Courses

General Course Overview

AM 200 required of concentrators, followed by an AM course at the 200-level or above

CAS AM 200 Introduction to American Studies An exploration of the multi-faceted themes of American society and culture in selected historical periods using a variety of approaches to interpret such topics as American art, literature, politics, material culture, and the mass media. Required of concentrators. Staff

Electives:

CAS AM 250 American Arts and Society Investigates key issues and themes in American arts and letters. Past topics include Autobiography and Self-Portrait in American Culture, the Outcast in American Literature, and Issues in Documentary Film and Photography. Staff

CAS AM 301 Perspectives on the American Experience American history and society as viewed by those who made it. Past topics include Manhood in America, The History of Ordinary Life, The Sixties, and The Modern American City. Staff

CAS AM 367 Material Culture Introduction to the interdisciplinary theory and practice of the study of material culture, the physical stuff that is part of human life.  Material culture includes everything we make and use, from food and clothing to art and buildings.  Lectures will introduce a wide range of contemporary scholarship on material culture from a range of disciplines, including anthropology, archaeology, history, sociology, art and architectural history, and cultural studies.  Also offered as CAS AH 367. Moore

CAS AM 501 Special Topics in American Studies Topic varies.

CAS AM 502 Special Topics in American Studies Topic varies.

Independent Studies:

CAS AM 401, 402 Senior Independent Work Prerequisite: approval of College Honors Committee.

CAS AM 491, 492 Directed Study Prerequisite: consent of Director of Undergraduate Studies.