Wilson-Short Hall, home of the Program in American Studies
After fulfilling core requirements aimed at achieving a solid foundation in the historical, social, political and cultural analysis of America, students put together a coherent group of classes in an area of concentration that crosses the boundaries of traditional disciplines. Among the Areas of Concentration students may wish to pursue are: Environment and Culture; Multicultural American West; Popular Culture, Film, and Mass Media; The Arts, Culture, and Social Change; or Science, Technology, and Culture. Other individualized programs and Areas of Concentration can be formulated by students with the guidance of faculty advisors and the program director.
BA DEGREE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR
The undergraduate MAJOR consists of a core curriculum of 30 hours (with some options available within the core) plus an additional twelve (12) hour Area of Concentration which permits students to investigate particular aspects of American culture. Courses other than American Studies courses in the core and in the areas of concentration may also be used to satisfy General Education Requirements, where applicable.
CORE REQUIREMENTS FOR MAJOR IN SUGGESTED ORDER
- Hist 110 and 111 American History (6cr)
- Amst/Engl/Hist/WSt 216 American Culture (3cr)
- WSt/CES/Soc 300 Interesections of Race, Class & Gender (3cr)
- Two courses from Engl 380, 381, or 382 American Lit (6cr)
- Upper-division American History (3cr)
- Upper-divison CES or Wst (3cr)
- One internship course, CES 499 or WSt 410
- Two courses from Amst 470, 471, 472, 473, 474, or 475 (6cr)
AREAS OF CONCENTRATION
A series of approved, linked courses in various departments have been established in the following interdisciplinary areas to satisfy the twelve (12) hour requirement for an Area of Concentration for the Major.
- CULTURAL ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
- MULTICULTURAL AMERICAN WEST
- POPULAR CULTURE, FILM, AND MASS MEDIA
- THE ARTS, CULTURE, AND SOCIAL CHANGE
- SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND CULTURE
Students who wish to pursue scholarly concentrations in areas not on the list above are encouraged to do so with the approval of their faculty advisors and the program director. By designing their own programs and taking courses that will aid their research, students can investigate the effects of agriculture, engineering, education, architecture, folklore, theatre, or mass communications, to name only a few, on American culture.
UNDERGRADUATE COURSES
- Amst 216
AMERICAN CULTURES [T] - (3cr) Introduction to American Studies; multicultural history of US in global context.
- Amst 410
CITIES IN FICTION [T] - (3cr) Exploration of the city as an active agent in the fictional works of North American authors.
- Amst 470
CULTURE OF THE AMERICAN WEST [T] - (3cr) May be repeated for credit;
cumulative maximum 6 hours. Same as Engl 470. The West in American literature, or topics
in culture(s) of the American West.
- Amst 471
CULTURAL POLITICS SINCE WORLD WAR TWO [H,D,T] - (3cr) May be repeated for credit; cumulative maximum 6 hours. Same as Engl 471. American Popular Culture, Politics and Culture of 1960s, or topics in recent cultural politics.
- Amst 472
ECOLOGICAL ISSUES AND AMERICAN WRITING [T] - (3cr) Same as Engl 472. Representation of nature in American fiction and non-fiction; role of culture in shaping environmental problems and solutions.
- Amst 473
ART AND IMAGE IN US CULTURE [H] - (3cr) Impact of visual arts and increasing amounts of visual imagery in contemporary US culture.
- Amst 474
SOCIAL MOVEMENTS AND US CULTURE [H,D] - (3cr) Role of progressive social movements in shaping cultural politics, from 1950s to the present, including Civil Rights, American Indian, Chicano/a, Women's, Gay/Lesbian, Environmental Justice, and Anti-Globalization.
- Amst 475
DIGITAL DIVERSITY [H, D] - (3cr) Cultural impact of electronic media, especially the World Wide Web; issues of race, class, gender and sexuaity in online environments.
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