Graduate Certificate in Indigenous Educational Leadership

Career Outlook/Program Overview

1. What careers or advancement opportunities does this program prepare students for? A variety of careers in Indigenous Education, such as working for, or with:
   
   1. Tribal Education Departments or Programs
   2. BIE or Public Schools with high AI/AN enrollments
   3. Johnson O’Malley Programs
   4. Title VI Indian Education Programs
   5. Language and Culture Programs
   6. Tribal Liaison or student support positions in K-12 or Higher Education
   7. And more
2. Is this degree necessary for a specific career/career path, or is it an enhancement? This program supports the professional development of people in the positions listed above which often have very few options for programs which train emerging leaders in these unique Indigenous education professional environments. Often, people in these positions have a degree in something such as organizational leadership, business, American Indian Studies, and other degrees that have prepared them for this work in a way, but those programs don’t address the very specific, complicated, and unique educational systems leadership skills and knowledges needed to execute those jobs with a high degree if confidence and efficacy.
3. What are the quality markers for this program?
   
   1. What makes this program excellent? What sets it apart from others in the market?
      
      1. This program is built around standards collaboratively developed by the Tribal Education Department National Assembly (TEDNA), which ensures that its aligned around those very specific and unique learning environments. Additionally, the program utilizes that network to help socialize into the larger Indian Education professional communities.
   2. Faculty, awards, rankings, accreditation, course design, industry input, etc.
      
      1. This program utilizes a vast network of experienced leaders and scholars who serve as professors and guest lecturers. Students begin the program with a course from Dr. Cornel Pewewardy on Indigenous philosophies and histories in education, and then take courses from experienced scholars and practitioners such as Dr. Alex Red Corn (Director and Associate Professor of Indigenous Studies, Associate Vice Chancellor for the Office of Sovereign Partnerships and Indigenous Initiatives) and Dr. Frank Arpan (former President of Haskell Indian Nations University and current Vice President Western Iowa Technical College).