Program Overview

Overview of the Master of Arts in Indigenous Education Program

The Master of Arts in Indigenous Education program is designed to build relevant skills in research, theory, and practice that support educational opportunities and outcomes for Indigenous people. This program prepares students for leadership roles in education or government entities related to Indigenous people's education.

Program Details

• The program focuses on advanced Indigenous theoretical concepts and current practices to build the knowledge, context, and talents needed to collaborate with tribal nations and strengthen Indigenous education programs.
• Courses are taught by Indigenous faculty or faculty with significant experience in Indigenous communities.
• The program offers a Native Hawaiian track, with each of the four courses led by Native Hawaiian faculty who are subject matter experts.

What You'll Learn

In this master's program, you'll learn about key topics related to learning and Indigenous studies, including:

• Current issues in American Indian education
• Critical Indigenous research methodologies
• History of American Indian education
• Indigenous knowledge systems
• Issues related to Indigenous language and culture

Featured Courses

• Critical Indigenous Research Methodologies: Examines research and methods related to Indigenous research, including different methodologies and their connections to research questions.
• Indigenous Knowledges in Education: Explores literature on Indigenous knowledge systems in relation to education, including their historical understanding and current use by tribal peoples.
• Current Issues in Indigenous Education: Discusses current issues related to Indigenous student academic achievement and their path to higher education in the United States.
• History of Indigenous Education: Provides a philosophical and historical review of the development of Indigenous education policies in both traditional and contemporary society.
• Language/Literacy of Indigenous People: Focuses on the issues, policies, theoretical foundations, and practices of Indigenous peoples and other language minority communities from a sociolinguistics and language reclamation perspective.
• Learning Technologies in Native Education: Reviews the types of educational technologies in different American Indian and Indigenous educational settings.
• Culture and Education: Examines the relationship between local cultures, local knowledge, and education, incorporating comparative and international education with an emphasis on the world's most marginalized populations — Indigenous peoples.
• Community-Based Participatory Action Research: Introduces the research paradigm called Community-Based Participatory Action Research (CBPR), which connects research experts with community members with an explicit focus on sharing power, knowledge, and ownership of data and its accompanying resources and products.

Career Opportunities

Earning a Master of Arts in Indigenous Education prepares students for careers in tribal education departments, community schools, and similarly relevant organizations. Career examples include, but aren't limited to:

• College and career readiness program director
• School community liaison
• Special programs coordinator
• Tribal cultural coordinator
• Tribal education director

Admission Requirements

Applicants to the Master of Arts in Indigenous Education program must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Requirements include:

• A bachelor's degree in a related field or a master's degree in any field from a regionally accredited institution.
• A minimum of a 3.00 cumulative GPA in the last 60 hours of their bachelor's program or in an applicable master's program.
• Submission of:
  • Graduate admission application and application fee
  • Official transcripts
  • Letters of recommendation
  • Personal statement
  • Up-to-date curriculum vitae or resume
  • Writing sample

Additional Admission Information

• An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency.
• Experience in Indigenous education is valuable but not a requirement to apply.

Tuition and Fees

Use the tuition calculator to estimate full-time or part-time tuition fees for this program prior to any financial aid. Most students receive financial aid, which can reduce out-of-pocket costs. Learn more about tuition and financial aid options.