Sustaining and Advancing Indigenous Nations

The Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Sustaining and Advancing Indigenous Nations is designed for students who plan to work directly with an Indigenous Nation. Students are provided with instruction and academic support in courses unique to the political, legal, economic, and social status of Indigenous peoples and their respective communities. MCCCD offers this unique program in recognition of the special political "trust relationship" between Indigenous Nations and the federal government of the United States. The program emphasizes inherent Indigenous sovereignty, self-governance, self-determination, federal Indian law, and policy that currently addresses development on Indigenous lands. The curriculum also develops skills and knowledge in business management principles, ethics, planning, leadership, organization, and operations. The AAS in Sustaining and Advancing Indigenous Nations may prepare students for careers with governmental entities, non-profit organizations, or for-profit enterprises within the sovereign jurisdiction of Indigenous Nations. A Certificate of Completion (CCL) in Sustaining and Advancing Indigenous Nations is also available.

Details

Offered At
Scottsdale
Field of Interest
Culture and Society
Degree Type
Associate in Applied Science (AAS)
Academic Plan
Sustaining and Advancing Indigenous Nations (DEG)
Academic Plan Code
3078
Total credits required
61-65
Catalog Year
2024-2025
Effective Term
Fall 2022
Notes

Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses within the program.

Federal Indian policy stipulates tribal preference in hiring, which should be considered in seeking employment with tribal nations and selected federal agencies.

At the start of the program, students should seek advice from prospective tribal employers for career opportunities.

What You'll Learn

This pathway map will help you gain the expertise needed to:

  1. Analyze the various ways in which Indigenous Peoples identify and organize themselves in relation to pre- and post-colonial contact.
  2. Examine the Indigenous concept of interconnectedness with respect to the Sacred, which is holistically and organically inclusive of culture, homeland, worldview, identity, nature, and sustainability.
  3. Assess the diverse political, economic, legal, cultural, and social systems of Indigenous Nations and the impact of the laws and policies of the United States on Indigenous Nations and their sovereignty.
  4. Evaluate contemporary issues that challenge Indigenous Nations.
  5. Communicate orally, visually, digitally, and in writing in a manner that demonstrates cross-cultural empathy, self-awareness, open-mindedness, reciprocity, and responsiveness.
  6. Apply various business principles to recommend effective, ethical, and efficient business solutions to sustain and advance Indigenous Nations.
  7. Apply relevant knowledge, skills, and habits of mind to seek career opportunities in the field.

Successful completion of this degree may lead to employment in a variety of different occupations and industries. Below are examples of related occupations with associated Arizona-based wages* for this degree. Education requirements vary for the occupations listed below, so you may need further education or degrees in order to qualify for some of these jobs and earn the related salaries. Please visit with an academic advisor and/or program director for additional information. You can click on any occupation to view the detail regarding education level, wages, and employment information.

Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks

$44,100

Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers

$95,680

There are additional career opportunities associated with this degree that do not have occupational data available for Arizona at this time. These occupations are listed below:
  • Education Administrators, All Other
  • Gaming Supervisors
  • Librarians
  • Public Relations and Fundraising Managers
* Career and wage information provided by Pipeline AZ using data, reports, and forecasts which are generated using government data sources. Sources

Course Sequence by Term

The following is the suggested course sequence by term. Please keep in mind:

  • Students should meet with an academic advisor to develop an individual education plan that meets their academic and career goals. Use the Pathway Planner tool in your Student Center to manage your plan.
  • The course sequence is laid out by suggested term and may be affected when students enter the program at different times of the year.
  • Initial course placement is determined by current district placement measures and/or completion of 100-200 level course and/or program requirements.
  • Degree and transfer seeking students may be required to successfully complete a MCCCD First Year Experience Course (FYE) within the first two semesters at a MCCCD College. Courses include FYE101 and FYE103. Course offerings will vary by college. See an academic, program, or faculty advisor for details.
  • Consult with your faculty mentor or academic advisor to determine educational requirements, including possible university transfer options, for your chosen career field.

Full-time Sequence

Full-time status is 12 credits to 18 credits per semester.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
AIS/SOC105 Introduction to American Indian Studies Critical course Gateway course C 3
CPD103BE Native American Cultural Pride And Awareness 2
ENG101 or
ENG107
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL Critical course FYC or FYC 3
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design HU 3
GBS151 Introduction to Business 3
FYE101 or
FYE103
Introduction to College, Career and Personal Success or Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success 1–3

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
AIS/SOC141 Sovereign Indian Nations C, H, SB 3
AIS201 Indigenous Nation Building 3
ENG102 or
ENG108
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL FYC or FYC 3
COM110 or
COM225 or
COM230
Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking or Small Group Communication SB or L or SB 3
AIS/SOC112 American Indian Policy 3

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
CRE101 College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking L 0–3
MAT14+ College Mathematics Or higer level math course in Mathematics area MA 3–6
MGT253 Owning and Operating a Small Business 3
AIS203 Fundamentals of Economic Development for Indigenous Nations 3
AIS113 Proposal Writing 3

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
AIS/SOC160 American Indian Law C, H 3
SQ or
SG
Natural Sciences Quantitative or Natural Sciences General SQ or SG 4
MGT101 or
MGT175
Techniques of Supervision or Business Organization and Management 3
RE Restricted Electives 2–6

Term 5

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 5
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
MGT296WC Cooperative Education 3

Restricted Electives: 

Students must select two to six (2-6) credits from the following restricted electives:

A list of additional, alternative, or supplemental courses for this pathway map
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
ACC111 Accounting Principles I 3
MGT251 Human Relations in Business 3
CIS105 Survey of Computer Information Systems CS 3
GBS233 Business Communication L 3
MGT296WB Cooperative Education 2

Part-time Sequence

Part-time status is 11 credit hours or less.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
AIS/SOC105 Introduction to American Indian Studies Critical course Gateway course C 3
CPD103BE Native American Cultural Pride And Awareness 2
FYE101 or
FYE103
Introduction to College, Career and Personal Success or Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success 1–3

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
AIS/SOC141 Sovereign Indian Nations C, H, SB 3
AIS201 Indigenous Nation Building 3

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
MGT253 Owning and Operating a Small Business 3
AIS/SOC160 American Indian Law C, H 3

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
ENG101 or
ENG107
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL Critical course FYC or FYC 3
AIS/SOC112 American Indian Policy 3

Term 5

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 5
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
MAT14+ College Mathematics Or higer level math course in Mathematics area MA 3–6
AIS203 Fundamentals of Economic Development for Indigenous Nations 3

Term 6

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 6
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
ENG102 or
ENG108
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL FYC or FYC 3
AIS113 Proposal Writing 3

Term 7

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 7
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
COM110 or
COM225 or
COM230
Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking or Small Group Communication SB or L or SB 3
CRE101 College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking L 0–3
RE Restricted Electives 2–6

Term 8

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 8
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
SQ or
SG
Natural Sciences Quantitative or Natural Sciences General SQ or SG 4
MGT101 or
MGT175
Techniques of Supervision or Business Organization and Management 3

Term 9

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 9
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
MGT296WC Cooperative Education 3

Term 10

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 10
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design HU 3
GBS151 Introduction to Business 3

Restricted Electives: 

Students must select two to six (2-6) credits from the following restricted electives:

A list of additional, alternative, or supplemental courses for this pathway map
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
ACC111 Accounting Principles I 3
MGT251 Human Relations in Business 3
CIS105 Survey of Computer Information Systems CS 3
GBS233 Business Communication L 3
MGT296WB Cooperative Education 2
Course Area Key

Gateway Course = Generally the first major-specific course in a pathway.

Critical Course = A course that is highly predictive of future success in a pathway.

Disclaimer

Students must earn a grade of C or better for all courses required within the program.

Course Sequence total credits may differ from the program information located on the MCCCD curriculum website due to program and system design.

View MCCCD’s official curriculum documentation for additional details regarding the requirements of this award (https://aztransmac2.asu.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MCCCD.woa/wa/freeForm13?id=176664).

At Maricopa, we strive to provide you with accurate and current information about our degree and certificate offerings. Due to the dynamic nature of the curriculum process, course and program information is subject to change. As a result, the course list associated with this degree or certificate on this site does not represent a contract, nor does it guarantee course availability. If you are interested in pursuing this degree or certificate, we encourage you to meet with an advisor to discuss the requirements at your college for the appropriate catalog year.