Founded in 1993, the Native American studies program was the first department in the discipline offered in the United States. Originally an extension of the College of Agriculture and Environmental Science, it expanded to offer a bachelor of arts degree (with specializations ranging from Native American languages to contemporary Indian Art) and a master of arts degree in two areas: hemispheric study of the Americas or individual concentration. The Ph.D. program was created in 1998, making the university only the second institution in the country to offer a Ph.D. in Native American studies.
The American Indian studies program, founded in 1969, is the oldest continuous existing program in the United States. It offers a certificate and a minor program in American Indian studies with a focus on four major areas: American Indian history, ethnic diversity in the United States, contemporary issues (such as American Indian philosophy and federal Indian law) and American Indian traditional material culture (with a focus on arts and crafts). Students in the program also have the opportunity to present guest lectures at local schools on a variety of American Indian topics.
The Native American studies program functions within the Department of Ethnic Studies at California State University at Sacramento. It offers a bachelor of arts degree in ethnic studies with a concentration in Native American studies. The focus of the program is based on three primary areas: teaching, research and community service. A variety of course offerings include history (California Indian, ethno-history and the Native American experience), culture (American Indian films and literature), traditions (Native American oral tradition and storytelling), and law (Native American tribal governments).
UCLA is known for its American Indian studies interdepartmental program, which draws course support from 13 departments ranging from anthropology to world arts and cultures. The structure provides students with a complete educational experience by focusing on research of Native American history and culture. It offers an undergraduate minor and a bachelor of arts degree in American Indian studies. The master of arts degree program, established in 1982, was the first interdisciplinary program in the country.