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American Studies courses

2024-25 catalog

BRETT BIEBEL, Continuing Lecturer
B.A., St. John’s University; M.A., University of Minnesota-Twin Cities; M.F.A, Minnesota State University

JANE SIMONSEN, Professor, Chair
B.A., Gustavus Adolphus, M.A.; Ph.D, University of Iowa

MAJOR IN AMERICAN STUDIES. 28 Credits, including AMST101 (4 credits) and AMST 401 (2 credits); one course from each of the three Foundations areas: History, Politics, Arts & Culture (12 credits); at least 10 additional credits from Elective courses. At least 16 credits from 300-level courses; no more than 8 credits from any course code other than AMST. 

MINOR IN AMERICAN STUDIES. 18 Credits, including AMST101 (4 credits); one course from each of the three Foundations areas: History, Politics, Arts & Culture (12 credits); at least 2 additional credits from Foundations or Elective courses. At least 6 credits from 300-level courses; no more than 8 credits from any course code other than AMST.

Grade Point Average Notation: All courses listed in the catalog as required courses for any major and/or minor, including those courses outside of the department or with a different subject coding, are considered part of the major and will count in the grade point average. Recommended supporting courses that are optional and not required may also count in the major depending on the program. For more information see your department chair or the degree requirements for Bachelor of Arts and information on Majors/Minors.


Courses (AMST)


Courses: Foundations: History, Politics, Arts and Culture

Take one class from each area.

Area I: American History

HIST-130Rethinking American Hist, to 1877
HIST-131 Rethinking American Hist, 1877-Present
HIST-133American Environment
HIST-220Hearing Hurstory: Black Women in America
HIST-340Gender in U.S. History
HIST-345 African-American History
SCAN-350Immigration History

Area II: Politics and American Communities

COMM-110Communication and Controversy (selected sections)
COMM-210APresidential Rhetoric
COMM-230Comm, Politics, and Citizenship
COMM-240Advertising and Consumer Culture
COMM-330Public Rhetoric: Msg, Power, Influence
COMM-380Rhetorical Theory
ECON-345Money and Banking (prereq: ECON 200 Principles of Economics)
ECON-404U.S. Econ History (prereq: ECON 200 and BUSN 311 or MATH 430)
GEOG-123Intro Urban Studies
POLS-101American Government
POLS-107Contemporary Political Ideas
POLS-203Identity in American Politics
POLS-260The Legal System
POLS-320American Foreign Policy
POLS-325Public Policy: Process & Politics
POLS-330American Political Participation
POLS-335Gender and Sexuality in Amer Politics
POLS-338The American Presidency
POLS-352Capitalism and Modernity
POLS-361Constitutional Law I
POLS-362Constitutional Law II
POLS-334Race, Wealth, and Inequality in American Politics
PUBH-180Health Disparities
SOAN-101Intro to Sociology
SOAN-321Native North America
SOAN-221Inequality in America
SOAN-329American Race & Ethnic Relations
SOAN-335Citizenship
SOAN-341Crime and Society
WGSS-250Critical Race Feminism
WGSS-370Gender and Social Justice

Area III: American Arts and Culture

ART-343Art of Americas
ARHI-368American Art
ENGL-125SLiterature and Sports
ENGL-265History of American Literature
ENGL-270Multicultural Literature of the U.S.
ENGL-275Intro to African American Lit
ENGL-278Native American Indian Literature
ENGL-370American Realism
ENGL-375American Modernism
ENGL-385Contemporary Literature
ENGL-390Contemporary African American Literature
FILM-10-Introduction to Film Studies
FILM-200History of Film and Television
HIST-235Reel History
HIST-232Picturing the Other: American Indians in Visual Culture
HIST-335Am West in Hist & Memory
HIST-336A Consumer’s Republic
KINS-320Sporting Hollywood
MJMC-345Cultural History of Media
MUSC-132Music and Activism
MUSC-315Music in American History
MUSC-316African American Music
MUSC-317Jazz History and Analysis
RELG-205American Christianities 
RELG-313Race, Ethnicity, and Religion
SOAN-222Popular Culture
THEA-343Modern & Contemporary Theatre
THEA-344Musical Theatre History
WGSS-235Gender & Sexuality
WGSS-335Masculinity in American Culture

Courses: Electives

Take additional credits above the American Foundations classes to meet a minimum of 28 credits. Elective courses include all of those listed for American Foundations and the additional courses listed below. The same course cannot count as both a Foundations course and an Elective course.

AMST-360Big American Novel
AMST-380ASpecial Topics
CSD-215Phonetics
CLAS-250Classics and Film
CLAS-258Greek Warrior Myths and Combat Trauma
EDUC-217Urban Education
GEOG-339Historical Geography of North America
HIST-333Disease and Health
HIST-338The Long Sixties
LING-201Language Myths
RELG-372Redemption, Reconciliation, and Restorative Justice
SOAN-326Social Gerontology
SOAN-342Sociology of Education