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.
| AMST 101 | Introduction to American Studies | 4 units |
| AMST 390 | Theories and Methods of American Studies | 4 units |
| AMST 490 | Senior Seminar | 4 units |
Cultural Productions
Students must select two courses from the list below:
Students may also apply AMST 295 to the Cultural Productions cluster if they have enrolled in the "Dis/Ability and Care Cultures in the U.S." section of the course.
Students may also apply BLST 295 to the Cultural Productions cluster only if they are enrolled in the "Race, Archive, Performance" section/course topic.
Historical Perspectives
Students must select two courses from the list below:
| AMST 202/LLAS 202 | Latina/o Cultural and Intellectual History | 4 units |
| AMST 208/BLST 208 | African American History II: The Great Migration and the Transformation of American Culture | 4 units |
| AMST 215 | Discipline and Desire: The History of Sexuality in the United States | 4 units |
| AMST 256/BLST 256 | Race Women: African American Women's Protest Culture | 4 units |
| AMST 268/BLST 268 | Style Politics: Beauty and Fashion in Black Women's History | 4 units |
| AMST 272/ASN 272 | Asian Immigrants in American Society | 4 units |
| AMST 280/DWA 246 | The United States and East Asia | 4 units |
| AMST 305 | Captivity, Carcerality, Unfreedom: Abolitionist Rhetorics | 4 |
| AMST 376/BLST 376 | Slavery, Freedom, and American Memory | 4 units |
| HIST 101 | United States Culture and Society I | 4 units |
| HIST 102 | United States Culture and Society II | 4 units |
| HIST 207/BLST 207 | African American History I: Black Americans and the Making of the Nation | 4 units |
| HIST 309 | Slavery in the Antebellum South | 4 units |
Students may also apply AMST 295 to the Historical Perspectives cluster if they have enrolled in the "Origins of the New Right" or "Settler and Native Ecologies of Power in North America" sections of the course.
Additional Electives
Students must take three additional elective chosen either from the list of approved electives below, or one of the thematic clusters above.
| AMST 200/POLS 200 | Democratic Socialism, American Style | 4 units |
| AMST 295 | Topics in American Studies | 4 units |
| AMST 332 | Psychic Life of Violence in the United States | 4 units |
| ARTH 285 | Nineteenth Century Art: Culture, Politics, and National Identity | 4 units |
| BLST 101 | Introduction to Black Studies | 4 units |
| ENGL 142/BLST 142 | Joyful Noise! On Black Literature and Musicality | 4 units |
| HIST 312 | Race, Rights, and Revolution in the Atlantic World | 4 units |
| LLAS 385/PSYC 385 | Chicanx Identities and Social Institutions: Education, Health, Politics | 4 units |
| POLS 208 | Movements for Social Justice | 4 units |
| RELS 145 | Introduction to American Religion | 4 units |
| RELS 245 | African American Religious Traditions | 4 units |
| UEP 230 | Climate Justice: Theory and Practice | 4 units |
Honors in the Major
Students who meet the following criteria may be invited to expand their Senior Comprehensive essay for College Honors:
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Earn an A or A- in AMST 490.
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Earn Distinction on the Senior Comprehensive essay in fall semester.
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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.