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American Studies is the interdisciplinary analysis of the United States in a global context. Established in 1962, the American Studies program at Washington State University currently draws core faculty from three main departments: Comparative Ethnic Studies, English, and Women's Studies. We also have faculty in and scholarly connections to Anthropology, Communication, Fine Arts, History, Philosophy, Political Science, Sociology, and Teaching and Learning. The American Studies program offers both a Major and Minor.

Beyond a small core of required courses, students build their own individualized plan of study from courses across the campus that deal with American society in the past and the present. In consultation with the Program Director and their advisor, they create a coherent body of knowledge shaped to their particular needs and interests.

Why study American Studies at WSU?
Washington State University's American Studies program is the recognized leader in this field in the Northwest (we are the only program in the region authorized to offer degrees from the BA all the way up to the PhD). Knowledge of the complex, diverse cultures of the United States is vital for anyone living and working in this society. American Studies is unique in allowing you to gain this knowledge from a variety of perspectives rather than from a single department. The undergraduate major is ideal for students who feel their interests and imaginations cannot be contained within a single discipline, and the minor is useful for students who wish to bring their diverse other classes into a more focused study of the United States. American Studies is also an ideal field of study for foreign students wishing to better understand American culture.

Build Your Own Major and Degree
The Washington State University undergraduate American Studies program offers students a unique chance to build your own customized major degree program with the help of our faculty. Iindividualized possibilities for doing cultural analysis of the United States is limited only by a student's imagination and their willingness to make a case for the academic coherence of their courses.

The major is particularly attractive to students who wish to complete a course of study not offered by any department on campus. We reguire a 5 course concentration sequence of linked classes that fill out the student/faculty contract. Such concentrations could be, for example, film and popular culutre, environmental studies, science and technology studies, globalization and culture, social change movements, and so on.

What Careers are Available with an American Studies Degree?
Students with American Studies degree pursue a variety of professional careers including law, teaching, business, publishing, government service, and community organizing. The breadth of American Studies makes it an ideal minor for students pursuing a K-12 teaching position. It also prepares students for advanced degrees in English, History, Ethnic Studies, Cultural Studies, and American Studies.

The MAJOR and MINOR in American Studies
The undergraduate Program in American Studies offers courses leading to a MAJOR in American Studies for the degree of "Bachelor of Arts in American Studies," as well as a MINOR in American Studies.

Preparation for Graduate Study
American Studies majors considering graduate work in this field should include college-level courses in at least one modern European foreign language in their undergraduate program. An area of concentration including courses in American Literature, American History, or Comparative Ethnic Studies is strongly recommended, as are advanced writing courses.

Students pursuing BA degrees in English, History, and other humanities and social science areas may also apply to the graduate program in American Studies at WSU; a guide to the MA and PhD program is available through the office of the Director of American Studies.