AMSTU-BA - American Studies (BA)

American Studies is an interdisciplinary undergraduate major that provides a rich and multifaceted understanding of American culture and society in all their complexity. Building on a foundation of core courses in history and institutions, literature and the arts, and race and ethnicity, students learn to analyze and interpret America’s past and present from multiple angles while also forging fresh and creative syntheses.   

Beyond the core courses, students are expected to define and pursue their interests in interpreting essential dimensions of American life. Accordingly, each student designs a unique thematic concentration of at least five courses drawn from fields such as history, literature, art, communication, theater, political science, African American studies, feminist studies, economics, cultural and social anthropology, Asian American studies, religious studies, Chicana/o studies, law, sociology, education, Native American studies, music, and film. Whether defined broadly or narrowly, the thematic focus or concentration should examine its subject from the vantage of multiple disciplines. Examples of concentrations include:

• Borders and Boundaries in American Culture

• Religion in American Life

• Gender and Sexuality in 20th Century Popular Culture

• Race and the Law in America

• Technology and American Experience

• Fictions of American Identity

• The Politics of War and Peace in the U.S.

• Nature and the Environment in American Culture

• Diasporic Art and Activism

• Hollywood and American Culture

• Constructions of Female Identity in America

• Health, Wellness, and American Society

• Inequality and Education in America

• The West in American History and Culture

• Dissent and Democracy

• Politics and the Media in America

Students may conclude the major by developing a capstone project either in the Senior Colloquium or, with program approval, by pursuing an honors research project during their senior year.

Because the American Studies major cultivates an extraordinary breadth of knowledge and awareness, as well as exceptionally deft critical thinking and innovative problem-solving skills, it serves as excellent preparation for a wide range of future pursuits, including further study in graduate or professional schools and careers in journalism, government, business, law, entertainment, public service, the arts, and other fields.

In addition to declaring the major on AXESS, students must meet with the Director or Program Coordinator to develop and review their study plan.