American Studies Programs and Requirements
An especially attractive feature of the American Studies program is its flexibility. With the broad parameters, you are largely able to design your own course of study. In addition, the American Studies program can easily accommodate a double major. For example, double majoring in American Studies and History, American Studies and English, or selecting a major and minor combination such as American Studies and Women's Studies. American Studies majors can earn New York State Provisional Certification in secondary education, and the program can meet the needs of most transfer students.
Bachelor of Arts Degree in American Studies
An Interdisciplinary Program
Total credit hours required to complete major: 40
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| Basic Requirements | Hours (22) | |
|---|---|---|
| AMST 201 | Topics in American Studies: (subtitle) | 3 |
| AMST 2/3__ | A second course in American Studies | 3 |
| ENGL ___ | A course in American literature | 4 |
| HIST ___ | One course in American history before 1877 | 3 |
| HIST ___ | One course in American history after 1877 | 3 |
| One course exploring cultural intersections in America | 3 | |
| One course examining American cultures from a transnational, cross-border, comparative approach | 3 | |
| Elective hours in courses emphasizing American Studies selected under advisement (e.g., in American Studies**, anthropology, art history, communication, economics, English, film studies, geography, history, literature, management, music, philosophy, political science, sociology, and theater arts). At least 6 hours must be at the 300 level. | 18 | |
See the Undergraduate Bulletin for complete lists of courses fulfilling American Studies requirements and electives.
Guidelines for course selection:
- Students may take “AMST 201: (subtitle)” for credit toward the major twice, as long as the subtitle is different in each case.
- Electives must be selected from at least three different departments.
- Majors must earn a minimum of 18 semester hours in courses at the 300-level.
- A maximum of 9 semester hours may be taken at the 100-level.
- A grade of C- or better is required in all courses submitted in fulfillment of the 40-hour requirement for the American Studies major.
- Since a larger portion of this degree program consists of required electives, it will be necessary for students to select these in consultation with the program advisor.
Minor in American Studies
Download curriculum guide sheet
| Basic Requirements | Hours (22) | |
|---|---|---|
| AMST 201 | Topics in American Studies: (subtitle) | 3 |
| ENGL ___ | One course in American literature | 4 |
| HIST ___ | One course in American history before 1877 | 3 |
| HIST ___ | One course in American history after 1877 | 3 |
| One course exploring cultural intersections in America | 3 | |
| One course examining American cultures from a transnational, cross-border, comparative approach | 3 | |
| Elective hours in courses emphasizing American Studies selected under advisement (e.g., in American Studies*, anthropology, art history, communication, economics, English, film studies, geography, history, interdepartmental, literature, management, music, philosophy, political science, sociology, and theater arts). | 3 | |
See the Undergraduate Bulletin for complete lists of courses fulfilling American Studies requirements and electives.
Guidelines for course selection:
- Students may take “AMST 201: (subtitle)” for credit toward the minor twice, as long as the subtitle is different in each case.
- Minors must earn a minimum of 6 hours at the 300-level.
- A maximum of 9 hours may be taken at the 100-level of the 22 credits required for the minor.
Integrative Curricular Microcredential in Carceral Studies
Description:
By the second half of the 20th century, the United States' prison population had grown exponentially to reach both the highest rate of incarceration and the largest number of prisoners of any country in the world. Across the Americas, social movements have also shed light on the unjust and violent policing practices threatening the lives of people with minoritized social identities. This interdisciplinary and integrative microcredential provides students with the opportunity to examine the historical, social, political, legal, and economic contexts for understanding policing and mass incarceration, as well as the relationship between prisons, policing and racism. Through the completion of an integrative and applied learning experience, students will explore how to confront and respond to the injustices inherent in policing and mass incarceration.
Requirements:
1. Academic Content: 9 or more credits
- AMST 200 Race, Prisons, and Policing (3 credits)
- Additional Carceral Studies Course (3-4 credits): selected from
- BLKS 200 Black Lives Matter
- HIST 413 Black Power and Structural Inequality in Post-1945
- PHIL 377 Problems in the Philosophy of Law
- SOCL 310 Sociology of the Law
- SOCL 347 Criminology and Juvenile Delinquency
- SOCL 354 Political Sociology
- Complementary Course (3-4 credits): selected from
- ANTH 326 Race, Racism and Antiracism in the Americas
- HIST 262 American Indian Law and Public Policy
- HIST 266 Civil Rights Movement in America
- PHIL 208 Philosophy of Race
- PLSC 417 Identity & Politics in the United States
- PLSC 451 Fragile and Collapsed States
- HUMN 222 Black Humanities
- SOCL 230 Race and Ethnicity
- WGST 310 Race, Class and Gender
- XLRN 150 Foundations in Social Identity
2. One Integrative and Applied Learning Experience (1-3 credits):
- AMST 393 Honors/Research
- AMST 395 American Studies Internship
- AMST 399 Directed Study
3. A self-reflective statement is included in the Integrative and Applied Learning course