Step 1) Fill out the New Student Questionnaire

Step 2) Understand the term "liberal arts" and the umw degree requirements

Step 3) Understand AP, IB, Dual Enrollment, and Cambridge Credit

Step 4) Understand Prerequisites & Vertically Building Coursework

Step 5) Consider Pre-Professional Interests

Step 6) Tips and other considerations when planning a schedule

Step 7) First-Year Seminar

Step 8) Choose Possible Courses

Step 9) Fill Out the Course Registration Request Form

Step 10) Video Guides & How to Register

American Studies

Please refer to the current University Catalog to see course descriptions and a major description with requirements for American Studies.

The American Studies major is interdisciplinary in nature, designed to provide students with a flexible, multifaceted approach to the study of American society. Since the major provides much latitude in the selection of courses, students are encouraged to work closely with the program director and their advisor in choosing courses which will form a cohesive curriculum. The major provides excellent preparation for students interested in law, journalism and communications, library science, museum work, teaching, and many areas of public service.

New students considering a major in American Studies should select any of the electives that the major accepts (see the catalog for a list of courses) and HIST 202: First Year Seminar in American History, which fulfills the First-Year Seminar requirement and can count as an elective towards either the History major or the American Studies major.     

Below please find some examples of first semester schedules for an American Studies major. There are many variations of a first semester schedule; the examples are just meant to help you see that there are many ways to reach the same goals.

Example 1:

Course (credits)	Requirement(s) Met
HISP 101 - The American Heritage (3) HIST 202 - First-Year Seminar in US History (3) IDIS 203 - Intro to Ethnic Studies (3) FREN 101** - Beginning French (3) MUHL 151A - Great Masterworks (3)	Major, HES Major, FS Major FL ALPA

Example 2:

Course	Requirement(s) Met
IDIS 203 - Intro to Ethnic Studies (3) POLI 101 - Intro to Political Science (3) MUTH 181A - Music Theory I (3) FSEM 100E7 - Finding Fashion (3) ARTH 114A - History of Western Art I (3)	Major HES QR FS ALPA

Example 3: Athletes for varsity sports must register for the 400-level course of the sport. Practice times for varsity sports can vary, but generally speaking, athletes should allow enough time to get to and from practice on weekdays from 3 - 6 p.m. Please check with the individual coach for your sport to verify specific practice times each semester.

Course	Requirement(s) Met
HIST 202 - 1st Year Seminar in US History (3) LING 101B - Intro to Linguistics (3) FSEM 100Z - International Short Fiction by Women (3) BIOL 121 - Biology Concepts I with Lab (4) PHYD 400 - Intercollegiate Baseball - Men (1)	Major, FS HES FS NS Elective

**This particular course is in a discipline that allows students with demonstrated competence upon admission to UMW (such as AP/IB credit, dual enrollment, etc.) to begin courses at a higher level. Please read the Academic Planning Guide carefully to see if you meet the requirements. For example: students may begin at any level language course for which they feel prepared (101, 102, 105, 201, 202 or 205), but must then complete the rest of the sequence in order without repeating or skipping any levels.