Penn State York - American Studies

About the American Studies Major

American studies majors design individualized programs of study in consultation with a faculty director. Majors combine 9 credits of core classes in American Studies Americans All Program 2005 with 24 credits of supporting courses in related fields of study. The flexibility of the American Studies major enables students to complete their degrees while pursuing their intellectual interests in disciplines as diverse as anthropology, art, architecture, African American Studies, business, communications, culture and technology, film, folklore, history, literature, material culture and restoration, photography, political science, popular culture, sociology, and women's studies. Common to every major's course of study is the focus on American culture and the attempt to understand how national culture has evolved and how it can be understood by studying a great variety of sources. "Americans All" Student Project Exhibition on Immigrant Groups in America, Spring 2005

American Studies Checklist

To complete the B.A. in American Studies, a student must complete eleven 3-credit courses (33 credits). There are three core courses (9 credits) required for all American Studies majors. The remaining 24 credits must be distributed in three of four fields: American Literature, American History, American Humanities (art, philosophy, religion, etc.), and Social Sciences. These credits must be taken within the following guidelines:

Select 9 credits in two areas
Select 6 credits in a third area
Include 12 credits at the 400-level, distributed in at least two areas

For a recommended semester-by-semester schedule of courses click here

REQUIRED COURSES (9 credits)	Course	Sem./Yr.	Grade
1) American Studies 100, American Studies 100W, or American Studies 105 (3 credits)	_____	_____	_____
2A) American Studies 402W	_____	_____	_____
2B) American Studies 402W	_____	_____	_____
SUPPORTING COURSES IN RELATED AREAS (24 credits)
American Literature	_____	_____	_____
	_____	_____	_____
	_____	_____	_____
American History	_____	_____	_____
	_____	_____	_____
	_____	_____	_____
American Humanities: art, philosophy, religion, etc.	_____	_____	_____
	_____	_____	_____
	_____	_____	_____
Social Sciences	_____	_____	_____
	_____	_____	_____
	_____	_____	_____

To ensure that you have completed twelve credits at the 400-level in the areas above, please copy the four 400-level courses below:

__________ __________ __________ __________

*All courses must be completed with a grade of C or better. This worksheet is an unofficial record of your progress.

OTHER BACCALAUREATE AND LIBERAL ARTS DEGREE REQUIREMENTS:

General Education: 45 Credits

First Year Seminar

(Included in ELECTIVES)

Intercultural and International Competence

(Included in ELECTIVES, GENERAL EDUCATION course selection, or REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR)

Writing Across the Curriculum:

(Included in REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR)

Electives: 18 Credits

(Included in REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR)