Interdisciplinary
College of Arts and Sciences
105 Bowman Hall
Tel: 330-672-2062
Web: http://as.kent.edu
American Studies Major
Courses in the American studies program enable undergraduates to study the many rich facets of the United States and its place in the global world using a variety of disciplines, including historical and literary studies, visual studies, musicology, media studies, and ethnic and gender studies. The curriculum emphasizes the diversity of American society and culture while stressing the importance of studying the often conflicting stories of nationhood and the range of experiences of what it has meant—and continues to mean—to be American.
Drawing on coursework in history, literature, the arts and the social sciences, the American studies major offers a broad perspective for students seeking to understand American culture. This program takes an interdisciplinary approach to American life and thought while permitting considerable emphasis on a particular field of analysis chosen by the student.
Students with degrees in American studies may pursue graduate work in American studies or a related field. In the latter instance, students would be well advised to pursue a second major in the related field.
I. Core Requirements | 48-51 | |||
AMST | 10001 | Introduction to American Studies |
3 |
|
40197 | Senior Colloquium |
3 |
||
English | ||||
Choose from the following: |
9 |
|||
ENG | 33001 | U.S. Literature to 1865 (3) | ||
33002 | U.S. Literature from 1865-1945 (3) | |||
33003 | U.S. Literature from 1945-Present (3) | |||
33011 | African American Literature (3) | |||
34021 | Women's Literature (3) | |||
36001 | Literary Criticism (3) | |||
39695 | ST: Ethnic Literature of the U.S. (3) | |||
History | ||||
Choose from the following: |
9 |
|||
HIST | 31070 | History of American Business Enterprise (3) | ||
41056 | History of Colonial America: 1492-1714 (3) | |||
41057 | Eighteenth-Century America: 1714-1789 (3) | |||
41070 | American Social and Intellectual History, 1790-1876 (3) | |||
41071 | American Social and Intellectual History, 1876-Present (3) | |||
41074 | American Economic History (3) | |||
41079 | History of the Immigrant in America (3) | |||
41083 | U.S. Foreign Relations Through World War I (3) | |||
41084 | U.S. Foreign Relations From 1920 (3) | |||
Humanities | ||||
Choose from the following: | 12-15 | |||
ARTH | 42056 | American Art: 1607-1860 (3) | ||
42057 | American Art and Architecture: 1860-1940 (3) | |||
42058 | History of Photography (3) | |||
JMC | 40008 | History of American Mass Communication (3) | ||
MUS | 42131 | America's Music (3) | ||
42161 | History of Jazz (3) | |||
PAS | 33110 | The Black Woman: Historical Perspectives (3) | ||
35100 | African American Social, Political and Economic Systems (3) | |||
35200 | African Social, Political and Economic Systems (3) | |||
41192 | African American Affairs Practicum (3) | |||
42500 | Black Education in America (3) | |||
49095 | Selected Topics (3) | |||
PHIL | 31010 | Twentieth-Century Philosophy (3) | ||
31020 | American Philosophy (3) | |||
41060 | Pragmatism (3) | |||
WMST | 30000 | Colloquium in Women's Studies (3) | ||
Social Sciences | ||||
Choose from the following: |
12 |
|||
ANTH | 18210 | Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (3) | ||
48270 | Native Peoples of North America (3) | |||
ECON | 32083 | The Economics of Poverty (3) | ||
GEOG | 17064 | Geography of the United States and Canada (3) | ||
42064 | Historical Geography of the United States and Canada (3) | |||
POL | 40112 | Politics and the Mass Media (3) | ||
40116 | Public Opinion and Political Behavior (3) | |||
40830 | U.S. Foreign Policy (3) | |||
II. Electives upper-division |
6-9 |
|||
Select from American studies (40095 or 40096), anthropology, English, history, political science and sociology in consultation with the coordinator, with two areas represented. At least 21 hours must be taken in the humanities and major electives combined. |
||||
Total |
113-114 |
American Studies Minor
Drawing on coursework in history, literature, the arts and the social sciences, the American studies minor offers a broad introduction to American culture. This program takes an interdisciplinary approach to American life and thought, encouraging the drawing of connections among various aspects of American culture.AMST | 10001 | Introduction to American Studies |
3 |
40197 | Senior Colloquium in American Studies |
3 |
|
American Literature | |||
Choose from the following: |
6 |
||
ENG | 33001 | U.S. Literature to 1865 (3) |
|
33002 | U.S. Literature from 1865 to 1945 (3) |
|
|
33003 | U.S. Literature from 1945 to Present (3) |
|
|
33011 | African-American Literature (3) |
|
|
34021 | Women's Literature (3) |
|
|
36001 | Literary Criticism (3) |
|
|
39695 | Topics in Ethnic Literature in the U.S. (3) |
|
|
American History | |||
Choose from the following: |
6 |
||
HIST | 31070 | History of American Business Enterprise (3) |
|
41056 | History of Colonial America: 1492-1714 (3) |
|
|
41057 | Eighteenth-century America: 1714-1789 (3) |
|
|
41070 | American Social and Intellectual History, 1790-1876 (3) |
|
|
41071 | American Social and Intellectual History, 1876-Present (3) |
|
|
41074 | American Economic History (3) |
|
|
41079 | Migrations to America, 1607 to Present (3) |
|
|
41083 | U.S. Foreign Relations through World War I (3) |
|
|
41084 | U.S. Foreign Relations from 1920 (3) |
|
|
Pan-African Studies |
|
||
Choose from the following: |
3 |
||
PAS | 33110 | The Black Woman: Historical Perspectives (3) |
|
35100 | African American Social, Political and Economic Systems (3) |
|
|
35200 | African Social, Political and Economic Systems (3) |
|
|
41192 | African-American Affairs Practicum (3) |
|
|
42500 | Black Education in America (3) |
|
|
49095 | Special Topics in Pan-African Studies (3) |
|
|
The Arts or Methods | |||
Choose two courses from one group: |
6 |
||
The Arts | |||
ARTH | 42056 | American Art: 1607-1860 (3) |
|
42057 | American Art and Architecture: 1860-1940 (3) |
|
|
42058 | History of Photography (3) |
|
|
JMC | 40008 | History of American Mass Communication (3) |
|
MUS | 42131 | America's Music (3) |
|
42161 | History of Jazz (3) |
|
|
OR |
|||
Methods | |||
ANTH* | 18210 | Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (3) |
|
48270 | Native Peoples of North America (3) |
|
|
GEOG* | 17064 | Geography of the United States and Canada (3) |
|
42064 | Historical Geography of the United States and Canada (3) |
|
|
PHIL** | 31010 | Twentieth-Century Philosophy (3) |
|
** |
31020 | American Philosophy (3) |
|
41060 | Pragmatism (3) |
|
|
POL | 40112 | Politics and the Mass Media (3) |
|
40116 | Political Opinion and Political Behavior (3) |
|
|
40830 | U.S. Foreign Policy (3) |
|
|
Total |
27 |
* Only one of these two course may be counted toward the American studies minor requirements.
** Only one of these two courses may be counted toward the American studies minor requirements.
Appropriate special topics courses, particularly those in American studies, may be substituted for courses listed above if approved by the program coordinator.
Minimum cumulative 2.00 GPA required for graduation.