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| American
Studies Degree Requirements |
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Read more about American Studies program, faculty, course, degree requirements, and more in the About American Studies 2008-2009 booklet.
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NOTE: the
following requirements apply to the class of 2010 and thereafter;
click
here for the previous requirements
(pre-class of 2010) for the American Studies major and
concentration.
Degree Requirements
for the Major
Each American Studies student is assigned
an academic advisor. Coursework consists of a series of required
courses and an individualized program of study developed by the
student in close consultation with his or her advisor.
Please be aware that the program of individualized, interdisciplinary
coursework required by American Studies is a rigorous one. The program
of study entails more coursework than many other majors, and our
classes often demand extra time commitments for field trips, attendance
at lectures and colloquia, and research projects. These requirements
are what make undertaking a degree in American Studies a meaningful
and rewarding experience. But they also mean that it may not be
appropriate for students with schedules that would not allow for
the completion of required coursework and a full commitment to the
senior project. Prospective majors are encouraged to visit the American
Studies program office to meet with an advisor to determine whether
they are strong candidates for the major.
American Studies Policy on Grades: Any
grade lower than a C- cannot be counted towards a degree in American
Studies. A grade of C- can be counted only with the approval of
the Director or Associate Director of the program.
Courses
A minimum of 30 points is required to complete the major.
- AMST W1010. Introduction to American Studies: Major Themes in the American Experience (3 pts)
- Two seminars in American Studies (8 pts)
- Two American Studies Core courses (6 pts). The following two courses are ordinarily required:
- ENGL W3267. Foundations of American Literature I: American Literature from the Puritans to the Civil War (3 pts)
- HIST W3478. U.S. Intellectual History, 1865-Present (3 pts)
- Three additional courses (9 pts): In consultation with the advisor, the student will choose a set of three courses. These courses must be drawn from at least two departments, one of which must be History.
- Senior Research Project (4 pts): The final requirement for the major in American Studies is completion of a Senior Essay, to be written in the spring of senior year. Alternatively, students may fulfill this requirement by taking an additional seminar where a major paper is required or by writing an independent essay under the supervision of a faculty member. Seniors who wish to do a senior research project are required to take the Senior Project Colloquium in the fall of the senior year.
Sample Statements
of Intellectual Rationale
RELIGION AND
AMERICAN CULTURE
Religion was a major force in the settlement of North
America in the colonial period, and when the colonies organized
themselves as a nation in the eighteenth century, they wrote religious
toleration into the new Constitution. Ever since, the United States
has been different from the rest of the Western world in the high
level of religious belief and the diversity of churches, sects,
and movements--Christian and otherwise. Religion has been an important
factor in American literature and education, and to the amazement
of many foreign observers, religion continues today to play a major
role in American politics and foreign policy. I want to study the
range and dynamics of religious belief in the United States, past
and present. I am interested in such questions as where the boundary
line should be drawn between church and state, and what accounts
for the vitality of religion in a culture that is also regarded
in much of the world as highly secular and even decadent.
COURSES
| — ENGL W3267 |
Foundations of American
Literature I |
| — RELI V3602
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Religion and American Culture
I |
| — RELI V3603 |
Religion and American Culture
II |
| — RELI V3651 |
Evangelicalism |
| — RELI W4670 |
Native American Religions
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WOMEN IN AMERICAN CULTURE
Women in American Culture is a program of study that
emphasizes the stories of women's lives and work, seeking to better
understand women's often unrecognized contribution to American culture,
and to study spaces and issues that have historically been associated
with the feminine (childrearing and family, the domestic sphere,
helping professions). I am also interested in theories of gender
and sexuality, which will help to guide my analysis of American
culture. The classes I have identified look at women and gender
issues through a variety of disciplinary lenses, including history,
economics, and literature. Within the emphasis, I am particularly
interested in studying minority women, so I have chosen one English
class, and two Women's Studies classes that are about women of color.
When I have completed this program of study, I expect to have deepened
my knowledge of the history and culture of women in the United States.
COURSES
| — HIST BC3567
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American Women in the 20th
Century |
| — ECON BC2010
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The Economics of Gender |
| — ENGL BC3144
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Minority Women Writers
in U.S. |
| — WMST BC3121
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Black Women In America |
| — WMST BC3136
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Asian American Women's
Literature |
OTHER EXAMPLES
CULTURES OF NEW YORK CITY
| — AHHS 4403 |
Robert Moses and the Modern
City |
| — AHIS BC3948 |
The Visual Culture of the
Harlem Renaissance |
| — DNCE BC2570 |
Dance In New York City |
| — HIST W3535 |
History of the City of
New York |
| — ANTH V3960 |
The Culture of Public Art
and Display in New York City |
ETHNICITY AND RACE IN AMERICAN CULTURE
| — CSER W1012 |
History of Racialization
in the United States |
| — ENGL W3271 |
American Lit and Culture:
U.S. Latino Literature |
| — ENGL W3401
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Asian American Literature
and Culture |
| — AFAS C3500 |
African-American Intellectual
History: 20th Century - Malcolm X |
| — ECON
W4438 |
Economics of
Race In the U.S. |
JAZZ IN AMERICAN LIFE
| — HIST W3449 |
American Urban History |
| — JAZZ W3100 |
American Culture: Gender,
Race, Jazz |
| — MUSI V2016 |
Jazz |
| — AHIS C3643 |
American City: Urban Form |
| — HIST W3407 |
America since 1960 |
| — ANTH V3932 |
Anthropology of Jazz |
Degree Requirements for the Concentration in American Studies
A minimum of 21 points is required to complete the concentration.
- AMST W1010. Introduction to American Studies: Major Themes in the American Experience (3 pts)
- Two American Studies Core courses (6 pts): The following two courses are ordinarily required:
- ENGL W3267. Foundations of American Literature I: American Literature from the Puritans to the Civil War (3 pts)
- HIST W3478. U.S. Intellectual History, 1865-Present (3 pts)
- Four additional courses (12 pts). In consultation with the advisor, the student will choose a set of four courses. These courses must be drawn from at least two departments, one of which must be History.
The links below will connect you to worksheets (pdf format) to help you keep track of your courses and requirements.
Major Planner (Class of 2009)
Major Planner (Class of 2010 and above)
Concentration Planner (all classes)
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