SS

191. Topics in Native American Studies (4)
Lecture/discussion—3 hours; term paper. Prerequisite: upper division standing and consent of instructor. Selected topics in Native American ethno-history, development, culture, and thought. May be repeated for credit when a different topic is studied. GE credit: ArtHum, Div.—III. (I.)

192. Apprenticeship & Internship (1-12)
Internship—1 hour. Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor. Supervised internships or elder-guided apprenticeships in community, educational, or other institutional settings in the U.S. or abroad that put into practice Native American and Indigenous concepts, cosmologies, and ways of knowing and being.. Enrollment Restriction(s): Restricted to upper division standing; dependent on intern position availability in Native American Studies or the CN Gorman Museum; priority to Native American Studies minors/majors. May be repeated up to 12 units for credit including 192 and other internships taken in other departments and institutions. (P/NP grading only.) 

193. Leadership Training in Native American & Indigenous Organizations (1-4)
Supervised leadership training in Native American department, campus, and community settings, including the Native American Academic Student Success Center (NAASSC; aka, the Native "Nest") May be repeated up to 8 unit(s) total (P/NP grading only.)

194HA-194HB. Special Studies for Honors Students (4-4)
Independent study—12 hours. Prerequisite: senior qualifying for honors. Directed reading, research and writing culminating in the completion of a senior honors thesis or project under direction of faculty adviser. (Deferred grading only, pending completion of sequence.)

195. Field Experience in Native American Studies (12)
Field work—36 hours. Prerequisite: senior standing and major in Native American Studies, completion of lower division major requirements, and course 161. Field work with governmental and community groups, under supervision of faculty adviser and sponsor. Knowledge acquired in other courses to be applied in field work. (P/NP grading only.)—I, II, III. (I, II, III.)

196. Senior Project in Native American Studies (4)
Discussion—1 hour; independent study—3 hours. Prerequisite: senior standing and major in Native American Studies, course 195 (may be taken concurrently), and consent of instructor. Guided research project that enables student to apply the theory and research principles from major course work. Final product is to be a major senior project or thesis. (P/NP grading only.)—I, II, III. (I, II, III.)

197TC. Community Tutoring in Native American Studies (1-5)
Tutorial—3-15 hours. Prerequisite: consent of major committee; upper division standing with major in Native American Studies. Supervise tutoring in community. (P/NP grading only.)

198. Directed Group Study (1-5)
Prerequisite: upper division standing; consent of instructor. (P/NP grading only.)

199. Special Study for Advanced Undergraduates (1-5)
Prerequisite: consent of instructor. (P/NP grading only.)