AMERICAN STUDIES
Department of History and american studies
Krystyn Moon, Program Director and Career Advisor
The American Studies Program
American Studies is an interdisciplinary major that enables students to explore the complex interactions of peoples, cultures, social structures, and political institutions that have shaped the experiences of peoples living in the United States. In addition to four core courses, students demonstrate the ability to transcend disciplinary boundaries by completing 5 thematically-assembled courses from affiliated disciplines approved by an American Studies advisor and the program director.
Requirements for the Major
Thirty-Six (36) credits: to include AMST 201, AMST 202, AMST 303, and AMST 485; and 24 credits (8 courses) selected from a pre-approved list of American Studies electives offered by affiliated departments. Six electives must be at the 300-level or beyond. One of these classes must deal with the United States prior to 1900, and one course must deal with race and/or gender. To ensure breadth, no more than three of these courses may be from one of the affiliated disciplines. From this list of pre-approved electives, five of these courses must be assembled thematically, that is, they must be organized around a unifying line of inquiry, which must be approved by an American Studies advisor and the program director. Example concentrations include, although are not limited to, the following: gender and sexuality, race and ethnicity, American cultural expression, human rights, politics and society, and space and place.
Major Electives for American Studies:
American Studies 300, 350, 491, 499; Anthropology 215, 302, 312, 341; Art History 352, 355, 491; Communication 351, 352; Economics 375; English 328, 329, 351, 353, 355, 356, 357, 358, 362, 371, 376ee, 411, 453, 455, 457; Geography 221, 222, 331, 337; Historic Preservation 101, 102, 206, 207, 305, 320, 325; History 303, 304, 305, 311, 313, 314, 315, 318, 320, 321, 325, 327, 328, 329, 380, 390, 395, 416, 417, 426, 444; Music History and Literature 368; Religion 250, 251, 276, 305, 331T; Sociology 304, 313, 315, 331, 341, 411, 421, 446; Spanish 416.
Examples of Courses Available for Concentrations:
Gender and Sexuality: Anthropology 312; English 362; History 327, 328, 426; Sociology 304, 315, 331.
Race and Ethnicity: Anthropology 215, 302; English 351, 353, 362; Geography 331; History 313, 314, 315, 444; Music History and Literature 368; Religion 250, 251; Sociology 313, 341, 421, 446; Spanish 416.
American Cultural Expression: Anthropology 341; Art History 351, 355; English 328, 329, 351, 353, 355, 356, 357, 358, 362, 371, 376ee, 453, 455, 457; Historic Preservation 101, 102, 206, 207, 305, 320, 325; History 325, 329, 395; Music History and Literature 368; Sociology 411.
Human Rights: American Studies 300; English 351, 353, 362, 376ee; Geography 331; History 304, 313, 314, 315, 327, 328, 416, 417, 444; Sociology 421, 446; Spanish 416.
Politics and Society: Communication 351, 352; Economics 375; Geography 221, 222, 331; History 380, 390, 416, 417; Religion 305; Sociology 313, 341, 421, 446; Spanish 416.
Space and Place: Art History 355; Geography 221, 222, 331, 337; Historic Preservation 101, 102, 207, 305, 320, 325; Sociology 313, 341; Spanish 416.
American Studies Course Offerings
201- Introduction to American Studies (3)
Introduction to the method and theory of American Studies, its practice and a survey of key texts.
202 - Sophomore American Studies Seminar (3)
Sophomore-level seminar that explores a topic chosen by the instructor.
300 – American Controversies (3)
Prerequisite: major status. Analysis of controversial historical issues from early America to the present, including examination of contemporary social and political controversies.
303 - Junior American Studies Seminar (3)
Junior-level seminar that explores a topic chosen by the instructor.
310 – America at Mid-Century: The Seveneenth Century (3)
Prerequisite: History 131. Examination of the English inheritance, Indian and white relations, early colonial life and labor, origins of slavery, and Puritanism.
311 – America at Mid-CenturY: The Eighteenth Century (3)
Prerequisite: History 131. The Great Awakening, evangelical Protestantism, black-Indian-white interaction, class structure, agricultural practices, themes of American identity.
312 – America at Mid-Century: The Nineteenth Century (3)
Prerequisite: History 132. Emergence of industrial capitalism, moral reform movements, slavery, the concept of individualism, Darwinian theory, the family, national character traits.
313 – America at Mid-Century: The Twentieth Century (3)
Prerequisite: History 132. Consumerism, ethnicity, black culture, American capitalism, Cold War, and the shaping of modern culture.
333 – Issues in Human Rights (3)
Analysis and discussion of changing concepts of human rights and the movements that have defended and broadened them. Cross listed as Anthropology 333.
350 – Topics in American Studies (3)
Exploration of specific topics in American Studies.
450 – Issues in Contemporary America: Senior Seminar (3)
Prerequisite: History 131 and 132, major status or permission of instructor. Examination of selected current issues in American culture. Topics vary from year to year.
470 – Senior Project: Research (3)
Prerequisite: American Studies 300, junior or senior status. Research in primary sources resulting in a major paper.
485 – Senior Thesis (3)
Prerequisite: American Studies 201, 202, Senior standing, and permission of instructor. A significant research project pursued under the supervision of a faculty mentor.
491 – Independent Study (3)
Directed individual research on problems in American Studies, as approved by the Director.
499 – Internship (variable credit)
Supervised off-campus experience, developed in consultation with the director.