Department of American Studies
Bachelor of Arts in American Studies
Students on Summer 2018, Fall 2018, or Spring 2019 requirements AMSTBA
The Bachelor of Arts in American Studies explores the history, literature, and culture of the United States and the larger Americas from an interdisciplinary perspective. American Studies attracts students with diverse interests who wish to know more about the United States in a comparative, international context. The major provides students with an opportunity to pursue the study of American cultures from a transnational and hemispheric perspective. Courses are designed to examine significant aspects of U.S. institutions, policy, media, and cultural expressions by drawing on a wide range of resources from the social sciences and humanities. The major is excellent preparation for nearly any graduate or professional degree, as well as careers in any number of traditional or nontraditional fields including the legal profession, social work, politics, academia, and public history, among others.
Requirements
The major requires at least 30 credit hours, including the requirements listed below.
- Introductory course. One (1) course:
- AMST-A 100 What Is America?
AMST-A 100 What Is America?
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Explores ideas about citizenship, national identity, and the social contract in the broader Americas. What makes us "Americans?" How do we define "America?" How does national identity compete with and relate to other forms of identity, such as social status or class, religious association, gender and sexuality, and racial or ethnic description?
- Fall 2024CASE AHcourseSummer 2024CASE AHcourseSpring 2024CASE AHcourse
- Fall 2024CASE DUScourseSummer 2024CASE DUScourseSpring 2024CASE DUScourse
- Intermediate course. Three (3) courses:
- AMST-A 150 Introduction to Native American and Indigenous Studies
- AMST-A 200 Comparative American Identities
- AMST-A 201 U.S. Movements and Institutions
- AMST-A 202 U.S. Arts and Media
- AMST-A 203 American Cultures, Global Connectivities
- AMST-A 204 Race in American Art
- AMST-A 205 American Radicalism and Dissent
- AMST-A 275 Indigenous Worldviews in the Americas
- AMST-A 298 Special Topics in Arts and Humanities for American Studies
- AMST-A 299 Special Topics in Social and Historical Studies for American Studies
AMST-A 150 Introduction to Native American and Indigenous Studies
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Introduction to Native American and Indigenous cultures, literature, history, arts, values, lifeways, spirituality, and social and political institutions. Focuses on global and hemispheric elements including North America.
- Fall 2024CASE DUScourseSummer 2024CASE DUScourseSpring 2024CASE DUScourse
- Fall 2024CASE SHcourseSummer 2024CASE SHcourseSpring 2024CASE SHcourse
AMST-A 200 Comparative American Identities
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Examines the formation of legal, social, cultural, and economic identities within the United States and within U.S.-controlled territories. Who counts as "American?" To what ends have citizens and non-citizens assumed, claimed, or refused "American" identity? This course employs a comparative frame in considering elite and subordinated classes (and/or genders, races, ethnicities, sexualities); institutional and countercultural forms of self-definition; official history and alternative acts of collective memory.
- Fall 2024CASE AHcourseSummer 2024CASE AHcourseSpring 2024CASE AHcourse
- Fall 2024CASE DUScourseSummer 2024CASE DUScourseSpring 2024CASE DUScourse
AMST-A 201 U.S. Movements and Institutions
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Study and analysis of a social movement, an institutional structure, or an otherwise clearly delimited arena of social regulation and public activity. Constructing, deconstructing, reconstructing an object of social study. Topics vary.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of 6 credit hours.
- Fall 2024CASE DUScourseSummer 2024CASE DUScourseSpring 2024CASE DUScourse
- Fall 2024CASE SHcourseSummer 2024CASE SHcourseSpring 2024CASE SHcourse
AMST-A 202 U.S. Arts and Media
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Interdisciplinary approaches to a cultural genre (e.g., science fiction, pop art, jazz), discourse (e.g., individualism, family values, globalization) or medium (e.g., comics, television, the Internet). Constructing, deconstructing, reconstructing an object of cultural study. Recent topics have included Images of the Body, Jazz and Cultural Hierarchy, and Youth Cultures.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of 6 credit hours.
- Fall 2024CASE AHcourseSummer 2024CASE AHcourseSpring 2024CASE AHcourse
AMST-A 203 American Cultures, Global Connectivities
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Hamburgers, Hollywood, Hip-hop. Explores what gets defined as typically "American" and why. Considers how contending cultural perspectives on "America" serve to distinguish it from or connect it to other nations. Each topic analyzes specific cultural practices and products to locate U.S. and non-U.S. places in global contexts.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated with a different topic for up to 6 credit hours.
AMST-A 204 Race in American Art
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Examines representations of racial identity in American visual culture from the colonial period through the present with a particular focus on evolving conceptions of Native American, African American, European American, Latino, and Asian American identities.
- Fall 2024CASE AHcourseSummer 2024CASE AHcourseSpring 2024CASE AHcourse
- Fall 2024CASE DUScourseSummer 2024CASE DUScourseSpring 2024CASE DUScourse
AMST-A 205 American Radicalism and Dissent
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Explores the political, cultural and intellectual history of radical social movements in the U.S., including abolitionism, feminism, anarchism, socialism, communism, civil rights, black liberation, gay rights, antiwar protest, and the 1960s New Left, and examines the contributions these movements made to the diversity of American life and thought.
- Fall 2024CASE DUScourse
- Fall 2024CASE SHcourse
AMST-A 275 Indigenous Worldviews in the Americas
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- A survey of some basic aspects of indigenous lifeways in the Americas, this course introduces comparative cultural analysis, providing a foundational course for those interested in thinking about how others think and how we think about otherness. Students will examine mythology, ritual, health, art, and philosophy within the context of colonialism and globalization.
- Fall 2024CASE DUScourseSummer 2024CASE DUScourseSpring 2024CASE DUScourse
- Fall 2024CASE SHcourseSummer 2024CASE SHcourseSpring 2024CASE SHcourse
AMST-A 298 Special Topics in Arts and Humanities for American Studies
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Study and analysis of a single, closely focused American studies topic within arts and humanities. Topics vary from semester to semester. Focuses on the refinement of students' skills in writing, interdisciplinary interpretation, analytical reasoning, discussion, and research related to the study of fine arts, literature, film, and popular culture.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of 6 credit hours.
- Fall 2024CASE AHcourseSummer 2024CASE AHcourseSpring 2024CASE AHcourse
AMST-A 299 Special Topics in Social and Historical Studies for American Studies
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Study and analysis of a single, closely focused American studies topic within social and historical studies. Topics vary from semester to semester. Focuses on the refinement of students' skills in writing, interdisciplinary interpretation, analytical reasoning, discussion, and research related to the study of public policy, political, economic, and social realities.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of 6 credit hours.
- Fall 2024CASE SHcourseSummer 2024CASE SHcourseSpring 2024CASE SHcourse
- Advanced courses. 18 credit hours:
- AMST-A 300 The Image of America in the World
- AMST-A 305 World War II Internment through Film, History, Art, and Literature
- AMST-A 325 Empire, Race, and the Environment
- AMST-A 350 Topics in Interdisciplinary American Studies
- AMST-A 351 American Studies in Transnational Contexts
- AMST-A 352 American Documentary Photography
- AMST-A 397 Foreign Studies in American Studies
- AMST-A 398 Advanced Topics in Arts and Humanities for American Studies
- AMST-A 399 Advanced Topics in Social and Historical Studies for American Studies
- AMST-A 450 Advanced Research Seminar
- AMST-A 451 Honors Senior Seminar in American Studies
- AMST-A 452 Honors Thesis in American Studies
- AMST-E 300 Experiencing American Communities
- AMST-E 301 U.S. Society and Institutions
- AMST-E 302 U.S. Arts and Culture
- AMST-X 370 Service Learning in American Studies
- AMST-X 390 Readings in American Studies
AMST-A 300 The Image of America in the World
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- An exploration of the history and present significance of "America"--an idea and a nation--in the larger world. Focuses on the image, status, and reputation of the United States abroad, and on the importance of America's "moral" global prestige to the course of international affairs and domestic politics.
- Fall 2024CASE SHcourseSummer 2024CASE SHcourseSpring 2024CASE SHcourse
AMST-A 305 World War II Internment through Film, History, Art, and Literature
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Examines wartime incarceration in the United States to ask the broader question of why Japanese American citizens were incarcerated for nearly three years without due process of law. More generally, this course examines the tensions between rights and ideas of national security during times of crisis.
- Fall 2024CASE DUScourseSummer 2024CASE DUScourseSpring 2024CASE DUScourse
AMST-A 325 Empire, Race, and the Environment
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Examines the tense ties that bind racial capitalism, settler colonialism, imperialism and environmental crises together in the United States empire. Investigates historical and contemporary cases of environmental crises through bottom-up expressions of survival.
AMST-A 350 Topics in Interdisciplinary American Studies
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Introduces established American studies disciplinary methodologies and explores possibilities for new interdisciplinary syntheses by focusing on specific topics, which vary by semester.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of 9 credit hours.
AMST-A 351 American Studies in Transnational Contexts
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Invites a critical and historical analysis of the relation of culture to nation: why is the study of culture traditionally bound in national frames of reference, and how might we organize a study of culture differently? Pursues the question topically (by considering ideas, peoples, social movements, etc., that cross national borders) and conceptually (by attention to the intellectual traditions that make possible alternative mappings of cultural study).
- Repeatability
- May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of 6 credit hours.
- Fall 2024CASE AHcourseSummer 2024CASE AHcourseSpring 2024CASE AHcourse
AMST-A 352 American Documentary Photography
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Surveys the history of American photography through a focus on documentary practices, including photojournalism, street photography, ethnographic images, government archives, portraiture, family albums, social documentaries, and surveillance photography. Evaluates how these images influence understandings of Americans and American life, politics, and culture historically and through the present day.
- Fall 2024CASE AHcourseSummer 2024CASE AHcourseSpring 2024CASE AHcourse
- Fall 2024CASE DUScourseSummer 2024CASE DUScourseSpring 2024CASE DUScourse
AMST-A 397 Foreign Studies in American Studies
- Credits
- 1–6 credit hours
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Credit for foreign study in American studies when no specific equivalent is available among program offerings.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credit hours.
AMST-A 398 Advanced Topics in Arts and Humanities for American Studies
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Advanced study and analysis of a single, closely focused American studies topic within arts and humanities. Topics vary from semester to semester. Focuses on refinement of students' skills in writing, interdisciplinary interpretation, analytical reasoning, discussion, and research related to the study of fine arts, literature, film, and popular culture.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of 6 credit hours.
- Fall 2024CASE AHcourseSummer 2024CASE AHcourseSpring 2024CASE AHcourse
AMST-A 399 Advanced Topics in Social and Historical Studies for American Studies
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Advanced study and analysis of a single, closely focused American studies topic within social and historical studies. Topics vary from semester to semester. Focuses on the refinement of students' skills in writing, interdisciplinary interpretation, analytical reasoning, discussion, and research related to the study of public policy, political, economic, and social realities.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of 6 credit hours.
- Fall 2024CASE SHcourseSummer 2024CASE SHcourseSpring 2024CASE SHcourse
AMST-A 450 Advanced Research Seminar
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- Junior or senior standing
- Description
- Analyzes how history, film, music, and ethnography have captured the workings of capitalism in the U.S. and the Caribbean in the late twentieth century. Focuses on crafting research papers that will be peer-reviewed over the course of the semester.
AMST-A 451 Honors Senior Seminar in American Studies
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- Honors students only; AMST-A 350 and AMST-A 351; or consent of instructor
- Description
- Introduction to various approaches in American studies scholarship, illustrated by the work of professors in the program, in preparation and training for the writing of an honors thesis.
AMST-A 452 Honors Thesis in American Studies
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- Honors students only; AMST-A 451
- Description
- Students develop and write an honors thesis under the direction of an American studies faculty member. An oral examination of the thesis is conducted by three faculty members.
AMST-E 300 Experiencing American Communities
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Students gain an appreciation of the dynamic nature of American culture and institutions; get an opportunity to examine in depth how the histories of specific communities influence their present-day institutions and social, cultural and political traditions; and analyze the factors that influence variation among them. Includes one or more field trips to U.S. communities and cities that offer experiential learning relevant to the focus of the course.
AMST-E 301 U.S. Society and Institutions
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Focused study and analysis of American society and its institutions. Topics vary from semester to semester. Refines students' skills in writing, interdisciplinary interpretation, analytical reasoning, discussion, and research related to the study of public policy, political, economic, and social realities.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of 6 credit hours.
- Fall 2024CASE SHcourseSummer 2024CASE SHcourseSpring 2024CASE SHcourse
AMST-E 302 U.S. Arts and Culture
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Study and analysis of a single topic within arts and humanities in the United States. Topics vary from semester to semester. Refines students' skills in writing, interdisciplinary interpretation, analytical reasoning, discussion, and research related to the study of fine arts, literature, film, and popular culture.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of 6 credit hours.
- Fall 2024CASE AHcourseSummer 2024CASE AHcourseSpring 2024CASE AHcourse
AMST-X 370 Service Learning in American Studies
- Credits
- 1–3 credit hours
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Enables undergraduates of advanced standing to make intellectual connections between scholarly pursuits and community involvement. Students arrange 1 to 3 credit hours of service work either on creative projects that benefit a community (howsoever defined), or with local nonprofit organizations, government agencies, activist groups, or foundations. Under the direction of their faculty sponsor, students will develop a project outline consistent with American studies inquiry and concerns, a method of accountability, and a final report.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credit hours in AMST-A 402 and AMST-X 370
AMST-X 390 Readings in American Studies
- Credits
- 1–3 credit hours
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Enables undergraduates of advanced standing to undertake independent research projects under the direction of an American Studies faculty member. Students will typically arrange for 2 to 3 credit hours of work, depending upon the scope and depth of reading, research, and production. Projects will be interdisciplinary and should foreground topics clearly within the rubric of American studies.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of 6 credit hours in AMST-A 401 and AMST-X 390.
- Major GPA, Hours, and Minimum Grade Requirements.
- At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed in courses taken through the Indiana University Bloomington campus or an IU-administered or IU co-sponsored Overseas Study program.
- At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed at the 300–499 level.
- Except for the GPA requirement, a grade of C- or higher is required for a course to count toward a requirement in the major.
- A GPA of at least 2.000 for all courses taken in the major—including those where a grade lower than C- is earned—is required.
- Exceptions to major requirements may be made with the approval of the department's Director of Undergraduate Studies, subject to final approval by the College of Arts and Sciences.
The Bachelor of Arts degree requires at least 120 credit hours, to include the following:
- College of Arts and Sciences Credit Hours. At least 100 credit hours must come from College of Arts and Sciences disciplines.
- Upper Division Courses. At least 42 credit hours (of the 120) must be at the 300–499 level.
- College Residency. Following completion of the 60th credit hour toward degree, at least 36 credit hours of College of Arts and Sciences coursework must be completed through the Indiana University Bloomington campus or an IU-administered or IU co-sponsored Overseas Study program.
- College GPA. A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.000 is required for all courses taken at Indiana University.
- CASE Requirements. The following College of Arts and Sciences Education (CASE) requirements must be completed:
- CASE Foundations
- CASE Breadth of Inquiry
- CASE Culture Studies
- CASE Critical Approaches: 1 course
- CASE Foreign Language: Proficiency in a single foreign language through the second semester of the second year of college-level coursework
- CASE Intensive Writing: 1 course
- CASE Public Oral Communication: 1 course
- Major. Completion of the major as outlined in the Major Requirements section above.
Most students must also successfully complete the Indiana University Bloomington General Education program.
Upon completion of the B.A. in American Studies, graduates will be able to:
- Set the history, politics, and culture of the United States in a global and comparative context.
- Think logically and analytically, to make detailed observations, and to formulate interdisciplinary interpretations of the literature, art, music, and mass culture of the United States, Canada, and the Americas.
- Collect, document, maintain, and manage evidence, and organize and compose interpretive and research essays.
- Communicate orally and in writing.