OKMULGEE, Oklahoma – The College of the Muscogee Nation will offer two new certificate programs this year. CMN will offer a Mvskoke Language Teaching Certificate, and a Tribal Leadership Certificate which will start in the fall 2022 trimester. The certificates will help with efforts to revitalize and preserve the Mvskoke Language. The Certificate Programs were approved by the Tribal College’s regional accrediting agency, the Higher Learning Commission.
The programs will be offered through traditional in-person classroom instruction and a virtual environment.
The Mvskoke Language Teaching Certificate is a 27-credit hour program that will build on language knowledge at an advanced and conversational level. The curriculum includes digital resources, and language teaching methods to instruct students.
The new curriculum will prepare students for the workforce in a cultural setting. It will also support the development of qualified teachers of the Mvskoke Language. The curriculum will instruct on how to teach the Mvskoke language through different methods such as in-person and virtual classes.
The Mvskoke Language Teaching courses will include Methods for Teaching the Mvskoke Language, Mvskoke Language Practice Teaching, Observation and Evaluation.
Norma Marshall, Native American Studies and Mvskoke Language Instructor, says this certificate program is more significant than obtaining a degree.
“Teaching the Mvskoke Language is more than the college credit hours; the identity of the Mvskoke people is in the language and culture. Indigenous multimedia through digital technology extends the cultural classroom beyond physical limitations and brings the cultural curriculum to the cutting edge through elders and youth learning together,” Marshall said.
The Tribal Leadership Certificate is a 24-credit hour program that will focus on combining tribal core values of leadership with current organizational management methods. The certificate’s leadership skills include communication, team management, critical thinking, and problem-solving.
This certificate addresses the need for leaders within Native American tribes by building on the knowledge of history and culture. The curriculum will be taught through the lens of tribal politics and historical trauma that affect Native American communities today.
The Tribal Leadership Certificate offers Required courses, including Theories and Practices of Tribal Leadership, Political Factors in Tribal Leadership, and Tribal Community Development.
Dr. Monte Randall, President of the College of the Muscogee Nation, believes the Tribal Leadership Certificate Program is vital for cultural preservation.
“As tribal nations, we need to reclaim our traditional leadership training practices. The United States government tried to destroy us and intentionally targeted many aspects of our identity through assimilation, and we are still feeling those effects of historical trauma.” Dr. Randall said.
These curriculums will also be included as specializations within existing CMN associate degrees.
For more information on these certificate programs, visit www.cmn.edu.
To view prior coverage on the College of the Muscogee Nation, visit: https://www.mvskokemedia.com/?s=College+of+the+Muscogee+Nation.
