Bachelor of Arts - Tribal Administration Studies - American Indian Studies

University of Minnesota Duluth's (UMD) Bachelor of Arts degree in Tribal Administration & Governance (TAG) is designed to prepare students to work for tribes and governmental and non-governmental entities that work closely with tribes. Students may select from two tracks: American Indian Studies OR Business Administration Certificate. The core requirements for the major include courses focused on tribal sovereignty, tribal governance, and federal Indian law and policy. The curriculum is based on studying the interrelationships between federal and tribal governments and the methods used by Native Nations to administer programs. Students will learn the history of federal-tribal-state relations; learn the roles of tribal leaders and administrators; and learn the laws, polices, and issues that impact tribal governments.

All required courses for the TAG major are offered online. Students who have earned an Associate of Arts (AA) degree or completed the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum may transfer to UMD and complete the required courses for the major completely online. Students who are beginning their undergraduate education at UMD can take traditional classroom courses and online courses to fulfill UMD’s Liberal Education Program requirements while completing the online courses for the TAG major.

Acquired Skills

Graduates of UMD's B.A. program in Tribal Administration and Governance will successfully:

• Demonstrate the ability to summarize, compare, and contrast tribal governance practices, constitutions, and statutes.
• Demonstrate understanding of settler policies and legal principles concerning Indian nations as well as settler governmental relationships with tribal governments.
• Formulate effective approaches to strategic, project, and operations management in tribal contexts.
• Demonstrate capacity to apply the fundamentals of relevant business practices for tribal administration.
• Demonstrate capacity to summarize, analyze, synthesize, and apply the leadership qualities required of tribal administrators.