Program Overview

American Cultural Studies, BA (In Moratorium)

Introduction

American Cultural Studies allows students and faculty to analyze power dynamics, inequality, and agency, at the intersection of race, gender, status, religion, class, and ability. Our courses place particular emphasis on minoritizing and other exclusionary practices shaping limits to national belonging, and how those experiences are lived. We pay attention to the roles of institutions, policies, discourse, and other socio-cultural processes. We educate students in historical and social inquiry, textual analysis and interpretation, and critical theory and practice. We expose students to theoretical foundations in Settler Colonialism, Queer and other Feminisms, Critical Race Theory, Borders, and Transnationalism.

Program Overview

• The program serves those students and faculty who are interested in the study of such processes.
• The program allows students the opportunity to study issues that are key to nation building as an unequal social process.
• The program draws on the rich curricular offerings of the various departments and colleges within the university.

Why Consider an American Cultural Studies Major?

• Students who want a liberal arts education of breadth and depth will find that, because of its flexibility, the program adapts well to their needs.
• The ACS major combines the social sciences with humanities to prepare students with a rich undergraduate background for advanced study in law, domestic social services, public service, government service, education, and graduate work in American studies, ethnic studies, and the social sciences.

Sample Careers

• Attorney
• Public Administration
• Higher Education
• Social Work
• Marketing
• Journalism
• Teaching
• Community Organizing
• Urban Planning
• Human Resource Management
• Public Servant
• Non-Profit Agency Administration

How to Declare (Admission and Declaration Process)

• A formal program of study is initially designed by the student in consultation with a member of the American Cultural Studies faculty.
• The program is then approved by the Director of American Cultural Studies.
• No program of study may substantially duplicate an existing departmental or college program.
• Ordinarily, final approval of the course of study must be granted before senior status is reached.

Grade Requirements

• A grade of C- or better is required for a student’s major or minor courses, and supporting courses for majors and minors.

Requirements

• ANTH 353 - Sex and Gender in Culture (Credits: 5)
• ENVS 204 - Human Geography (Credits: 4)
• PLSC 250 - The American Political System (Credits: 5)
• PLSC 321 - Queer and Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Politics (Credits: 5)
• PLSC 347 - Race, Politics and Public Policy (Credits: 5)
• SOC 221 - Introduction to Population Issues (Credits: 5)
• SOC 255 - Social Organization of Criminal Justice (Credits: 5)
• SOC 260 - The Family in Society (Credits: 5)
• SOC 268 - Gender and Society (Credits: 5)
• SOC 269 - Race and Ethnic Relations (Credits: 5)
• Three courses from the Arts & Humanities, selected under advisement. One must be an English course.
  • A/HI 360 - Nationalism and Cultural Identity, 19th and 20th Centuries (Credits: 5)
  • DNC 232 - Movements for Change (Credits: 3)
  • ENG 216 - American Literature (Credits: 5)
  • ENG 227 - Queer Literature (Credits: 5)
  • ENG 234 - African-American Literature (Credits: 5)
  • ENG 235 - Native and Indigenous Literatures of North America (Credits: 5)
  • ENG 236 - Asian American Literatures (Credits: 5)
  • ENG 239 - Latina/o Literatures (Credits: 5)
  • ENG 331 - Studies in Gender Theory (Credits: 5)
  • or WGSS 331 - Studies in Gender Theory (Credits: 5)
  • ENG 338 - Women and Literature in North America and Europe (Credits: 5)
  • HIST 263 - African American History since 1865 (Credits: 5)
  • HIST 265 - LGBTQ+ History in the United States (Credits: 5)
  • HIST 275 - North American Indigenous History (Credits: 5)
  • HIST 353 - Latinas/os in the US West (Credits: 5)
  • HIST 358 - Women of Color in the U.S. (Credits: 5)
  • or WGSS 358 - Women of Color in the U.S. (Credits: 5)
  • HIST 365 - History of Sexuality in the United States (Credits: 5)
  • HIST 367 - US Women to 1865 (Credits: 5)
  • HIST 368 - US Women from 1865 (Credits: 5)
  • HIST 461 - US Urban History (Credits: 5)
  • HIST 467 - Self and Society in 19th Century America (Credits: 5)
  • MUS 202 - Jazz: An American Original (Credits: 3)
  • SOC 350 - Climate Change and Society (Credits: 5)
  • or WGSS 350 - Feminist and Queer Methodologies (Credits: 5)
  • WGSS 310 - Race, Ethnicity, and Indigeneity (Credits: 5)
  • WGSS 339 - Women, Sexuality, and Society (Credits: 5)

Other Requirements

Individualized Program of Study

• 35 (minimum) credits selected under advisement
• A formal program of study is initially designed by the student in consultation with a member of the American Cultural Studies faculty.
• The program is then approved by the Director of American Cultural Studies.
• No program of study may substantially duplicate an existing departmental or college program.
• Ordinarily, final approval of the course of study must be granted before senior status is reached.
• The student may propose a broad, general program in American Cultural Studies, social science or education concentrations, or focus on one major aspect, for example: ethnic studies, sexuality, myth and folklore or Pacific Northwest studies.
• In any case, the proposed program must include substantial upper-division work in at least two curricular units of the University.
• These may include Fairhaven College or the College of the Environment.
• The faculty recommends that students use a minor to develop special career interests or foci (see, for example, the Asian American Studies minor), or to develop additional depth in one of the traditional academic disciplines or programs of the University.

University Graduation Requirements

• General University Requirements
• Writing Proficiency Requirement (WP)
• 180 Minimum Total Credits
• 60 Minimum Upper Division Credits
• Residency Requirement
• Minimum Grade Requirements
• Final Quarter Requirement