Academics at ESF: Undergraduate Minors
Native Peoples and the Environment Minor

Coordinator: Dr. Madeline Nyblade

The Native Peoples and the Environment minor is available to all ESF undergraduates. The interdisciplinary suite of courses provides students with a cohesive introduction to Indigenous cultures, worldviews and knowledge systems and their application to environmental thought.

Upon completion of this minor, students will be able to:

1. Describe the colonial and decolonial forces throughout history at local, national, and global scales with respect to land and resources.
2. Demonstrate awareness of foundational laws, policies, and practices relevant to Indigenous Peoples and the environment
3. Evaluate actions, policies, and statements on their respect for Indigenous sovereignty and the rights of Indigenous Nations
4. Identify how ways of knowing and worldviews shape people’s interactions with their environment
5. Analyze the intersection, conflict, and bridges between Indigenous and Western conservation philosophies and practice

Twelve credit hours (~4 courses) taken in residence are required to complete the minor. Two courses are specified, with an additional two or three courses selected from the list below. An internship (max 3 credits) may be used to fulfill a course requirement but is not required, if focused on Native peoples and the environment. Courses can simultaneously count for both general education requirements, major requirements, and for this minor.

Admission to the minor requires sophomore status with a cumulative GPA of 2.70 or better. Twelve credit hours of courses are required.

Required Courses (6 credits)

Two or three courses (6 credits) selected from the following list

Courses

And additional ESF and SU courses as approved by the minor coordinator.