Native American Studies

http://www.montana.edu/wwwnas/

P.O. Box 172340
Bozeman, MT 59717-2340
406-994-3881 Email: nas@montana.edu
Location: 239 American Indian Hall

Montana State University has an American Indian enrollment of approximately 775 students. There is an active American Indian Student Council (AIC) as well as chapter of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) and the Society of American Indian Graduate Students (SAIGS). NAS houses the American Indian Student Center and the American Indian and Alaska Native Student Support Services office, with staff providing Native students with academic advising, counseling, and mentoring. The Student Center offers tutorial assistance, telephone and fax access, and a computer lab.

Native American Studies offers an interdisciplinary program of study in American Indian culture and history, policy and law, community affairs, education, and other related areas through a non-teaching minor in Native American Studies, an online graduate certificate in Native American Studies, a Master of Arts in Native American Studies, as well as opportunities for all MSU undergraduate students to gain a multicultural perspective in meeting the university's core curriculum requirements.

Research and Creative Activity

The Department takes pride in the scholarship of its faculty. In 2000 the Department established its endowed Katz Family Chair in Native American Studies. The scholarship and service offered by the holders of the Chair enhances the Department's efforts to provide first class scholarship on behalf of Native peoples and the university. Over the year faculty members have consistently published in professional journals, delivered papers at national and international meetings, held symposia at MSU, and, by invitation, chaired and participated in panels at national professional association conferences.

Consistent with its service commitment to Montana's tribal communities, much of the faculty's research and creative activity responds to the educational, cultural, and economic development needs of Native Americans.  In addition to scholarly research, faculty members have devoted much time and energy to developing new programs and finding external funding sources for those programs. 

Service

The Department firmly maintains that Montana State University must be responsive to Native communities in addressing tribally-identified educational, cultural, and economic development needs. Accordingly, the Department has directed much of its public service activity to Montana's Native communities. In doing so, Department faculty members have established close working relationships with tribal and intertribal groups as well as with national Indian offices and organizations.

Upon request, faculty members have also provided technical assistance in the areas of adult, vocational, and community college development, needs assessments, proposal writing, and program evaluations.

Utilizing the resources of the university to assist in the development of Montana's seven tribally-controlled community colleges has been a major goal of the Department. For example, the Department has administered projects to provide graduate-level training to tribal college faculty, to provide in-service training and technical assistance, and to conduct significant research in areas of importance to the tribal colleges.

In addition, faculty members have presented continuing education workshops on Montana reservations, evaluated reservation cultural and education programs, and provided other public service. Faculty members have also, by invitation, read proposals for the U.S. Office of Education, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Institute of Education, and the National Science Foundation.

American Indian Student Programs and Services

In addition to the traditional functions of an academic department, Native American Studies places a high priority on providing student support programs and services, reflecting a strong commitment to Indian student retention and success. The student who decides to attend MSU will find a University-wide commitment manifested by a varied and extensive support system which is unequaled in the Great Plains region. For the more information, and most recently updated list of programs and services, please visit the Native American Student Services Directory: www.montana.edu/native

Further Information

For further information regarding the program, contact Native American Studies at (406) 994-3881 or e-mail nas@montana.edu.  Also see the university home page or the home page for Native American Studies.