Major

13 courses distributed as follows:

• 10 courses from the American Studies list of courses
• 1 course on a non-U.S. culture (requires advisor approval)
• AMST 401 Seminar in American Studies
• 1 methodology course from the following list:
  • ANTH 300 Ethnographic Methods
  • ENGL 280 Literary Analysis
  • HIST 300 Historiography
  • POLI 400 Research Methods
  • RELI 395 Theories and Research in Religion
  • SOCI 335 Sociological Research Methods

No more than three of the courses for the major can be taken in any one department.

Students must either take AMST 115 Introduction to American Studies or take two “linked” courses in fulfillment of the introduction to American Studies Experience requirement (described below).

At least three courses should be 200-level, and at least four should be 300- or 400-level, including AMST 401 Seminar in American Studies.

At least one of the courses should emphasize pre-1900 content. In the list of American Studies courses, such courses are designated with an asterisk.

Students are encouraged to direct course selection and semester projects toward their own interests (such as “the South,” “African American culture,” or “Women in America”) so that their work will truly culminate with the capstone seminar project.

If a student double-majors in American Studies AND one of the participating American Studies areas, the student must fulfill the American Studies requirement from outside the other major. So a History-American Studies double major cannot count History courses toward the American Studies major.

If a student majors in American Studies and minors in one of the participating American Studies areas, the student must fulfill the American Studies requirements from outside the minor area.

Senior Capstone Experience

The Senior Capstone Experience for the American Studies major consists of a substantial, original independent writing project produced for AMST 401 Seminar in American Studies in the spring semester of the senior year. The grade for AMST 401 will be the grade for the Senior Capstone Experience.

Minor

6 courses, distributed as follows:

• 1 course from the American Studies course list of English courses
• 1 course from the American Studies course list of History courses
• 1 course from the American Studies course list of Politics and International Relations courses
• 1 course from the American Studies course list of Anthropology and Sociology, and Religion and Philosophy courses
• 2 additional approved courses from the course list below

Students must either take AMST 115 Introduction to American Studies or take 2 “linked” courses in fulfillment of the Introduction to American Studies Experience requirement (described below).

At least 3 of the 6 courses should be 300- or 400-level courses.

At least 2 of the 6 courses should emphasize pre-1900 content. In the list of American Studies courses, such courses are designated with an asterisk.

If an American Studies minor is majoring in one of the participating areas, the student must fulfill the American Studies minor course requirements from outside the major department.

Explanation of the "Linked" Courses Option for Introduction to American Studies

2 courses from participating disciplines "linked" together and taken during the same semester. The courses might share some material and texts, though certainly not all. So, as examples, POLI 245 American Political Thought might be linked with RELI 145 American Religions: An Historical Survey, and ENGL 275 American Literature and the Environment might be linked with SOCI 375 Environmental Sociology.