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American Studies (AMST)
Professor: Leiter (Coordinator)
Associate Professor: Pearl (Coordinator)
The American Studies major offers a comprehensive program in American civilization which introduces students to the complexities underlying the development of America and its contemporary life. The program develops the skills of research, writing, and critical thinking that are central to a well-rounded, liberal arts education. The major requires eleven courses relevant to the interdisciplinary study of American civilization. Two minor tracks are also available in the American Studies program. The American Studies minor requires five courses in similar areas as the major. The Multiculturalism minor requires five courses that concentrate on the issues of ethnic and racial diversity that define American society, art, and history.
Students should design their American Studies major in consultation with a program coordinator, and they must maintain at least a 2.5 GPA in order to complete the independent study requirement. With appropriate faculty approval, some special topics courses (ENGL 115, SOC 320, and so on) may fulfill American Studies requirements. Students pursuing another major or minor in addition to their American Studies major may count no more than three courses for credit toward both concentrations. Students may count no more than one course for credit toward both an American Studies minor and another major or minor.
Major Requirements
1. Three Core Courses:
The primary integrating units of the major, these courses teach students to consider ideas from different points of view and help them to correlate information and methods from various disciplines:
AMST 200 Perspectives on America (first-year or sophomore year)
HIST 449, PSCI 300, or SOC 330— Research and Methodology (junior or senior year; must be completed before or concurrently with AMST 489)
AMST 489 Independent Study (junior or senior year)
2. One course in the American arts:
FILM 212 Multicultural America on Screen
MUS 128 American Music
MUS 234 History of Jazz
MUS N80 Independent Study in American Music
THEA 210 Modern Drama
THEA N80 Independent Study in American Theatre
3. Three courses in American humanities, with at least one from history and one
from English:
ENGL 222 American Literature I
ENGL 223 American Literature II
ENGL 229 African American Literature
HIST 125 United States to 1877
HIST 126 United States since 1877
HIST 226 Era of the American Revolution
HIST 230 African American History
HIST 233 Civil War and Reconstruction
HIST 242 Vietnam War at Home and Abroad
HIST 324 Early American Law and Society
HIST 338 Rights, Reform, and Protest
HIST 342 Women and Reform
HIST 402 Revel, Riot, and Rebellion in Early America
HIST 404 Modern America
PHIL 334 Contemporary Political Philosophy
4. Three courses in American social sciences, with at least one from Political Science and one from Sociology:
ECON 224 Urban Economics
ECON 236 American Economic History
ECON 332 Government and the Economy
ECON 335 Labor Economics
PSCI 110 U.S. Government and Politics
PSCI 130 The American Legal System
PSCI 211 State and Local Government
PSCI 220 Public Policy in America
PSCI 222 Political Parties and Interest Groups
PSCI 224 Campaigns and Elections
PSCI 229 Special Topics in American Politics and Public Policy
PSCI 231 Law in America
PSCI 316 Public Opinion and Polling
PSCI 321 Congress
PSCI 322 The Presidency
PSCI 331 Civil Rights and Liberties
PSCI 339 Judicial Politics and Behavior
SOC 220 Sociology of Family
SOC 310 Medical Sociology
SOC 334 American Immigration
5. An additional course numbered 300 or higher from those listed above or an internship
Capstone Requirement
All majors must successfully complete AMST 489.
Diversity and Writing Courses
The following courses satisfy the Domestic Cultural Diversity Requirement: ECON 335; ENGL 229; HIST 230, 338, 342, 402; MUS 128, 234; PSCI 331; SOC 334; THEA 210. The following courses satisfy either the Domestic or Global Diversity Requirement: HIST 242 and PHIL 334. A list of courses that, when scheduled as W courses, count toward the Writing Requirement, can be found on the Registrar’s website and in the GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS section of the catalog.
Minor Requirements
The minor in American Studies requires five courses: AMST 200; one course from FILM 212, MUS 128, MUS 234; one course from ENGL 222, 223, 229, HIST 125, 126, 226, 230, 233, 242, 324, 338, 342, 402, 404; one course from ECON 224, 236, 332, 335, PSCI 110, 130, 211, 220, 222, 224, 229, 231, 316, 321, 322, 331, SOC 220, 334; and one additional course numbered 200 or higher from any listed above.
The minor in Multiculturalism consists of five courses: AMST 200; SOC 334; and three courses from ECON 224, ENGL 229, FILM 212, HIST 230, HIST 338, MUS 234, and PSCI 331.
200
PERSPECTIVES ON AMERICA
An analysis of the fundamental nature of American culture, society, and politics and the interdisciplinary means for studying it. The course explores what is distinctively American and introduces students to the range of approaches taken to better understand topics covered in American studies. Alternate years.
470-479
INTERNSHIP
N80-N88
INDEPENDENT STUDY
489
INDEPENDENT STUDY
An intensive interdisciplinary research project designed by the student in consultation with a faculty advisor.
490-491
INDEPENDENT STUDY FOR DEPARTMENTAL HONORS