Careers in American Studies

Graduates of the American Studies Department are able to pursue careers in journalism, the arts, museums, government, law, media, or education. Many business organizations value American Studies training for work in public relations, marketing, advertising, diverse outreach, and tourism. Foundations, agencies, arts institutions, and non-profit organizations make extensive use of the broad education students receive in American Studies.

A graduate of American Studies can explore opportunities within many kinds of work environments, including: Archives, Art Museums, Art Management Groups, Business Enterprises, Cultural Organizations, Discovery Museums, Living History Museums, Galleries, Government Offices, Historical Societies, Labor Unions, Law Firms, Magazines, National Parks, Natural History Museums, Planetariums, Publishers, Radio Stations, Retail Headquarters, Schools, Science Centers, Software Companies, Social Services, Television Studios, Think Tanks, Tourist Bureaus, and Universities.

Careers in Native American and Indigenous Studies

A certificate in Native American and Indigenous Studies (NAIS) complements your education in the liberal arts & sciences by helping you to gain deeper insight into cultural diversity and its politics, both within the U.S. and on a global scale. NAIS coursework also offers numerous opportunities to gain enhanced skills in working with tribal communities and communicating with public audiences about cultural diversity and social justice.

Undergraduate students at the University of Iowa have combined a certificate or minor in NAIS with diverse CLAS majors, including: Social Work, Math, Anthropology, History, Liberal Studies, Art, English, Geoscience; and premedical courses of study (including majors in Biology, Anthropology, Human Health & Physiology, etc.). Many of our students have gone on to graduate study in Law, Public Health, Geography, Anthropology, History, Education, Medicine, Social Work, Museum Studies, and Public Administration.

NAIS training is relevant to careers in government, politics, social services, education, business, law, and law enforcement. Employers that often seek candidates with NAIS experience include tribal government, health care, cultural heritage, and social service agencies; federal agencies such as the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Indian Health Service, Bureau of Land Management, Park Service, and Forestry Service; and both domestic and international non-profit organizations working in advocacy and community organizing to promote human rights, environmental justice, local food production, cultural preservation, and health.

Anne Ray Internship

The Indian Arts Research Center (IARC) at the School for Advanced Research (SAR) in Santa Fe, New Mexico, is offering two nine-month paid internships for college graduates and emerging museum professionals interested in working with Native American collections. Internships include a salary, housing, book allowance, the cost of one professional conference, and reimbursable travel to and from SAR. The IARC works with interns to realize professional goals relating to indigenous cultural preservation and provides invaluable experience and broad-based training in the field of museology.