Declaration in or before Summer 2009

American Studies Department (College of Liberal Arts)

The major in American studies provides students with a solid understanding of the culture of the United States through courses drawn from different topical areas. Topics include work, technology, and the role of the media and the arts. A wide variety of courses explore American ideas and ideals, the cultural geography of the United States, the diversity of America's people, American's means of expression through media and the arts, and U.S. gender issues. The American studies program offers students the opportunity to design a program of courses to suit their individual interests.

American Studies Major Requirements

The degree of Bachelor of Arts in College of Liberal Arts may be conferred upon the satisfactory completion of a minimum of 123 semester hours of credit with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00 overall, in college and the major. A minimum of 123 credit hours will be earned in the following four requirement categories.

• College Requirements
• Major Requirements
• Electives

To complete the major in American studies, students must complete five core courses, one from each of the following categories. The courses listed are examples.

1. American Biography and Work
   • American Studies 1001 (formerly C051), American Lives
   • American Studies 1042 (formerly C062), Work in America
2. American Culture
   • American Studies 2011 (formerly 0104),The Arts in America
   • American Studies 3012 (formerly 0126), Film and American Society
   • American Studies 3061 (formerly 0127), Mass Media and American Popular Culture
3. Place in American Life
   • American Studies 2051 (formerly 0103), American Places: Home, City, Region
   • American Studies 3022 (formerly 0130), Architecture, Urban Design, and American Culture
4. Diversity in America
   • American Studies 3071 (formerly R112), African American Experiences
   • American Studies 3096 (formerly W118), American Woman: Visions and Revisions
   • American Studies 2107 (formerly R136), Asian American Experiences
   • American Studies 2096 (formerly 0152), Asian Diaspora
   • American Studies 3074 (formerly 0154), Introduction to Asian American Literature
5. Change in America
   • American Studies 2041 (formerly 0102), Technology and American Culture
   • American Studies 3032 (formerly 0106), Literature and Political Change
   • American Studies 3031 (formerly 0124), Political Protest and Culture in the 60s
   • American Studies 3075 (formerly R134), Literature of American Slavery
   • American Studies 2031 (formerly W140), Radicalism in the United States

American Studies 2120 (formerly 0100), Topics in American Culture, may meet one or more of the above requirements with the approval of the major adviser.

Examples

• American Studies 2120 (formerly 0100), Topics in American Culture: Visions of American in the Media
• American Studies 2120 (formerly 0100), Topics in American Culture: The Indians of the Americas
• American Studies 2120 (formerly 0100), Topics in American Culture: The Politics of American Popular Music
• American Studies 2120 (formerly 0100), Topics in American Culture: American English as Cultural Expression
• American Studies 2120 (formerly 0100), Topics in American Culture: The Political Culture of the United States

In addition to the five core courses, students must complete three further courses (nine credit hours) in American studies. These can include choices from the five core areas or from among other American studies courses (select from 2120-4098).

Students also must complete the senior writing seminar American Studies 4097 (formerly W393), Senior Seminar in American Studies, and four other courses outside the major but congruent with American studies with the approval of the major adviser. Two of these other courses should be in American history and literature.

American Studies Minor Requirements

To complete a minor in American studies, students must complete six American studies courses (18 credit hours). At least three of the courses must be taken from three different American studies core categories, as listed above.