American Studies

American Studies is an interdisciplinary field that focuses on the study of the cultures of the United States, including transnational, global, and comparative perspectives, and culminates in an interdisciplinary thesis in one of the concentrations: American Studies for Educators; American Ethnicity, Culture, and Race; Global America; American Public Life; and American Arts and Letters. Students can earn a major, minor, or certificate in American Studies.

Major in American Studies

39 s.h. divided between 18 s.h. of required courses and 21 s.h. in a concentration. Concentrations include American Studies for Educators; American Ethnicity, Culture, and Race; Global America; American Public Life; and American Arts and Letters. Students interested in American Studies must meet with the director to plan and organize a focused program of study within any concentration.

Required courses:

• AMST 230 Introduction to American Studies
• HIST 111 Survey of U.S. History to 1877 (recommended) or HIST 112 Survey of U.S. History from 1877

• ENG 220 American Literature: Colonial to Romantic (recommended) or ENG 221 American Literature: Realism to Present
• AMST 400 Senior Thesis

One of the following:

• HIST 265 Survey of African-American History to 1877
• HIST 266 Survey of African-American History from 1877
• ENG 264 African-American Literature

One of the following:

• POLS 100 Introduction to American Government and Politics
• POLS 101 Introduction to Public Administration
• POLS 200 State and Local Government

Concentrations

Courses in a concentration may not double count with those selected for the requirements. For any concentration, a student may, with the written permission of the director, substitute an appropriate course not on the approved list for one of the courses in the concentration.

American Studies for Educators
Required courses:

• HIST 202 Virginia History
• ANTH 227 People, Place, and Culture
• ECON 101 Principles of Microeconomics or ECON 102 Principles of International and Macroeconomics
• An additional course in American history
• An additional course in American literature

One of the following:

• POLS 100 Introduction to American Government and Politics
• POLS 101 Intro to Public Administration
• POLS 200 State and Local Government
• POLS 203 The U.S. Congress

One additional course from those listed above, or a course that is not listed if it is approved by the Director of American Studies.

American Ethnicity, Culture, and Race
Two of the following:

• HIST 204 Religion in America
• HIST 213 The United States: Civil War and Reconstruction
• HIST 217 The American West
• HIST 227 History of the American South
• HIST 265 Survey of African-American History to 1877
• HIST 266 Survey of African-American History from 1877

Two of the following:

• ENG 264 African-American Literature
• MUS 151 History of Jazz
• PHIL 232 African-American Thought
• REL 232 African-American Religion
• SPAN 227 U.S. Latino Literature and Culture
• THEA 270 African-American Theater

Two of the following:

• ANTH 208 Medical Anthropology
• ECON 215 Poverty, Inequality, and Welfare
• HIST 228 History of Appalachia
• PSYC 248 Forensic Psychology
• REL 234 Religion, Politics, and Public Policy
• SOC 100 General Sociology
• SOC 240 Community and Urban Sociology
• SOC 248 Social Inequality
• SOC 264 Social Movements

One additional course from those listed above

Global America
Two of the following:

• ANTH 220 Language and Culture
• POLS 128 U.S. Foreign Policy
• HIST 216 The United States: Global America, 1929 to the Present
• HIST 224 Diplomatic History of the United States

Five of the following:

• ANTH 208 Medical Anthropology
• INT 240 Quebec and Canada
• POLS 249 Latin American Politics
• POLS 311 Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism
• SPAN 227 U.S. Latino Literature and Culture

Three more courses from the previous list

American Public Life
Two of the following:

• ECON 270 Business and Government
• POLS 100 Introduction to American Government and Politics
• POLS 101 Intro to Public Administration
• POLS 200 State and Local Government
• POLS 205 Political Parties and Interest Groups
• POLS 210 Judicial Processes
• POLS 212 Mass Media Law and Ethics
• POLS 321 Constitutional Law I: Structure and Powers
• POLS 322 Constitutional Law II: Civil Rights and Liberties
• REL 234 Religion, Politics, and Public Policy

Two of the following:

• ECON 215 Poverty, Inequality, and Welfare
• HISP 226 Historic Preservation
• HPUB 230 Introduction to Public History
• HPUB 300 Special Topics in Public History
• SOC 100 General Sociology
• SOC 112 Social Problems
• SOC 240 Community and Urban Sociology
• SOC 248 Social Inequality
• SOC 264 Social Movements

Three more courses from those listed above.

American Arts and Letters
One of the following:

• A student who takes two History courses as required courses for the major must take an additional English course from those listed as required (220, 221, 264)
• A student who takes two English courses as required courses for the major must take an additional History course from those listed as required (111, 112, 265, or 266).

Six of the following:

• Any course from the list of history courses immediately above
• ARTH 204 Latin-American Art after Cortez
• ARTH 222 History of American Art and Architecture
• FILM 275 Women and Film
• ENG 220 American Literature: Colonial to Romantic
• ENG 221 American Literature: Realism to Present
• ENG 333 Modern Fiction
• ENG 334 Modern Poetry
• ENG 264 African-American Literature
• HISP 226 Historic Preservation
• MUS 151 History of Jazz
• MUS 152 Rock Music
• MUS 153 American Folk Music
• SOC 214 Sociology of Popular Culture
• SPAN 227 U.S. Latino Literature and Culture
• THEA 270 African-American Theater

Minor in American Studies

21 semester hours
Required courses:

• AMST 230 Introduction to American Studies
• HIST 111 Survey of U.S. History to 1877 (recommended) or HIST 112 Survey of U.S. History from 1877
• ENG 220 American Literature: Colonial to Romantic (recommended) or ENG 221 American Literature: Realism to Present

One of the following:

• HIST 265 Survey of African-American History to 1877
• HIST 266 Survey of African-American History from 1877
• ENG 264 African-American Literature

One of the following:

• POLS 100 Introduction to American Government and Politics
• POLS 101 Introduction to Public Administration
• POLS 200 State and Local Government

Two 200-level or above courses from those listed in any of the above concentrations.