The Major
Students graduating with an American studies major or concentration will capably perform the following by graduation:
(1) After taking an introductory course in American studies, students will begin to broadly describe the stakes of American studies as an interdisciplinary mode of study, including, but not limited to, critically analyzing the changing array of power as articulated through race, gender, sexuality, disability, nationality, language, culture, and region within the cross-pollinating domains of history, politics, art, science and culture;
(2) By planning a course of study in the major or concentration, students will propose specific research questions and creative responses related to cultural artifacts, using both primary and secondary sources for bibliographic research, in addition to reflecting on performance, affect, and embodiment as relevant modes for reading, writing, seeing, speaking and listening;
(3) Through upper-level American studies seminars and the American studies Senior Seminar majors will synthesize work between disciplines as comparativists by using multiple approaches and lenses to propose responses to problems relevant for ongoing debates in culture, politics, history and identity studies;
(4) By creating capstone projects and presenting at the American studies colloquium, students will have an opportunity to share knowledge in scholarly and public settings related to the combined use of archives, aesthetics and tactics.
American studies is a selective major requiring intellectual independence that includes developing a six-course plan detailing the trajectory of your course of study in your major. Requirements for the major are outlined in the academic course catalog.
The Concentration
Requirements for the American studies concentration are outlined in the course catalog. Students who are considering the concentration should consult with the director of American Studies before enrolling in classes.
Senior Capstone
The Senior Capstone in American studies must draw on the elective-study component of the major, identifying and then developing, through original research and creative presentation, a major theme that the student has identified as central to his or her work in American studies. The Senior Capstone is outlined in the course catalog.
Honors in American studies entails two-semesters of independent work integral to the elective-study program in the major, taken during the senior year. More information is provided in the course catalog.
Education Studies Track
American studies offers an education studies track within the major, offering a focused insight into the history, development and practice of American education.