Southwest & American Indian Studies

Department Chair - Peter McCormick
Professors - Robert R. Bunting, Andrew J. Gulliford, and Duane A. Smith
Associate Professors - Peter McCormick and Richard M. Wheelock

The Department of Southwest Studies and American Indian Studies offers two interdisciplinary degree programs. As the Center of Southwest Studies’ academic arm, it offers a program in Southwest Studies that is interdisciplinary in approach. By understanding the region’s distinct environments and diverse cultures and how those peoples and environs interacted to define and redefine one another, graduates will find their lives deepened and their career opportunities in teaching, government, museum work, archives, public history, and graduate school admissions enhanced. To fully grasp a broad-based and in-depth understanding of the region, a variety of course selections are offered from the natural sciences, social sciences and fine arts.

A major in American Indian Studies or Southwest Studies must complete 45 credits. The 45 credits consist of 15 credits of core courses, 15 credits of concentration courses, and 15 credits of southwest elective courses. At least 27 of the 45 total credits of course work needed for a Southwest Studies or American Indian Studies major must be at the 300- and 400- levels.

The American Indian Studies degree embraces the study of Native peoples of North, Central and South America and Indigenous peoples of the world.

In addition to offering majors in American Indian Studies and Southwest Studies, the department also offers minors in Southwest Studies and American Indian Studies.