Studio Arts

IAIA is the only school in the nation to offer a Studio Arts degree within a diverse Native American learning community. The program encourages students to explore the visual arts through an exciting comprehensive course of study designed to develop not only skills, but also concepts, historical awareness, and cultural sensitivities essential to the professional artist. Our program offers painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking, ceramics, jewelry/metals, and digital art.

Creative Writing

In the creative writing program; students have the opportunity to explore writing in multiple genres and develop themselves according to their own unique visions. Students receive a strong foundation in writing as well as a solid grounding in Native American and world literature. Through poetry, fiction, playwriting, screenwriting, journalism, and creative nonfiction, students will join the voices of Indigenous Americans to tell the story of the contemporary Native experience.

Museum Studies

The Museum Studies program introduces students to all aspects of museum studies from theoretical perspectives to practical applications. They learn how to safely handle cultural objects, catalogue collections, and work with Native communities. With a wide array of courses available, students can customize their Museum Studies degree to fit their interests. The intensive internship programs provide students opportunities to apply knowledge gained in the classroom to actual museum practices at other institutions. The yearlong Senior Thesis project takes students through the steps of performing research and then designing and executing their own exhibition.

Cinematic Arts and Technology

The Cinematic Arts and Technology program at IAIA is dedicated to providing a supportive environment for future Native screenwriters, directors, producers, actors, documentarians, cinematographers, editors, animators, and visual effects artists to explore their creativity and passion for their art. The Department of Cinematic Arts and Technology features state-of-the-art, cutting edge technology, including high-definition digital cinema cameras, a broadcast studio, motion capture system, sound studio, and 3D scanner, IAIA is the only art school equipped with a fully articulating digital dome for immersive storytelling. A student graduating with a BFA in Cinematic Arts and Technology will possess the skills necessary to function in the professional workforce, whether their path leads them to Hollywood or back to work in their own communities.

Indigenous Liberal Studies

The program is guided by the term “Indigenous Ways of Knowing”, focusing on the exploration and development of Indigenous knowledge. Students will receive a unique educational experience that includes academic course work, opportunities for meaningful experiential education, and preparation for leadership or continued scholarship. The process is one of research, reflection, critical inquiry, and the exploration of interrelationships among academic disciplines and the world at large.

Museum Studies

The program introduces students to all aspects of museum studies from theoretical perspectives to practical applications. Courses are arranged with weekly video demonstrations, readings, and original research assignments. In addition to learning the details of museum operations, students also learn about the ethical and legal considerations involved in collecting, storing, and exhibiting Native American cultural objects.

Business and Entrepreneurship

This course of study lays a solid foundation in business and entrepreneurial skills. The program is designed to meet the needs of small business owners and self-employed individuals. With a focus on applied skills, students are taught processes that can be repeated in the development of future business opportunities.

Native American Art History

IAIA offers one of the only Native American Art History certificate programs in the nation. The program takes an interdisciplinary approach, examining Native American art as a form of discourse and cultural exchange. Survey courses provide a broad historical overview of the history of Native American, First Nations, and Central and South American art forms. Courses examine the disciplinary lenses applied to Indigenous art, including archaeological, anthropological, ethnographic, and art historical methods; analyzed with close attention to the ethical and conceptual concerns of Indigenous scholars, artists, and activists

All certificate programs available online.