BA in American Studies
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.
Undergraduate Research
American Studies majors must complete a senior seminar course, AMST 4500, 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.
Students also may enroll in an undergraduate research course, AMST 4400, to pursue research interests of their own. In this course, students are supervised by our faculty who have ample research experience of their own.
Questions? Contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
Undergraduate Departmental Honors
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.
Course Requirements
The following requirements must be fulfilled:
The general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Undergraduate Programs.
The program-specific curriculum.
| 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 4500W | Proseminar in American Studies | |
| Electives | ||
| Five courses (15 credits) selected from the following. No more than two of these courses 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 | Modern U.S. Immigration | |
| or AMST 2410W | Modern 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 the World | |
| 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 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 3625 | Ethnographic and Historical Perspectives on Data Ethics | |
| 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 | |