WHAT IS AMERICAN STUDIES?
American Studies explores the cultures of the United States, as well as their transnational exchanges and impact. The discipline’s practitioners seek to understand the historical origins of particular cultures and practices held by individuals and groups within the United States and how those values and beliefs shape social and political realities within and beyond U.S. borders. The approach that American Studies takes is interdisciplinary, meaning that in American Studies we answer these questions using tools developed by numerous disciplines including history, sociology, anthropology, literary criticism, folklore, media, and science and technology studies.
Students who complete a major in American Studies will be able to:
1. Analyze, interpret, and think critically about American cultural practices.
2. Conduct independent research in American culture using appropriate methods and protocols.
3. Place American cultural concepts and artifacts within specific historical contexts.
4. Articulate complex ideas in American culture in written and oral formats.