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Entrance, with Mary

Welcome to the American Studies Program

The American Studies Program offers a way to better understand human beings, to see how they were and how they are in order to improve the ways they will be. It studies Americans because their words, their deeds and thoughts, their civilization and culture, both past and present, are comparatively easy to search out, to analyze and to understand.

Student listening to lecture

Academic Programs

American studies is an interdisciplinary approach to the study of American culture. Students take courses from a variety of disciplines, integrate them in two American studies core courses, and cap off their undergraduate degree with an independent research project in which they ask, research and answer their own most pressing questions about some aspect of American culture. Students whose interests range widely and who want to know more about their world from as many points of view as possible are usually very successful as American studies majors.
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Careers

Only a small percentage of American Studies majors go on to work in the field of American Studies. Many graduates become lawyers, librarians, businesspersons, writers, archivists, researchers, teachers, politicians, and even entertainers. Our interdisciplinary approach to the American Studies curriculum fosters well-rounded, intellectual development and helps out students to develop valuable career skills in research, writing, analysis, argumentation, and documentation. The following are common career areas for American Studies graduates:
  • Education
  • Research
  • Writing and Editing
  • Information Management
  • Advocacy
  • Business
Students near St. Joes

Opportunities & Activities

Students in the American Studies Program can choose from several curricular and extra-curricular activities to enhance their learning experience.

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Faculty & Staff

Faculty from various academic departments teach courses for the American Studies Program. Meet our faculty from the links at right.

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Contact Us

Please feel free to contact us for more information about our programs. We look forward to hearing from you.