Director: Professor Andrew Moore

American Studies is an interdisciplinary field of study that integrates a variety of disciplines to explore American (typically the United States) civilization. Emerging in the mid-twentieth century as a scholarly means of understanding what made American identity unique, the discipline of American Studies asks broad questions about the nature of American culture, civilization, and identity. The fact that it draws on a variety of disciplines allows its students to engage American culture and civilization in greater depth and breadth than would be typical of a major in one discipline like History, English, or Politics. That is, American Studies students are better able to view the American experience as a whole rather than through the narrower lens of a single discipline. Students of American Studies are challenged to question why American culture developed as it did and what influences have shaped this nation’s character. As a result, Saint Anselm students who major in American Studies have to be willing to question their own beliefs and accept the constructed nature of their own identity. To that end, they are challenged to examine especially the ways that race, gender, social class, and religious identity have produced the American society that they live in now.

No two paths through the American Studies major will look exactly alike. All American Studies majors are required to take AS100: Introduction to American Studies, and they complete an independent research project in their senior year. Beyond those requirements, students choose from among a variety of courses from at least ten different departments on campus. Students who successfully complete the major requirements will have developed skills and qualities that are in demand in the 21st-century marketplace: critical thinking and analysis, clear writing, and effective oral communication.

Internships and study abroad are encouraged by the department.

The major will consist of a total of 10 courses, distributed according to the following guidelines.  See below for list of eligible courses. 

1.  AS100, Introduction to American Studies

2.  2 history courses from the list of eligible courses.

3.  1 Politics or 1 Sociology course from the list of eligible courses. 

4.  1 English course from the list of eligible courses. 

5.  1 Fine Arts course from the list of eligible courses.

6.  3 additional courses selected from the list of eligible courses below [one of these must come from departments not listed above - either Criminal Justice, Theology, Philosophy, or Politics / Sociology (the one not selected in #3)].

7.  AS401, Independent Research.  Working closely with a member of the faculty affiliated with the American Studies major, students will write an independent guided research paper.  The supervising faculty member will be chosen by the student in consultation with the chair of the History Department.  In addition, successful completion of the research project will require the approval of a second reader from the American Studies related faculty, also chosen in consultation with the chair of the History Department.

All majors must also pass a comprehensive exam.

List of Eligible Courses

• CJ 100 - Introduction to the Criminal Justice System
• CJ 300 - Criminal Law
• CM 216 - Principles and Practices of Journalism
• EC 243 - Money and Banking
• EC 345 - Economics of the Great Depression
• ED 255 - Multicultural Perspectives on Public Schooling in the United States
• ED 311 - Getting Schooled: The Politics & Promise of American Education
• EN 241 - Studies in Nineteenth-Century American Literature
• EN 242 - Studies in Modern American Literature
• EN 243 - Studies in Postmodern American Literature
• EN 245 - Introduction to African-American Literature
• EN 341 - Special Topics in Nineteenth-Century American Literature
• EN 342 - Special Topics in Twentieth-Century American Literature
• EN 343 - Native American Women Writers
• EN 344 - Literature of the Harlem Renaissance
• FAH 230 - The Arts of the United States and the Americas
• FAH 258 - History of Photography
• FAH 260 - The Cinematic Eye - A History of Film to 1945
• FAH 262 - Contemporary Film - 1945 to the Present
• MU 240 - American Music
• MU 241 - American Musical Theater
• MU 242 - Studies in Film Music
• MU 243 - Studies in Jazz History
• MU 246 - History of Rock and Roll
• HI 106 - The U.S. Presidency
• HI 109 - Environmental History
• HI 199 - America: Origins to World Power
• HI 250 - United States History to 1877
• HI 251 - United States History from 1877
• HI 350 - Colonial North America
• HI 351 - Jacksonian America: 1824-1850
• HI 352 - The Civil War and Reconstruction: 1850-1877
• HI 354 - Contemporary America
• HI 355 - Modern American Foreign Relations
• HI 356 - The Old South
• HI 357 - United States Labor History
• HI 358 - History of New England
• HI 359 - American Women's History
• HI 361 - Civil Rights Movement
• HI 362 - The New South
• HI 374 - Special Topics: American History
• PH 341 - American Philosophy
• PO 102 - American Government
• PO 211 - Presidential Power
• PO 212 - Constitutional Law
• PO 213 - Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
• PO 235 - American Foreign Policy
• PO 248 - Public Policy Process
• PO 250 - Gender and Politics
• PO 255 - Campaigns and Elections
• PO 258 - American Political Thought
• PO 346 - The New Hampshire Primary and Presidential Nomination Politics
• PO 353 - Politics of Diversity
• PO 446 - Selected Topics in American Politics
• PY 207 - Psychology of Gender
• PY 209 - Political Psychology
• SO 101 - Introduction to Sociology
• SO 150 - Introduction to Social Work: Human Behavior and the Social Environment
• SO 205 - The Family
• SO 206 - Social Problems
• SO 228 - Sociology of Health & Illness
• SO 230 - Social Movements: People, Power and Change
• SO 309 - Gender, Sex, & Sexuality
• SO 330 - Race and Ethnic Relations
• SO 335 - Law and Society
• SO 342 - Social Inequality
• SO 343 - Economy and Society
• SO 344 - Political Sociology
• TH 302 - Religion in America