American Studies, B.A.
The program in American Studies offers a comprehensive knowledge of American institutions and culture. The basic program consists of courses in a variety of areas of study that students may combine according to their cultural and professional objectives. The purpose is to acquaint students with the intellectual and cultural development of the nation, to prepare them for responsible citizenship, and to show the continuity of past, present, and future in acceptable cultural and historical terms.
All students electing to major or minor in American Studies should consult the director before registering. Information concerning a Master of Arts degree in American Studies will be found in the Graduate School Catalog.
American Studies offers students an interdisciplinary curriculum featuring a comprehensive reflection on American society, institutions and culture. The basic program consists of courses in American history and literature. With the help of the program director, students tailor the program to their career goals.
Requirements for a Major in American Studies (BA)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Total Hours Requirement | (124) | |
| Minimum GPA - 2.0 ("C") Overall and in Major | ||
| Minimum Hours in Residence | (60) | |
| Minimum Advanced Hours (for UG: 3000- or 4000-level courses) | (36) | |
| General Education Requirements | ||
| Arts and Sciences Core 1 | 47-54 | |
| Major Requirements | ||
| JOU/FDM 1303 | Introduction to Mass Communication | 3 |
| AMS 4385 | Seminar in American Studies | 3 |
| Select 27 hrs. from the following, with no more than 12 hrs. from any one area: 2 | 27 | |
| Note: Additional elective hrs. to reach 124 hrs. minimum may be required. | ||
| Total Hours | 124 | |
- 1
Core requirements and hours may vary based on individual student factors, including course selection, language proficiency, transfer status, specialized programs (e.g., BIC). Students should consult with their advisor and degree audit for additional information.
- 2
Any course included in more than one list will only count towards one area.
Areas of Study
Anthropology/Sociology
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ANT 3350 | Native North Americans | 3 |
| ANT 4353 | Archaeology of North America | 3 |
| SOC 3311 | The Sociology of Race and Ethnicity | 3 |
| SOC 4322 | Stratification in Society | 3 |
| SOC 4366 | Social Movements | 3 |
Art/Music
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ARTH 4356 | Modern American Art History | 3 |
| ARTH 4357 | American Art | 3 |
| MUS 3322 | Popular Musics | 3 |
| MUS 3323 | Jazz and its History | 3 |
| MUS 4326 | American Folk Music | 3 |
| MUS 4365 | Music and Identity in Texas Culture | 3 |
Communication/Journalism
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CSS 4396 | American Rhetoric | 3 |
| JOU 3376 | History of American Journalism | 3 |
| JOU 4359 | History of Photography | 3 |
English
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 3349 | American Literature: First Encounters through Revolution | 3 |
| ENGL 3350 | American Romanticism and Transcendentalism | 3 |
| ENGL 3351 | American Realism and Naturalism | 3 |
| ENGL 3366 | Modern American Novel | 3 |
| ENGL 3367 | Modern American Poetry | 3 |
| ENGL 3368 | Postmodern American Novel | 3 |
| ENGL 3380 | Twentieth-Century American Drama | 3 |
| ENGL 4315 | Literature of the American West and Southwest | 3 |
History
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| HIS 3360 | History of the American Presidency | 3 |
| HIS 3362 | Religion in America to 1877 | 3 |
| HIS 3363 | Religion in America since 1877 | 3 |
| HIS 3371 | History of Black Americans | 3 |
| HIS 3372 | American Colonial History | 3 |
| HIS 3373 | American Revolution and Constitution | 3 |
| HIS 3374 | The Early Republic, 1789-1860 | 3 |
| HIS 3375 | The Civil War and Reconstruction | 3 |
| HIS 3380 | Texas History | 3 |
| HIS 3384 | History of Indigenous Peoples of America | 3 |
| HIS 4354 | Religion and War in U.S. History | 3 |
| HIS 4371 | The United States, 1877-1920 | 3 |
| HIS 4374 | The United States since 1920 | 3 |
| HIS 4375 | The American Civil Rights Movement | 3 |
| HIS 4378 | American Women's History since 1865 | 3 |
| HIS 4380 | The American West | 3 |
| HIS 4383 | History of the South | 3 |
| HIS 4386 | The City in American History | 3 |
| HIS 4392 | U.S. Foreign Relations since 1919 | 3 |
| HIS 4395 | History of American Thought, 1630-1859 | 3 |
| HIS 4396 | History of American Thought since 1859 | 3 |
| HIS 4398 | Readings in American History | 3 |
Philosophy
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PHI 4318 | Philosophy of Law | 3 |
| PHI 4342 | Contemporary American Philosophy | 3 |
Political Science
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PSC 3310 | Legislative Process and Behavior | 3 |
| PSC 3320 | Minority and Ethnic Group Politics | 3 |
| PSC 3322 | American Public Policy | 3 |
| PSC 3330 | The American Presidency | 3 |
| PSC/REL 3339 | Law and Religion in the United States | 3 |
| PSC 3340 | Campaigns and Elections | 3 |
| PSC 3353 | American Political Thought | 3 |
| PSC 4300 | Political Behavior | 3 |
| PSC 4320 | African American Politics | 3 |
| PSC 4361 | American Constitutional Law | 3 |
| PSC 4381 | American Constitutional Law | 3 |
Religion
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| REL/PSC 3339 | Law and Religion in the United States | 3 |
| REL 3344 | New Religious Movements in the United States | 3 |
| REL 4336 | Introduction to Religion in America | 3 |
| REL 4338 | Women in Religion in America | 3 |