American Studies Major

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Major Requirements

The major in American studies requires nine courses, distributed as follows:

AMST 103 JT - Introduction to American Cultures
A two-semester survey of U.S. History (for example HIST 080 CM - Early America: From Invasion to Civil War , and HIST 081 CM - Modern America, 1865 to Present )
One other survey-level course focusing on the United States in another discipline, such as art history, literature, government, music, or sociology (for example LIT 060 CM - American Writers to 1900 , or GOVT 020 CM - Introduction to American Politics )
One course in Asian American Studies, Africana Studies, or Chicano Studies, or one course in the histories and/or cultures of Native Americans
AMST 180 SC - American Studies Seminar ; this seminar course is normally taken in the fall of the junior year
Three upper-division or seminar courses in a single discipline, for example literature, history, or government. This requirement gives the program depth as well as breadth.

Senior Thesis in American Studies

The senior thesis is a general education requirement and the capstone experience of a student’s undergraduate education. Students must complete a senior thesis in at least one of their majors under supervision of a faculty reader who teaches within that major, unless granted a special exception.

Students interested in receiving honors in American studies are required to complete a two-semester project. CMC students interested in a two-semester thesis project normally enroll in AMST 190SC - the Senior Thesis Seminar, at Scripps College in the fall semester, followed by the senior thesis in the spring semester. The senior thesis and related seminar may not be counted as courses in the major for CMC students. For further information on honors in the major, see Honors in American Studies below.

Special Options for Majors

Dual Majors

A dual major in American studies requires a minimum of seven courses, distributed as follows:

AMST 103 JT - Introduction to American Cultures
A one-semester survey of U.S. History (for example HIST 080 CM - Early America: From Invasion to Civil War , and HIST 081 CM - Modern America, 1865 to Present )
One other survey-level course focusing on the United States in another discipline, such as art history, literature, government, music, or sociology (for example LIT 060 CM - American Writers to 1900 , or GOVT 020 CM - Introduction to American Politics )
One course in Asian American Studies, Africana Studies, or Chicano Studies, or one course in the histories and/or cultures of Native Americans
AMST 180 SC - American Studies Seminar ; this seminar course is normally taken in the fall of the junior year
Two upper-division or seminar courses in a single discipline, for example literature, history, or government. This requirement gives the program depth as well as breadth.

Students with a dual major including American studies are encouraged to write their senior thesis on a topic in American studies. For further information, see Senior Thesis in American Studies above.

Please note the restrictions on honors in the major for students with a dual major under Honors in American Studies below. For further information on dual majors and the requirements for the other discipline of the dual major, please check the appropriate sections of this catalog.

Honors in American Studies

To be eligible for honors in American studies, students must achieve a 11.00 or better grade point average in all American studies courses at the time of graduation. Student must also complete a two-semester, two-credit thesis project in American studies (see Senior Thesis in American Studies above) and receive grades of “A-” (11.00) or better for the thesis courses. Participants in the honors program must register with the CMC American studies advisor at the beginning of their senior year.

Students with a dual major including American studies who wish to be considered for honors in American studies are eligible if they:

Have completed all requirements for a full major in American studies and are granted honors, or
Qualify and receive honors in both disciplines of their dual major. See Academic Honors at Graduation for details.

General Education Requirements for American Studies Majors

Students with interdisciplinary majors requiring courses in the humanities and/or social sciences are required to take designated courses in six different fields of the humanities and social sciences for the general education requirements. American studies majors must take courses in at least three of the four fields of the social sciences (economics, government, history, and psychology), and in two or three of the four fields of the humanities (literature, philosophy, religious studies, and literature in a foreign language) for a total of six courses. American studies majors with a dual or double major in a second field of the humanities or social sciences will usually be required to take an additional course. For further information on general education requirements, see Academic Policies & Procedures .

Student Learning Outcomes of the Program in American Studies

Students are able to build an argument effectively using a wide range of evidence across the disciplines.
Students are able to use primary and secondary sources effectively in carrying on research in American Studies.
Students are able to demonstrate awareness of methodological issues.
Students are able to demonstrate effective and appropriate writing skills in communicating the histories and cultures of the United States.