American Studies

American Studies
Hours51 Credit Hours
MAPMajor Academic Plan

Program Requirements

The American Studies 304/490 sequence fulfills the Advanced Written and Oral Communications requirement.
Majors should begin course work in the major by taking Am St 303 fall semester of the sophomore or (at latest) junior year, followed by Am St 304.
requirement 3 Complete 30.0 hours from the following option(s)
option 3.1 Complete 30.0 hours from the following course(s)
ANTHR 317 - (Not currently offered)
ARTHC 345 - (Not currently offered)
HIST 362 - (Not currently offered)
HIST 386 - (Not currently offered)
HIST 387 - (Not currently offered)
POLI 320 - (Not currently offered)
SOC 323 - (Not currently offered)
Note 1: Engl 358R and 395R, as well as the humanities courses, must be topics in an American subject.
Note 2: Course substitutions may be made only with written, prior permission of the American Studies coordinator.
Note 3: Students may substitute up to six credit hours of approved internship credit for up to six hours of American Studies electives, including Washington, D.C. seminar credits.
requirement 4 Complete 1 course
Complete the following during the senior year before graduation:
Program Outcomes

Work Independently

American Studies graduates will have created a coherent course of study matched to their interests and their post-graduate plans. This may include taking a suitable minor and creating for themselves relevant extracurricular experiences such as internships, editorships, travel study, ORCA grants, conference participation, and publication.

Engage Disciplinarily and Interdisciplinarily

American Studies graduates will understand that American studies is coherent as a discipline in and of itself and also engage their major both within and across the various other disciplines that constitute American Studies, mastering the theoretical and methodological approaches inherent in the American Studies curriculum.

Analyze Rigorously

American Studies graduates will be able to read critically and analyze cultural, economic, historical, literary, political, social, and religious texts and artifacts. They will identify, evaluate, and incorporate appropriate research sources in their work as they demonstrate awareness of the critical conversations they are entering. Their analyses will contribute to their understanding of the ways in which the American experience has been, and continues to be, constructed and transmitted.

Communicate Persuasively

American Studies graduates will be able to formulate both their oral and written arguments coherently, support them clearly, and communicate them effectively to their audiences using correct conventions of language and some stylistic flair–all according to the best practices of the variety of disciplines and situations in which they are engaged.