American Studies
Director: Marlene S. Neill
The graduate program in American Studies is an interdisciplinary program offering comprehensive study in American institutions and culture. The basic program consists of courses in American history, political science, religion, American literature, and journalism.
Prerequisites for graduate work in American studies must include twenty-one semester hours in any one or in any combination of the following areas: American history, government, literature, and philosophy; history of American education; history of religion in America; and American sociological problems. There is no foreign language requirement. Applicants must submit a Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test score; a GRE score and a GPA predictive of success in this program are recommended.
American Studies (AMS)
AMS 4385 Seminar in American Studies (3)
Pre-requisite(s): Senior standing or consent of program director
Studies the theory and practice of American Studies, presents students with the opportunity to analyze written and visual texts, and requires a major paper. Through written work and oral presentations, the course gives students a broad perspective on the American culture.
AMS 5304 Bibliography and Research Methods (3)
Cross-listed as ENG 5304
Practical introduction to the nature of printing and transmission of written material; a guide to the use of the libraries for graduate-level research; approaches to purposes for graduate studies. May be repeated one time for credit provided topic is different.
AMS 5306 Literary Criticism: Seminar (3)
Cross-listed as ENG 5306
Issues in critical theory from Plato to the present with particular attention given to current practice and trends in literary analysis. May be repeated one time for credit provided topic is different.
AMS 5308 Independent Study in Literature (3)
Cross-listed as ENG 5308
Research or reading project undertaken by an individual student working under the direction of a professor. Project to concern literary topics beyond what is included in the defined seminars. Prospectus to be approved by the director of graduate studies in English. May be repeated one time for credit provided topic is different.
AMS 5310 Research Methods in Mass Communication (3)
Cross-listed as JOU 5310
Pre-requisite(s): Graduate standing
Intensive study of and practice in research methods used in the study of mass communication, including content analysis, survey research, experimental designs, historical and qualitative methods. Classic and current research in mass communication will be reviewed.
AMS 5315 Foundations of the American Economy (3)
Cross-listed as EDC 5315
Behavior of households and business firms in determining the allocation of scarce resources among competing needs in a free market economy for those with no or little previous training in economics. Basic economic analysis is introduced as an aid in understanding the problems of energy, consumerism, unemployment, inflation, and pollution, among others. The course is designed to meet the requirements of Texas state law mandating instruction in free enterprise and economics education.
AMS 5316 Basic American Documents (3)
Cross-listed as EDC 5316
The development of the American political, economic, and social system by reference to the basic documents which undergird that structure. Emphasis is placed on understanding how the system developed and how that development reflected the thoughts of the American public as reflected in those documents. Particular emphasis is placed on the Constitution, court interpretation, and landmark Federal legislation.
AMS 5320 Theory of Mass Communication (3)
Cross-listed as JOU 5320
Pre-requisite(s): Consent of director of graduate studies
To study the origins of, evidence for, and applications of various mass communication theories; to study the logic, problems and techniques of theory building; to study the societal implications of mass media research; to extend theoretical assumptions.
AMS 5330 American Political Development (3)
Cross-listed as PSC 5330
Study of the development and reform of political institutions and practices over the course of American history.
AMS 5332 Human Growth and Development (3)
Cross-listed as EDP 5332
Processes and stages of human growth and development: physical, social, emotional, and intellectual. The impact of social, political, and economic factors on individuals and families is explored.
AMS 5333 Psychology of Learning (3)
Cross-listed as EDP 5333
Philosophical and historical roots of theories of learning, cognition, and affect. Major constructs of current theories and their application in instructional, administrative, and counseling settings.
AMS 5335 Research in Education (3)
Cross-listed as EDP 5335
Historical, descriptive, and experimental inquiry. Emphasis on interpretation of research. Use of references and resources; the problem; expression of hypotheses; research design; organizing the review of literature; gathering data; statistical analysis of data; reporting and discussing findings; drawing conclusions. Writing style will be applied to the student's major field of study.
AMS 5336 History of American Christianity (3)
Cross-listed as REL 5336
History of American Christianity from pre-Columbian Christian settlements to the present, with particular emphasis on major movements and problems such as Puritanism, religious liberty, revivalism, westward expansion, the rise and growth of denominations, and post-Civil War trends. The course may be taken up to three times when content differs.
AMS 5340 The American Founding (3)
Cross-listed as PSC 5340
Study of the debates on the proper structure, institutional arrangements, and purposes of government during the Founding period focusing on the creation and ratification of the American constitution.
AMS 5350 Seminar in Mass Communication (3)
Cross-listed as JOU 5350
Research seminar in selected areas of mass communication. May be repeated when topic changes.
AMS 5360 Seminar in United States History (3)
Cross-listed as HIS 5360
May be taken five times provided topics change.
AMS 5365 Seminar in Public History (3)
Cross-listed as HIS 5365
Field of public history, with emphasis on practical applications of historical methodology and the work of historians outside academia.
AMS 5367 Seminar in Oral History (3)
Cross-listed as HIS 5367
Literature and methods of recent United States oral history, with emphasis on the philosophy behind the oral history movement and the personal involvement of the student in the gathering of oral memoirs.
AMS 5370 Advanced Graduate Research and Writing (3)
Cross-listed as HIS 5370
Seminar for first-year students focusing on historical research skills, independent learning, critical thinking, and effective paper presentations.
AMS 5371 Religion in the American South (3)
Cross-listed as HIS 5371
Religion in the American South from the colonial period to the present, with emphasis on readings and primary research.
AMS 5389 Contemporary American Literature (3)
Cross-listed as ENG 5395
Poetry, fiction, or drama of a single author or a movement embracing several writers from 1940 to the present. May be repeated one time for credit provided topic is different.
AMS 5391 Early American Literature (3)
Cross-listed as ENG 5391
Poetry or prose of a single author or of a movement or topic embracing several writers of eighteenth-century America. May be repeated one time for credit provided topic is different.
AMS 5393 Nineteenth Century American Literature (3)
Cross-listed as ENG 5393
Poetry or prose of a single author or of a movement or topic embracing several writers of nineteenth-century America. May be repeated one time for credit provided topic is different.
AMS 5394 Modern American Literature (3)
Cross-listed as ENG 5394
Poetry, fiction, or drama of a single author or a movement embracing several writers from 1900-1940. May be repeated one time for credit provided topic is different.
AMS 5395 Seminar in American Educational Thought (3)
Cross-listed as EDA 6370, EDL 6370
Understanding the historical, philosophical, and sociological antecedents of current views on education and educational administration is a vital link in the formulation of a philosophy of educational administration. Historical and contemporary works in the general areas of educational history, educational philosophy, sociology of education, and educational administration will be studied.
AMS 5396 American Studies: Seminar (3)
Cross-listed as ENG 5396
American studies, treating such subjects as literature, history, philosophy, psychology, theology, and education. The course focuses on examining texts as cultural documents. May be repeated one time for credit provided topic is different.
AMS 5V90 Independent Study in Mass Communication (1-3)
Cross-listed as JOU 5V90
See JOU 5V90 for course details.
AMS 5V99 Thesis (1-9)
hrs.