Course Requirements for Bachelor of Arts in American Studies
There are two main areas in the course of a Bachelor of Arts in American Studies degree. The first area is History and Institutions and the second one is Literature, Culture, and the Arts. Both areas contribute to the analysis and interpretation of the day to day American life. Aside from completing the six courses that can be found in the two main areas the student must also complete a course in Comparative Race and Ethnicity. This is because one of the most effective ways to understand American Life today is to understand American Life in the past.
Expectations of the Course
The course expects the students to follow their own path in interpreting their chosen dimension of the American Life. They are encouraged to create their own methods and follow their own approach. They are advised to put much consideration on their preferences and interest in creating their own path. All of these are to prevent new members of the profession from just copying the steps of their predecessors. Varying strategies are likely to lead to different interpretations which will create argumentation and debate which is good for the community. New graduates are even advised not to be afraid of challenging interpretations made by their more experience colleagues as long as they have findings that support their theories and claims.
Requirements for Completion
A student can only obtain a degree of Bachelor of Arts in American Studies if he successfully creates a thematic focus of at least five of the available courses. At least one of the focuses should be delivered to a small group of people or a panel of experts. After the student has convinced the audience or panel of the feasibility of his findings and interpretation he will be deemed qualified for the degree. Each focus should be approached and interpreted using various disciplines. The most commonly used focuses are but not limited to:
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Art and Culture in 19th-Century America
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Civil Rights in America
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Education in America
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Gender in American Culture and Society
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Health Policy in America
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Nature and Environment in American Culture
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Politics and Media in America
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Race and the Law in America
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Religion in America
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Technology in American Life and Thought
13 courses amounting to at least 60 units is therefore the minimum requirement for finishing the course and obtaining the degree.
Requirements of the Major
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Gateway Seminar about the Perspectives on American Identity
This concentration is focused on understanding how the average American thinks as well as determining the numerous factors that help create the American identity. The student learns how to think like an American belonging to any particular era.
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History and Institutions
This concentration is focused on the understanding of significant historical events that have help make America the nation it is today. It also includes the numerous institutions that were established from the past to the present.
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Literature, Culture, and the Arts
This concentration is centred on the evolution of American literature, culture and arts. It also aims to trace the origins of the forms of art and where traditions came from.
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Comparative Race and Ethnicity
This concentration revolves around the numerous races and indigenous groups that used to or are still thriving in America. It intends to clarify the factors that lead to the said races and ethnic groups being in the state they are today.
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Concentration and Capstone
This puts together in a thematic presentation all the concentrations chosen by the student.
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