Emphasis Plan

Emphasis

Together with the Faculty Undergraduate Advisor, you will select five upper-division courses organized around a single theme or focus related to American Studies. Your emphasis can be drawn entirely from AMS courses or you can draw from other departments or programs in addition to AMS.

  • Queer and Trans Studies
  • Social Movements
  • Disability, Health, and Injustice
  • Food Studies
  • The US and the World: Borders, Migration, Diaspora, and Imperialism
  • California Studies
  • Politics, Identity, and Art/Design/Literature
  • Diverse and Dissident Histories
  • Nature and Environment
  • Critical Race and Ethnic Studies
  • Gender and Women
  • Pop Culture, Media, and Communication
  • Public Memory and Community History

Emphasis Unit Requirements

The American Studies Emphasis requires 20 units of emphasis coursework

  • Must include a minimum of 8 units of upper division AMS electives
  • May include a maximum of 4 units of internship (192)
  • May include a maximum of 8 units of 190A/190B (senior research/creative project units)
  • May include 20 units of upper-division AMS electives

Declaring the Emphasis

Approval of the American Studies Emphasis is required for graduation for all students in the major. The emphasis is approved through a two step process. Students (1) list their emphasis topic/theme and proposed coursework on their Major Worksheet for preliminary approval by their faculty advisor and (2) submit their Emphasis Plan Narrative paper for final approval.

It is helpful to start thinking of what emphasis you might want to pursue within American Studies as you plan out the courses you will take to fulfill your degree requirements. As you fill out your Major Worksheet, you should consult your faculty advisor and note particular classes that you might take to fulfill your emphasis and your area of focus. Students should get preliminary approval of their emphasis by the fall of their junior year. This emphasis is not set in stone, however, as interesting classes may arise and you may find your areas of interest changing as you pursue your degree. When and if this happens, however, you should consult with your faculty advisor and write up a new Major Worksheet that reflects those changes. Your most current version of your emphasis topic and classes should be on file prior to writing your emphasis plan narrative.

Before graduating, students will also submit a written narrative describing their reason(s) for choosing their area of focus within American Studies and the courses that make up their emphasis. Students should submit this via the Emphasis Plan Narrative for approval. This narrative is the final step in completing their emphasis and must be on file before students can be certified for graduation. Students are encouraged to submit their Emphasis Plan Narrative paper no later than the quarter before graduation.

  • Suggested Emphasis Plans
  • Review suggested emphasis topics and sample coursework plans via our American Studies Suggested Emphasis Plans handout
  • Emphasis Plan Narrative Submission
  • Submit your Emphasis Plan Narrative no later than the quarter before your intended graduation via our AMS Emphasis Plan Form
  • Emphasis Plan Narrative Examples
  • Prior to submitting your Emphasis Plan Narrative, we recommend you review Emphasis Plan Examples to gain a better understanding of what is expected for the narrative portion of the plan.
Documents