Program of Study (CAS Bulletin)
The American Studies major consists of introductory, elective, and research components, together comprising a total of eleven courses, as laid out below:
Two introductory courses, could be taken in any order:
V18.0001, Concepts in Social and Cultural Analysis—An introduction to key terms and analytical categories for
interdisciplinary work in American Studies and related fields
V18.0201, Approaches to American Studies
Seven elective courses
Five designated American Studies courses
Two Common Electives: Upper-division courses offered by the Department of Social and Cultural Analysis which address issues pertinent to American Studies in relation with other SCA majors.
Two research courses:
V18.0040 American Studies-related Internship Fieldwork
V18.0090 Senior Research Seminar pertinent to American Studies
A note about Language/Linguistic Competency: The type of rigorous intercultural study promoted within the Department of Social and Cultural Analysis requires students to recognize the complex modes of communication at work both within and across different social groups. The department therefore strongly encourages its students to develop advanced skills in language and linguistics by any of the following means: taking elective courses in sociolinguistics; studying a language other than English beyond the minimum level required by CAS; studying languages especially germane to the department’s fields of study; pursuing community-based internship fieldwork necessitating the development and use of specific language skills; undertaking study or research abroad in contexts entailing the exercise of key language or linguistic capabilities.
MINOR
The minor in American studies consists of five courses, comprising Introduction to American Studies (V18.0201) plus four other courses listed by the program. At least two of these four courses must originate in American Studies, and one of the four can be a MAP course taught by an American studies faculty member. The roster of American studies—originated courses that count toward the minor—includes V18.0201, V18.0220, V18.0223, V18.0230, V18.0232, V18.0251, V13.0252, and V18.0280. The current MAP courses offered by American Studies faculty that count toward the minor are V55.0515 and V55.0529.
HONORS
Departmental Honors in American Studies—as in all the majors administered within SCA—require a minimum of three courses with honors designations: An honors section of Strategies for Social and Cultural Analysis, in which students design their thesis research projects (or preliminary versions thereof) are normally taken in the sophomore or junior year. In the senior year, students take a two-semester honors sequence, consisting of a fall honors section of the Senior Research Seminar (V18.0900) and spring Independent Honors Research (8 points total), in which they complete a substantive research project with a significant component based on original primary research. Additional honors credit may be taken in honors sections of the introductory Concepts course, in designated sections of other departmental courses, or in interdisciplinary departmental honors junior seminars, when offered.
