Program Overview

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American Studies, BA

The American Studies program is designed for students with a strong interest in American culture and history, including the visual arts, music, and popular culture, as well as social movements and politics in any time period of U.S. history. Students should have a curiosity about different parts of American culture and a willingness to explore new areas. A desire to communicate ideas in writing is also important. This major helps develop skills in connecting information, writing strong arguments, and reading for both fine detail and the big picture.

Admission into the Major

Students are expected to formally declare a major no later than the fourth semester of full-time enrollment (or at 61 semester hours for transfer students).

Special Opportunities

Students have the opportunity to complete internships in a variety of settings.

Program Requirements

Students earning the bachelor of arts (BA) degree with a major in American studies must complete all University, College, and departmental degree requirements. These include the general education requirements, the following major requirements, all requirements for an approved minor, and other sufficient credits to total a minimum of 120 applicable semester hours.

• Major Courses:
  • AMS 150: Intro American Studies (3 hours)
  • Select one of the following:
    • AMS 203: Southern Studies
    • AMS 204: Intro to Western Studies
    • AMS 205: Dirty Jobs
    • AMS 206: Native American Studies
    • AMS 207: Intro to Latinx Studies
    • AMS 213: Honors Southern Studies
  • AMS 231: Contemporary America (3 hours)
  • AMS 492: Capstone Research Seminar (3 hours)
  • AMS electives 400 level (6 hours)
  • AMS elective 300 or 400 level (3 hours)
  • AMS electives any level (9 hours)
• Credit Hours Subtotal: 30
• Total Hours: 30

Grade Point Average

A 2.0 grade point average in the major is required for completion of the degree.

Upper-level Residency

A minimum of 12 hours of 300- and 400-level courses in the major must be earned on this campus.

Required Minor

This major requires the completion of a minor.

Additional Major Requirements

Students are responsible for ensuring that they have met all University, College, major, and minor requirements. Each student must meet with an adviser in the major department for academic planning and be approved for registration each semester.

Prerequisites

Unless otherwise stated, the prerequisite for 300-level AMS courses is six hours in Humanities or Social and Behavioral Sciences courses or permission of the instructor, and the prerequisite for 400-level AMS courses is nine hours in Humanities or Social and Behavioral Sciences courses or permission of the instructor.

Career Opportunities

Many career opportunities exist for American Studies majors. Many students attend law school, library school, or pursue advanced degrees. American Studies majors teach in secondary schools, junior colleges, and universities and work for historical commissions, arts alliances, museums, libraries, and the private sector.

Types of Jobs Accepted

Recent graduates have accepted jobs in libraries, museums, student services, tourism, secondary education, junior college teaching, advertising, public relations, journalism, and labor relations.

Jobs of Experienced Alumni

Jobs held by alumni include attorney; university trustee; university external affairs and development director; school counselor; principal; museum sales manager; museum consultant; public relations specialist; library collection curator; special collections librarian; public television production manager; fiction and biography author; popular music critic; publishing account executive; arts alliance programs director; community celebration and documentation coordinator; educational programmer; Jessie Ball DuPont Fund executive director; advertising website developer; public health counselor; Department of Labor wage and hour investigator; architectural historian; congressional press secretary.