BA in American Studies

American Studies students speaking from her desk in a class

The Bachelor of Arts in American Studies explores an array of topics ranging from music, advertising and film to government policy, science and religion.

Majors also complete elective courses and small, discussion-oriented seminars, culminating in a final senior research project on a topic of their choosing.

Senior Research Seminar

American Studies majors must complete a senior seminar course, during which they produce a substantial capstone paper based on independent, primary-source research. Recent graduates have examined the racial politics of contemporary hip-hop, the political fight against "Donʼt Ask, Donʼt Tell" and the sustainable food movement in the American Christian community.

Note: This seminar is offered only in the fall semester. Students planning to study abroad in the fall of their senior year should take the course in their junior year.

Questions? Contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies.

The sign outside the Smithsonian Center for folklore & cultural heritage

Course Requirements

The following requirements must be fulfilled:

The general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Undergraduate Programs.

Additional curriculum requirements:

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
Required
AMST 2010	Early American Cultural History
AMST 2011	Modern American Cultural History
AMST 3900	Critiquing Culture
AMST 3901	Examining America
AMST 4500	Proseminar in American Studies
Electives
Five additional AMST courses selected from the following, no more than two of which may be at the 1000 level.
AMST 1000	Dean's Seminar
AMST 1050	Explorations in American Culture
AMST 1070	The American Cinema
AMST 1100	Politics and Film
AMST 1160	Race, Gender, and Law
AMST 1200	The Sixties in America
AMST 2000	Sophomore Colloquium
AMST 2020	Washington, DC: History, Culture, and Politics
or AMST 2020W	Washington, DC: History, Culture, and Politics
AMST 2071	Introduction to the Arts in America
AMST 2120W	Freedom in American Thought and Popular Culture
AMST 2125	Varieties of Feminist Theory
AMST 2144	Explorations in Historical Geography
AMST 2210	The African American Experience
AMST 2320	U.S. Media and Cultural History
AMST 2350	U.S. Religion and Politics
AMST 2380	Sexuality in U.S. History
AMST 2385	Sex and Citizenship
or AMST 2385W	Sex and Citizenship
AMST 2410	Twentieth Century U.S. Immigration
AMST 2430	Capitalism and Culture
AMST 2440	The American City
or AMST 2440W	The American City
AMST 2490	Themes in U.S. Cultural History
or AMST 2490W	Themes in U.S. Cultural History
AMST 2495	Special Topics in African American History
AMST 2520	American Architecture I
AMST 2521	American Architecture II
AMST 2533	Material Culture in America
AMST 2600	U.S. Popular Music and Culture
AMST 2610	Science, Technology, and Politics in Modern America
or AMST 2610W	Science, Technology, and Politics in Modern America
AMST 2620	Human Mind and Artificial Intelligence
AMST 2630	Discovering the Mind
AMST 2680W	Hashtag America
AMST 2710	The United States in Global Context, 1898-Present
AMST 2730	World War II in History and Memory
or AMST 2730W	World War II in History and Memory
AMST 2750W	Latinos in the United States
AMST 3151	American Art in the Age of Revolution
AMST 3152	American Art in the Era of National Expansion
AMST 3324	U.S. Urban History
AMST 3351	U.S. Social History
AMST 3352	U.S. Women's History to 1865
or AMST 3352W	U.S. Women's History to 1865
AMST 3353	U.S. Women's History II
AMST 3360	African American History to 1865
AMST 3361	African American History Since 1865
AMST 3362	African American Women's History
or AMST 3362W	African American Women's History
AMST 3367	The American Jewish Experience
AMST 3600	Popular Music and Politics
AMST 3810	Planning Cities
AMST 3811	Historical Archaeology
AMST 3835	Historical Archaeology Field Program
AMST 3950	Special Topics
or AMST 3950W	Special Topics
AMST 4701W	Epidemics in American History
AMST 4702W	Race, Medicine, and Public Health

Undergraduate Departmental Honors

2 students in an American Studies classroom

Graduating majors may be awarded special honors in American Studies. Majors must receive a grade of A on the senior research essay written for AMST 4500W, maintain a GPA of 3.7 or higher in the major and meet GW’s special honors requirements.