American Studies

Overview

American Studies is the interdisciplinary exploration of American culture. Situated at the intersection of historical and cultural analyses, students in American Studies interrogate the multiple voices and visions that have shaped American culture both past and present, and analyze debates over the meaning of American identity and culture in the United States and in transnational contexts.

The courses in Oxy’s American studies major offer multiple perspectives on American culture, history, literature, arts, and American domestic and international politics. The curriculum draws upon courses in these subjects plus media arts and culture, psychology, religion, and more. Several American Studies courses are cross-listed with courses in Black Studies, East Asian Studies, Diplomacy & World Affairs, and Latino/a & Latin American Studies. We highly encourage our majors to apply for international and domestic off-campus study, and Oxy’s Los Angeles location offers myriad opportunities for community-based learning and community engagement.

The knowledge you will develop as an American studies major is not only an integral part of the education promised by the College's mission statement, but also prepares students for citizenship in American society and an increasingly globalized world. The major prepares you for a wide range of careers in business, education, law, media, entertainment, public affairs, and non-governmental organizations.

Requirements

Major

The American Studies major consists of a minimum of 10 courses (normally ten four-unit courses, a minimum of 39 units). Of these 10 courses, a maximum of two study abroad and transfer courses may satisfy electives with chair approval, except AMST 101*, AMST 390, and AMST 490. *Transfer students who have completed an AMST 101 course at a previous institution may be able to transfer the course with the chair’s review and approval. Students with approved transfer or study abroad courses will still need to achieve the minimum 39 units for the major. This can be done through independent study, directed research, or additional elective coursework.

Students must complete three required courses: one introductory course in American Studies (AMST 101); a junior seminar in American Studies: Theory and Methods (AMST 390); and the Senior Seminar (AMST 490). In addition to these courses, students will take seven electives. These will consist of two courses from each of the two thematic clusters ("cultural productions" and "historical perspectives"); and three additional electives. Two of the seven electives must be 300-level courses.

Core Required Courses

All majors must take these three courses.

Cultural Productions

Students must select two courses from the list below:

Historical Perspectives

Students must select two courses from the list below:

Additional Electives

Students must take three additional elective chosen either from the list of approved electives below, or one of the thematic clusters above.

Honors in the Major

Students who meet the following criteria may be invited to expand their Senior Comprehensive essay for College Honors:

• Earn an A or A- in AMST 490.

• Earn Distinction on the Senior Comprehensive essay in fall semester.

• Have an average overall GPA of 3.25 (college policy).

Students will develop their Honors essay with their Senior Comps advisor in spring

semester, and the final essay will be evaluated by the advisor and second reader.

Students may choose to enroll in 2- or 4-units of Directed Research (AMST 493) while working towards Honors.

For further information see the Honors Program and the department chair.

Minor

The American Studies Minor consists of five courses for a total of 20 units. AMST 101 is required along with one elective in the "Cultural Productions" category and one elective in the "Historical Perspectives" category and two additional electives from any category.

Second-Stage Writing

Students majoring in American Studies will satisfy the Second-Stage Writing Requirement by successfully completing the methodology research paper with a grade of B-. Should a student not successfully complete the requirement in AMST 390 during their junior year, they will be required to revise the essay until it meets the passing specifications, which must be done no later than the fourth week of their senior year fall semester.

Comprehensive Requirement

Students fulfill the Senior Comprehensive requirement by successfully completing AMST 490 and a 25-page research essay in the fall

semester of senior year.

Students will receive a final grade for the AMST 490 course. Completion of the 25-page essay will determine a large portion of that grade, but not its entirety; other course requirements (meeting deadlines, class participation, presentations, in-class work) factor into the final grade in AMST 490.

The AMST 490 instructor is the primary Senior Comprehensive advisor; students will also have a second reader from the department for the comps essay. The comps advisor and second reader provide feedback through the draft-revision process and assess the final comps essay to determine distinction, pass, or fail.

Transfer Credit Policies

The American Studies Program accepts online courses for general elective credit, but will not accept online courses for major or minor credit. Students should reference the Transfer Credit section for more details.

Advising Information

Students interested in the American Studies major often start by taking AMST 101, which is a major requirement and is typically offered during the fall semester. In addition, most 200-level AMST courses do not have prerequisites and are open to first-year students.  The major requires students to complete two courses in the Cultural Productions group and two courses in the Historical Perspectives group, as well as three additional electives, AMST 390, and AMST 490.  AMST 390 is the junior seminar that focuses on the theories and interdisciplinary methodologies of American Studies and prepares students to write their comprehensive theses in the AMST 490 senior seminar. At least two of the seven electives must be 300-level courses.

Placement Information

No placement exams are specifically required for the American Studies major. 

Sample 4-Year Plan

Curricular Notes

• Certain designated courses from Departments such as History, Black Studies, Religious Studies, and Art & Art History also count as American Studies Electives.
• The Junior Seminar (AMST390) is only taught in the spring semester.  Junior American Studies majors who plan to study abroad should plan to do so in the fall of their junior year so they can be back on campus for AMST 390 in their spring semester.

American Studies Transfer Student Advice

Transfer Course Limit for Transfer Students: 2 courses

Designated Transfer Adviser

Expected preparation for transfer students wanting to major in American Studies:

• Students transferring in as juniors will ideally have already taken a course equivalent to AMST 101; however, it is possible to complete the entire major in two years without any preparation as long as a student’s Core requirements are mostly completed.

General advice for transfer students wanting to major in American Studies:

• AMST 390 and AMST 490 must be taken at Occidental and can not be fulfilled by transfer courses.

• The American Studies major has a flexible and interdisciplinary structure which offers many different paths to completion for transfer students.

What courses should a transfer student take during their first semester at Occidental?

• Junior transfers should enroll in AMST 101 if they have not already taken an approved equivalent course. In addition, they should take one or two additional courses that count toward the major. For Junior transfers starting during the spring semester, one of these courses should be AMST 390.

• All other transfer students should take AMST 101 during their first semester if they have not already taken an approved equivalent course. Otherwise, they should take another course that counts toward the major.

Courses

American Studies Courses

Faculty

Tenure and Tenure Track Faculty

Julie Prebel, chair; designated transfer adviser

Associate Professor

Director of Writing Center and Programs

B.A., University of California, Berkeley; M.A., California State University, San Francisco; Ph.D., University of Washington

Heather Lukes

Associate Professor 

B.A., University of California, Berkeley; M.A., Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles

Xiao-huang Yin

Professor 

B.A., Nanjing University; M.A., Ph.D., Harvard University 

Non-Tenure Track Faculty

Alexandra Fine
Visiting Assistant Professor
B.A., Oberlin College; M.A., California College of the Arts; Ph.D., University of California, Davis  

Gregory Toy
Visiting Assistant Professor
B.A., Haverford College; M.A., Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles

Other faculty associated with the American Studies department can be viewed here.