American Studies Major (36 hours)

Admission to the American Studies Program is suspended pending review of the curriculum, effective Fall 2005

Joint-appointed Faculty:
Michael Millar, Spanish and American Studies
Carolyn Podruchny, History and American Studies

Associate Faculty:
James Biles, Geography
Linda Borish, History
Jose Brandao, History
Paula Brush, Sociology
Sharon Carlson, Director of the Regional History Archive
Michael Chiarappa, History and Environmental Studies
Kevin Corder, Political Science
Dourglas Davidson, Sociology
Nora Faires, History
Sarah Hill, Anthropology
Catherine Julien, History
Ashlyn Kuersten, Political Science
Irma Lopez, Spanish
Vincent Lyon-Callo, Anthropology
Mustafa Mirzeler, Comparative Religion
Michael Nassaney, Anthropology
Gwen Raaberg, Women’s Studies
John Saillant, English
Peter Schmitt, History
Kristin Szylvian, History
Gwen Tarbox, English
Daneen Wardrop, English
Ben Wilson, Africana Studies
Brian Wilson, Comparative Religion
Nicolas Witchi, English

The Program in American Studies provides students with a critical understanding of American identities through teaching and mentoring as well as providing opportunities for internships, undergraduate research, and study abroad. The course of study offers students an interdisciplinary framework that examines the United States and its neighboring countries from regional, national, and global perspectives.

The program in American Studies offers a major and a minor designed to be interdisciplinary. The program brings together WMU faculty from Africana Studies, Anthropology, Comparative Religion, English, Geography, History, Political Science, Spanish, Sociology, and Women’s Studies who are scholars and teachers specializing in aspects of the United States and its neighboring countries. Students are required to take courses within the American Studies Program, including an introductory course, two courses in special topics, and a capstone seminar. They are also required to take at least one course in non-U.S. American Studies, such as the geography of Mexico and the Caribbean or the history of Canada. Other courses are selected from offerings in participating departments, covering such topics as popular art and architecture, urban politics, gender and law, literatures and cultures, the Underground Railroad, modern social problems, Hispanic culture, philosophy and religions in America.

The interdisciplinary approach of the Program in American Studies provides theoretical, methodological, and practical grounding for careers in journalism, politics, research, organizations, public relations, and information technology. It is also a useful major for students who plan to do graduate studies in law, the humanities, and the social sciences.

American Studies Major (30 hours)

Students must select courses in at least three (3) departments participating in the program and must concentrate nine (9) hours of study in one department; at least sixteen (16) hours must be taken at the 400-level or above.

Required Courses (6 hours)

AMS 2000 - Introduction to American Studies Credits: 3 hours
AMS 3000 - Topics in America Studies Credits: 3 hours
two sections, Credits: 6 hours

Capstone Seminar (3 hours)

For majors and minors in American Studies, this course satisfies the Baccalaureate Writing Requirement.

AMS 4900 - American Studies in a Global Context Credits: 3 hours

Required Course in Non-U.S. American Studies (3 hours)

Student may select from the following offerings:

ANTH 3390 - Cultures of Latin America Credits: 3 hours
FREN 2750 - Francophone Culture Credits: 3 hours
GEOG 3820 - Mexico and the Caribbean Credits: 3 hours
HIST 3300 - Canadian History and Culture Credits: 3 hours
SPAN 3230 - Life and Culture of Spanish America Credits: 3 hours

Required Course in Participating Departments (12 hours)

Students will work with the director to create a course of study that will focus attention on regional, national, and global perspectives on American cultures.

AFS 3000 - Black Experience: From the African Beginnings to 1865 Credits: 3 hours
AFS 3010 - Black Experience: From 1866 to the Present Credits: 3 hours
AFS 3150 - The Underground Railroad in the Midwest Credits: 3 hours
ANTH 3030 - Historical Archaeology Credits: 3 hours
ANTH 3440 - The First Americans Credits: 3 hours
ANTH 3450 - Topics in Anthropology Credits: 3 hours
ANTH 4050 - Archaeology of the Great Lake State Credits: 3 hours
ANTH 5220 - Poverty, Power, and Privilege Credits: 3 hours
COM 3430 - American Film History Credits: 3 hours
ENGL 2220 - Literatures and Cultures of the United States Credits: 4 hours
ENGL 2230 - Black American Literature Credits: 4 hours
ENGL 3200 - American Literature I Credits: 3 hours
ENGL 3210 - American Literature II Credits: 3 hours
ENGL 5220 - Studies in American Literature Credits: 3 hours
GEOG 3110 - Geography of Michigan Credits: 3 hours
GEOG 3800 - United States and Canada Credits: 3 hours
HIST 2120 - American Culture Credits: 3 hours
HIST 3130 - American Diplomatic History Credits: 3 hours
HIST 3150 - Popular Art and Architecture in America Credits: 3 hours
HIST 3160 - Women in United States History Credits: 3 hours
PHIL 3070 - Philosophy in the American Context Credits: 3 hours
PSCI 2000 - National Government Credits: 3 hours
PSCI 2500 - International Relations Credits: 4 hours
PSCI 3000 - Urban Politics in the United States Credits: 3 hours
PSCI 3500 - American Foreign Policy Credits: 4 hours
PSCI 4210 - Gender and Law Credits: 3 hours
REL 3130 - Religion in America Credits: 4 hours
REL 3150 - African-American Religion in the 20th Century Credits: 4 hours
SOC 2100 - Modern Social Problems Credits: 3 hours
SOC 3140 - Ethnic Relations Credits: 3 hours
SPAN 2650 - Hispanic Culture in the U.S. Credits: 3 hours
SPAN 2750 - Latino Writing/Latino Culture Credits: 3 hours
WMS 2000 - Introduction to Women’s Studies Credits: 4 hours

Electives (3 hours)

Students may choose an additional course from the College of Arts and Sciences or from courses offered in the College of Fine Arts or the College of Business.

Optional American Studies Courses:

AMS 3900 - Internship Credits: 3 to 6 hours
Credits: 3 hours
AMS 5000 - Seminar in American Studies Credits: 3 hours
AMS 5900 - Interdisciplinary Theory and Methods Credits: 3 hours
AMS 5980 - Independent Study Credits: 1 to 3 hours
Credits: 3 hours

American Studies Abroad

The director will arrange for WMU students to study American culture at a university outside the United States. Consult the director for more information about this option.