American Studies Minor
The minor in American Studies provides a framework within which students can focus their elective and related courses on the study of American history, literature, art, politics, ideas, and institutions. Students majoring in economics, English, history, fine arts, political science, sociology, and theology are especially encouraged to consider a minor in American Studies. By examining the United States from a variety of intellectual perspectives, American Studies minors will develop both a more nuanced understanding of the development and dynamics of American culture and a more sophisticated, interdisciplinary approach to academic study.
Director
- Brian Yates
Advisory Board
- Katherine Sibley
- Jeffrey Hyson
- Martha Easton
- Emily Hage
- Chris Kelly
- Owen Gilman
Goal 1: Students minoring in American Studies will gain a stronger knowledge in the disciplines that make up this minor and thus articulate key aspects of United States history, politics, economics, culture (including art, religions, and literatures) and society.
Outcome 1.1: Students will be trained to identify, define, or analyze key aspects of U.S. history, politics, economics, culture (including art, religions, and literatures) and society, using a variety of tools, methods, and perspectives, in order to gain knowledge and articulate their understanding in the disciplines that make up this minor.
Goal 2: Students will produce clear and persuasive analyses of relevant research questions generated by the interdisciplinary approaches offered in the minor of American studies.
Outcome 2.1: Students will be able to practice a range of methodological perspectives and practices used to investigate and interpret topics in American Studies, and to present their findings effectively.
The American Studies Minor consists of a minimum of six courses (18 credits) from those listed below. Students will select at least one from each group below, and at least one in each group must be above 100 level.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| History Group | 3 | |
| U.S. History to 1877 | ||
| U.S. History since 1865 | ||
| Modern Middle East | ||
| America in Age of Revolutions | ||
| The American Civil War | ||
| American Medicine Since 1865 | ||
| Reform and Reaction in the US | ||
| Black History Since Civil War | ||
| US in the World since WWI | ||
| American Foreign Policy | ||
| Food in American History | ||
| Women in America | ||
| American Environmental History | ||
| Popular Culture in the US | ||
| American Military History | ||
| Museums, Monuments, and Media | ||
| Seminar in American History | ||
| Readings in American Hist | ||
| English | 3 | |
| Major American Writers | ||
| Special Topics in Literature | ||
| The Roaring Twenties | ||
| Re-Reading the Sixties | ||
| The Graphic Novel | ||
| Early American Literature | ||
| Amer Romantic & Trancend Lit | ||
| American Literature 1865-1915 | ||
| Twentieth Century American Lit | ||
| Contemporary American Lit | ||
| Southern Literature | ||
| African American Literature | ||
| Black Women Writers | ||
| Post-Soul Black Literature | ||
| American Authors | ||
| American Novel, 19th 20th Cent | ||
| Amer.Poetry, 19th & 20th Cent. | ||
| Contemporary American Poetry | ||
| American Drama | ||
| Nature & Environmental Writing | ||
| The Harlem Renaissance | ||
| The Beat Rebellion | ||
| The Civil Rights Movement | ||
| Literature & Culture | ||
| Economics | 3 | |
| Econ of Presidential Elections | ||
| Econ of Poverty & Income Dist | ||
| Food and the U.S. Economy | ||
| General Group | 3 | |
| Overview of the Globl Food Ind | ||
| The Future of Food | ||
| Intro to Healthcare Admin | ||
| Language and Communication | ||
| Social Media Discourse | ||
| Language and the Law | ||
| Communication in Soc Contexts | ||
| History of Rock and Pop | ||
| American Music | ||
| American Philosophy | ||
| Pharmaceutical Mkt Environment | ||
| Intro to American Politics | ||
| Political Ideology in America | ||
| Advising and Advocacy | ||
| Const Law:Rights & Civil Lib | ||
| Public Policy | ||
| State and Local Government | ||
| Pennsylvania Politics | ||
| Public Opinion & Media | ||
| Campaigns & Elections | ||
| Women and American Politics | ||
| Race & Ethnic Politics in U.S. | ||
| Intersectionality | ||
| Protesting Inequality | ||
| American Foreign Policy | ||
| Capstone: Contentious Pol inUS | ||
| Religion & Race in Phila | ||
| Social Problems | ||
| Sociology of Gender | ||
| Mental Health & Society | ||
| Intro to American CJ | ||
| Sociology of Cities | ||
| Poverty Ethics & Social Policy | ||
| Urban and Public Policy | ||
| Story as Theology | ||
| Two additional courses from the above selections | 6 | |
| Total Hours | 18 | |