对美洲原住民和土著宗教的研究主要集中在美洲殖民地，反抗和混合历史悠久的背景下的美洲人民，他们的文化，世界观和仪式。在对美洲原住民和土著传统的研究生研究中，重点放在对现代性和种族/民族差异的建构的适应和批判上。希望集中精力的学生完成历史，理论和语言方面的课程。学生可能会发现将美国原住民和土著传统与该部门在美国宗教和基督教研究方面的优势联系起来，以及利用整个UCSB校园中的附属教职员工（芝加哥研究，历史，语言学，艺术史等）非常有用。 ）。
The study of Native American and Indigenous religions is primarily focused on peoples in the Americas, their cultures, worldviews and rituals in the contexts of the long histories of colonialism, resistance, and hybridity. Emphasis in the graduate study of Native American and indigenous traditions is on the modern and contemporary moment, with particular attention to issues of race, ethnicity, movement, material culture, and sovereignty. Students in this concentration are expected to complete coursework that is historical, theoretical, and linguistic. Students may find it useful to connect Native American and indigenous traditions to the department's strengths in American religion and Christian studies, as well as take advantage of affiliated faculty across the UCSB campus (Chicano Studies, History, Linguistics, Art History etc.).