A Master of Arts is offered in
American studies. This program involves courses offered in the
summers and in the evenings during the fall and spring terms.
Studies include Economics, Political Science, History of the United
States, Literature of the United States, American Moral Traditions,
and elective courses involving the American experience.
Prerequisites
As a general rule, it will be expected that the applicants for
the master’s degree in American studies will have completed an
undergraduate major in one of the four basic disciplines of the
American studies program: Economics, English, History, or Political
Science.
Course Requirements
The Master of Arts in American studies is a thirty-six-unit
degree. The degree program consists of seven mandatory core courses
and two elective courses. The following core courses are required of
all students:
| ENG 680* |
Seminar in Literature (4)
(Topics in American Literature: Literary Movements) |
| ENG 680* |
Seminar in Literature (4)
(Topics in American Literature: Literary Types) |
| HIST 530 |
Social and Intellectual History of the United States
(4) |
| ECON 520 |
Private Enterprise and Public Policy (4) |
| POSC 518 |
Contemporary American Ideologies (4) |
| REL 635 |
American Moral Traditions (4) |
| AMST 620 |
Directed Readings in American Studies (4) |
*Students may take two courses from Literary Movements or two
courses from Literary Types, or one course from each.
Elective Courses:
Students must complete two classes from the list below but may
not take more than three courses (including core classes) from any
one discipline.
Communication
| COM 512 |
Media Impact and U.S. Minorities (4) |
| SPE 587 |
Rhetorical Theory* (3) |
| SPE 588 |
Principles of Rhetorical Criticism* (3) |
*American studies students must concurrently enroll in SPE 599
for one unit when enrolled in SPE 587 or SPE 588
Music
MUS 511 American Music (with consent of instructor) (4)
Literature
ENG 680 Seminar in Literature (Topics in American Literature:
Major Writers) (4)
ENG 511 Women Writers: A Multicultural Approach (4)
History
| HIST 500 |
Native Americans (4) |
| HIST 520 |
Colonial and Revolutionary America (4) |
| HIST 521 |
United States: Early National Period (4) |
| HIST 522 |
Civil War and Reconstruction (4) |
| HIST 523 |
United States: 1877-1920 (4) |
| HIST 524 |
United States: 1920-1952 (4) |
| HIST 525 |
United States Since 1952 (4) |
| HIST 527 |
Westward Movement in the United States (4) |
Economics
ECON 522 Public Finance (4)
Political Science
| POSC 521 |
Public Policy (4) |
| POSC 527 |
Political Parties and Interest Groups (4) |
| POSC 537 |
Urban Development and Problems (4) |
| POSC 542 |
American Foreign Policy (4) |
Religion
| REL 524 |
Christian Ethics (4) |
| REL 525 |
Ethics of Western Cultures (4) |
| REL 528 |
Religious Freedom and the Law (4) |
| REL 538 |
History of Religion in America (4) |
| REL 539 |
History of the Restoration Movement (4) |
No grade of ‘C’ will count toward the degree, but shall be
computed in the grade point average. A student who needs more than
one ‘C’ will be dismissed from the program. The student must
have a grade point average of 3.0 or better in all work presented
for the degree.
Examinations and Final Requirements
Each student must satisfactorily pass a comprehensive examination
which covers all areas of course work in the in the program. The
capstone reading course will assist the student in integrating the
coursework completed and serve as preparation for the comprehensive
examination. |
