Program Overview

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Ph.D. Program

The Ph.D. program in American Studies is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of American culture and society. Students join a community of scholars engaged in teaching and research, with resources tailored to their specific interests and goals.

Admission

To be considered for admission, applicants must have a bachelor's or master's degree in a field relevant to advanced interdisciplinary graduate study. They must demonstrate wide knowledge of American life and thought and an interest in interdisciplinary approaches to the study of American culture and society. The admissions committee considers individuals with degrees in fields such as anthropology, art history, English, government and politics, history, journalism, psychology, and sociology, provided they have a strong emphasis in American materials.

Applicants must submit:

• An application for admission
• Three letters of recommendation from professors familiar with their previous work
• Official transcripts of all graduate and undergraduate education
• Results of the Graduate Record Examination
• A statement of purpose
• A writing sample

Program of Study

Doctoral students entering the program with a master's degree take a minimum of 30 hours (beyond the master's degree), consisting of courses in American studies and related disciplines, and a minimum of 12 hours of AMST899: "Doctoral Dissertation Research." In certain cases, students may petition to receive up to six hours of credit for recently completed M.A. work that contributes directly to the doctoral program.

Doctoral students entering the program with a bachelor's degree take a minimum of 42 hours, consisting of courses in American studies and related disciplines, plus a minimum of 12 hours of AMST899: "Doctoral Dissertation Research."

In consultation with a faculty advisor, students develop individual programs of study consisting of courses in American studies and related fields, such as anthropology, architecture, art history, journalism, English, government and politics, history, sociology, or women's studies. Students should design their programs focused on American studies coursework and two areas of concentration, at least one of which must be in either:

• One of the two intellectual themes of cultures of everyday life and cultural constructions of difference and identity
• One of the methodologically-based areas of ethnography, literature and society, material culture, popular culture and media studies, and social policy history

Course Requirements

Theory and Methodology

• AMST601: "Introductory Seminar in American Studies" (3 hours)
• AMST603: "Current Approaches in American Studies"
• One of the following:
  • AMST639A or B: "Decorative Arts in American Civilization"
  • ANTH606: "Methods of Cultural Analysis I"
  • CMLT600: "Introduction to Critical Theory"
  • COMM711: "Historical Critical Methods in Communication Research"
  • ENGL601: "Bibliography and Methods"
  • ENGL602: "Critical Theory and Literary Criticism"
  • GVPT700: "Scope and Methods of Political Science"
  • HIST600: "Historiography"
  • HIST602: "General Seminar: American History"
  • JOUR600: "Research Methods in Mass Communication"
  • SOCY621: "Contemporary Sociological Theory"
  • WMST601: "Advanced Feminist Theory"
  • WMST602: "Advanced Feminist Theory II"

American Studies Seminars

• 9 semester hours chosen from special topic seminars, AMST628 and AMST629, or other AMST proseminars or research seminars taught on campus by regular AMST faculty

Remaining Coursework

The remaining hours of coursework develop two areas of concentration, normally the fields in which the student is preparing for the comprehensive examinations and dissertation research.

Additional Requirements

The Dissertation Committee

After the first year of residency or its equivalent, the student should meet with their advisor to discuss selection of a dissertation topic and the makeup of the dissertation committee, consisting of five faculty members from American studies and related departments.

Methodological Skills and Tools of Scholarship

Members of the dissertation committee will also be called upon to approve a student's choice of methodological skills. A doctoral candidate must provide evidence, either by passing a special examination or designated courses in a relevant department, that they can successfully employ research methodologies or analytical tools appropriate to the area of concentration and dissertation project.

Comprehensive Examinations

Students are required to take three comprehensive examinations:

1. American studies history, theory, and method
2. First Area of Concentration
3. Second Area of Concentration

Examination fields:

1. The history, theory, and method of American studies
2. First Area of Concentration:
   • A topic drawn from one of the thematic areas of the cultures of everyday life or cultural constructions of difference and identity
   • One of the methodologically-based areas of ethnography, literature & society, material culture, popular culture/media studies, or social policy history
3. Second Area of Concentration: This area may be selected from any of the areas listed above or may focus on another area drawn from a student's work in affiliated departments.

Progress Toward the Degree

Students are expected to make steady progress in their degree programs. The time needed will depend on whether the student is full-time or part-time. To ensure that students proceed at a pace appropriate to their circumstances, the faculty meets at the end of each spring semester to conduct a review of all students in the program.

Admission to Candidacy

Students are admitted to doctoral candidacy when they have satisfactorily completed all coursework, passed three comprehensive examinations, and successfully defended their dissertation proposal in a meeting with their committee members.

The Dissertation

Following admission to candidacy, the student undertakes a substantial project of independent, original, and interdisciplinary scholarly research. Students must be continuously registered for at least one credit of AMST899: "Dissertation Research" while completing the dissertation.

Procedures for Graduation

No later than the first week of their final semester, students should consult with the Interim Director of Graduate Studies about the forms to be filed with the Office of Graduate Studies and Research in order to receive their degrees.

Degree Worksheets

Ph.D. students who entered with a B.A. or M.A. must complete the following:

• Statement of Mutual Expectations
• Satisfactory Progress toward the Ph.D. Degree

Statement of Mutual Expectations

Graduate students in the American studies doctoral program are expected to develop an interdisciplinary plan of study pertaining to one or both of the department's broad areas of expertise: cultural constructions of identity and difference, and the cultures of everyday life. In addition to developing their interdisciplinary research expertise, students should gain mastery of the history, formative and current theories, and interdisciplinary content of American studies literature and demonstrate an understanding of multiple dimensions of diversity.

Satisfactory Progress toward the Ph.D. Degree

The Department of American Studies expects students to make steady progress toward the completion of their degrees. In addition to using the guidelines in this document, the department strongly recommends that students meet with their program advisors a minimum of once a semester to discuss their progress and plan for the next steps. Students who have not yet selected a program advisor should meet with the director of graduate studies each semester.