Program Overview

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American Studies, B.A.

The American Studies program at Saint Louis University uses a variety of sources and methods to understand the diverse cultures of the United States and the nation's place in the world. The program is interdisciplinary, global, and diverse, and it pays close attention to international and regional relations, as well as to the variety of racial, ethnic, religious, and other communities within and around its borders.

Overview

The American Studies program trains students in critical thinking, complex problem-solving, and clear written and oral communication. Graduates from the program have worked in higher and secondary education, media and communications, nonprofit organizations, government, political organizing, social work, law, museums, and other cultural institutions.

Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the American Studies program will be able to:

1. Explain the contexts that shape American cultural practices, expressions, or ideas.
2. Assess how American cultural practices, expressions, and ideas are constructed by or interpreted through frameworks of nation, class, race, gender, ability, or sexuality.
3. Synthesize two or more disciplinary approaches in analyses of American cultural practices, expressions, or ideas.
4. Effectively articulate arguments and information about American cultural practices, expressions, and ideas.
5. Demonstrate the ability to bridge academic concerns with American cultural practices, expressions, and ideas and the concerns of broader public life.

Requirements

The major in American Studies requires a minimum of 30 credits, including:

• ASTD 1000: Intro to American Culture: Movements, Myths, and Methods (3 credits)
• A breadth requirement of 9 credits, with at least one course in each of the following categories:
  • Contexts: Period and Place
  • Identities: Social Difference and Agency
  • Practices: Cultural Forms and Interpretive Methods
• ASTD 4960: Senior Workshop: Crafting the American Studies Thesis (3 credits)
• 15 credits of elective courses, with up to 9 credits that may be fulfilled by relevant courses offered outside the Department of American Studies
• At least one course with the department's "Community Engagement" attribute

Curriculum Overview

The American Studies program offers a range of courses that satisfy the University Undergraduate Core requirements, including:

• Ways of Thinking: Aesthetics, History, and Culture
• Ways of Thinking: Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Identities in Context
• Dignity, Ethics, and a Just Society

Fieldwork and Research Opportunities

Internships completed through the American Studies program are student-designed in close collaboration with the department's internship supervisor and participating organizations and institutions. Past students have partnered with the Saint Louis Art Museum, Saint Louis Zoo, Missouri Botanical Garden, International Institute, Missouri History Museum, Circuit Court Records Project, City Museum, and Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts, among other sites.

Careers

A degree in American Studies provides a broad education that prepares graduates for careers that emphasize creative thinking, strong writing, critical analysis, clear communication, skilled research, and civic and community engagement. Some potential careers for American Studies graduates include:

• Archivist
• Editor
• Exhibit designer
• Foundation director
• Grant writer
• Historic preservation specialist
• Journalist
• Labor organizer
• Lawyer
• Librarian
• Museum curator
• Nonprofit management
• Politician
• Professor
• Public policy analyst
• Public relations
• Social worker
• Speechwriter
• Teacher
• Urban planner

Admission Requirements

To be considered for admission to the American Studies program, applicants must:

• Be graduating from an accredited high school or have an acceptable HiSET exam score or take the General Education Development (GED) test
• Submit transcripts from all previously attended colleges or universities
• Demonstrate English language proficiency (for international applicants)

Tuition

The tuition for the American Studies program is $56,960 per year, with additional charges for fees and other expenses.

Scholarships and Financial Aid

Saint Louis University offers a range of scholarships and financial aid options to help students finance their education. Students may be eligible for merit-based scholarships, need-based grants, and loans. The university also offers a net price calculator to help students estimate their costs and financial aid eligibility.

Graduation Requirements

To graduate from the American Studies program, students must:

• Complete a minimum of 120 credits
• Complete the University Undergraduate Core curriculum requirements
• Complete the major requirements, including the breadth requirement and the senior workshop
• Achieve a minimum GPA of 2.00 in the major and overall
• Complete at least 50% of the coursework for the major and 75% for the minor/certificate through Saint Louis University or an approved study-abroad program
• Complete 30 of the final 36 credits through Saint Louis University or an approved study-abroad program
• Complete an online degree application by the required University deadline

Roadmap

The roadmap for the American Studies program is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study that assumes full-time enrollment. The roadmap includes the following courses:

• Year One:
  • Fall: ASTD 1000, CORE 1000, CORE 1500, CORE 1900, and general electives
  • Spring: ASTD "Practices" breadth requirement, CORE 3200, CORE 1600, and general electives
• Year Two:
  • Fall: ASTD "Contexts" breadth requirement, CORE 1200, CORE 1700, and general electives
  • Spring: ASTD "Identities" breadth requirement, CORE 3800, CORE 2500, and general electives
• Year Three:
  • Fall: ASTD electives, CORE 2800, CORE 3400, and general electives
  • Spring: ASTD elective, ASTD 3910, CORE 3600, CORE 4000, and general electives
• Year Four:
  • Fall: ASTD elective, CORE 3500, and general electives
  • Spring: ASTD 4960, ASTD elective, and general electives