Bachelor of Arts

American Studies (AMS)

What does it mean (for a person, place, or thing) to be American?

AMS addresses this question by investigating the diverse cultures of those groups and individuals who live within and across the shifting borders of the United States and the Americas. Faculty who teach in AMS represent a wide range of disciplinary and interdisciplinary fields, including history, anthropology, literature, cultural studies, film studies, sociology, ethnic studies, and gender studies. By exploring these fields in an interdisciplinary manner, students will gain the knowledge and tools necessary to understand and analyze the complex patterns of meaning that shape and transform American culture and the definition of what it means to be "American."

Graduating AMS students are ideally equipped to enter various professional fields and graduate programs, working within community-based organizations, and/or pursuing further interdisciplinary graduate education in the arts, humanities, and social sciences.

American Studies Sample Courses

All American Studies (AMS) Courses

AMS Courses

American Studies Core & Affiliate Faculty and Staff

AMS Core & Affiliate Faculty

Bruce Burgett, Colin Danby, Michael Goldberg, David Goldstein, Kanta Kochhar-Lindgren, Kari Lerum, Gen McCoy, Bill Seaburg, Linda Watts

AMS Core & Affiliate Staff

Sarah Leadley

Preparation For This Degree Option

While there are no official requirements, students choosing this degree option will find it helpful to have completed college coursework in American history, culture, and/or social structures.