American Studies Major

General Information

American Studies majors take a broad, inter-disciplinary approach to the meaning and nature of culture in the United States including the context of European colonialism—an inquiry that explores the idea of America as a contested site of meaning. Literature is the core of the program, but majors position their literary study in a comparative analysis of visual media and history to supplement their understanding of the relationship between cultural expressions and their context in social, political, and economic change.

Career Opportunities

Combining a specialization in American culture with emphasis on critical reading, writing, and thinking throughout the course of study, American Studies majors have many opportunities for graduate study and employment. They graduate prepared for the fields of law and politics, technical writing, editing, journalism, and teaching. Students competing for positions specifically focused on American literature or culture will be able to present themselves as specialists in that field. The cultural and historical context of the American Studies program serves majors in business fields reliant on the interpretation of cultural trends and meaning such as marketing and media research, publishing, and public relations.

Program Objectives

To offer a broad, inter-disciplinary approach to the culture of the United States.
To provide in-depth exposure to the forms and development of American, including African American, literature situated in the broad Anglophone tradition and history of colonization.
To analyze film and visual media as a part of the larger American cultural discourse and sharpen students’ awareness of the techniques and traditions particular to visual media.
To supplement students’ understanding of literary and visual media with historical context.
To develop students’ ability to read, analyze, and interpret a variety of cultural texts.
To develop students’ ability to produce clear, nuanced, and rhetorically sophisticated academic writing.

Degree Requirements

Each of the following courses in American Literature and Literary Studies:

ENGL 223	African American Literature I	3 cr.
ENGL 224	African American Literature II	3 cr.
ENGL 251	American Literature I	3 cr.
ENGL 252	American Literature II	3 cr.
ENGL 302	Approaches to the Study of Literature	3 cr.
ENGL 3xx	Topics in American Studies (ENGL 322 or ENGL 357)	3 cr.
ENGL 2xx/3xx	Studies in Transatlantic Culture - ENGL 231, 232, 327, 328 or 341	3 cr.
ENGL 336	Ethnic American Literature	3 cr.
ENGL 338/411	Major Authors	3 cr.
	or
ENGL 345	Major African American Writers	3 cr.
ENGL 410	English Seminar	3 cr.

Subtotal: 30

Any two of the following courses in Film and Media Studies or Communication, one of which must be FILM xxx:

FILM 201	Studies in Mainstream Film Genres	3 cr.
FILM 210	Mass Media in Film	3 cr.
FILM 290	Special Topics in Film	1-3 cr.
FILM 304	Science Fiction Film	3 cr.
FILM 340	Director's Signature	3 cr.
FILM 370	Women and Film	3 cr.
FILM 390 - 393	Special Topics in Film	1-3 cr.
COMM 324	Media Industries, Government, and Society	3 cr.
COMM 326	Race, Gender, and Ethnicity in the Media	3 cr.

Subtotal: 6

Any two of the following courses from the Department of History:

HIST 25x	Courses in American History	3 cr.
HIST 35x	Courses in American History	3 cr.

Subtotal: 6

Subtotal: 42

American Studies Suggested Sequence of Courses

First Year - Fall Semester

ENGL 132	English Composition I	3 cr.
LA 110	First Year Seminar Arts & Sciences	3 cr.
MATH 1XX	Mathematical Analysis	3 cr.
GEN XXX	General Elective	3 cr.
CS 13X	Computer Competence	3 cr.

Subtotal: 15

First Year - Spring Semester

ENGL 133	English Composition II	3 cr.
MATH 1XX	Mathematical Analysis	3 cr.
PH XXX	Ethical Perspective	3 cr.
GEN XXX	General Elective	3 cr.
HIST XXX	Historical Perspective	3 cr.

Subtotal: 15

Sophomore Year - Fall Semester

ENGL XXX	Two literature survey courses from among ENGL 231, 232, 251 or 252	3 cr.
ENGL XXX	Two literature survey courses from among ENGL 231, 232, 251 or 252	3 cr.
SBP XXX	Social Science Perspective	3 cr.
GEN XXX	General Elective	3 cr.
LAB XXX	Laboratory Science Requirement	3 cr.

Subtotal: 15

Sophomore Year - Spring Semester

ENGL XXX	Two literature survey courses from among ENGL 231, 232, 251 or 252	3 cr.
ENGL XXX	Two literature survey courses from among ENGL 231, 232, 251 or 252	3 cr.
HIST 25x	Courses in American History	3 cr.
GEN XXX	General Elective	3 cr.
LAB/NSP XXX	Laboratory Science or Natural Science Perspective	3 cr.

Subtotal: 15

Junior Year - Fall Semester

ENGL 302	Approaches to the Study of Literature	3 cr.
ENGL 336	Ethnic American Literature	3 cr.
FILM 2xx	One from among FILM 201, 210, 212 or 290	3 cr.
ART XXX	Aesthetic Perspective	3 cr.
CUL XXX	Global Cultures Perspective	3 cr.

Subtotal: 15

Junior Year - Spring Semester

ENGL 2xx/3xx	Studies in Transatlantic Culture - ENGL 231, 232, 327, 328 or 341	3 cr.
ENGL 3xx	Topics in American Studies (ENGL 322 or ENGL 357)	3 cr.
FILM/COMM 3xx	One from among FILM 340, 390 or COMM 324, 326	3 cr.
HIST 35x	Courses in American History	3 cr.
GEN XXX	General Elective	3 cr.

Subtotal: 15

Senior Year - Fall Semester

ENGL 338/411 or ENGL 345	Major Authors - Major African American Writers	3 cr. - 3 cr.
GEN 3XX/4XX	Upper Level General Elective	3 cr.
GEN 3XX/4XX	Upper Level General Elective	3 cr.
GEN 3XX/4XX	Upper Level General Elective	3 cr.
GEN XXX	General Elective	3 cr.

Subtotal: 15

Senior Year - Spring Semester

ENGL 410	English Seminar	3 cr.
GEN XXX	General Elective	3 cr.
GEN XXX	General Elective	3 cr.
GEN XXX	General Elective	3 cr.
GEN 3XX/4XX	Upper Level General Elective	3 cr.

Subtotal: 15

Total Credit Hours: 120

AMST.BA - BA in American Studies

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