American Studies
College of Liberal & Creative Arts
Dean: Paul Sherwin
American Studies Program
HUM 409
Phone: 415-338-1099
Fax: 415-338-7030
Website: www.sfsu.edu/~hum/asp.htm
Coordinator: Cristina Ruotolo
Undergraduate Advisor: Ruotolo
Programs:
Program Scope
American Studies is a cross-disciplinary program that offers students an opportunity to create an individualized major. The purpose of the major is to study the unity and diversity, the consensus and conflict, the continuity and change that characterize the many cultures and social structures of past and present United States. Each student creates a program, drawing upon courses from throughout the university, designed to accomplish this attempt to understand the United States as a whole.
Career Outlook
The major is appropriate for students who wish a strong liberal arts experience that focuses on the United States, for those preparing for teaching careers, as well as those seeking a wide ranging background as preparation for later study of the law, public administration, city planning, library and museum work, and specialized graduate study.
Bachelor of Arts in American Studies
The American studies major is divided into two parts: a set of required core courses designed to introduce the themes of American studies described above, and a set of elective courses chosen from at least two disciplines related to a particular topic or theme in American studies. Students entering this major should choose their theme or topic at least by the middle of the junior year in order to take advantage of courses in various departments appropriate to their topic. The program is directed by a coordinator and a council consisting of faculty from participating departments and students currently completing the major. Each student's program is developed in consultation with the coordinator and advisors, in accordance with the pattern below.
Courses are 3 units unless otherwise indicated. On-line course descriptions are available.
Required Courses — (15 units)
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| AMST 300 | Perspectives on American Culture or upper division U.S. History course |
3 |
| AMST 310/ HUM 485 |
The Arts and American Culture | 3 |
| GEOG 455 or GEOG 550 or GEOG 552 |
Geography of Ethnic Communities Geography of the United States and Canada Geography of California |
3 |
| AMST 410/ HUM 450 |
California Culture | 3 |
HUM 300 GW or ETHS 300 GW or HIST 300 GW, or other course that satisfies the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) on advisement. 3 units
Elective Courses (24 units)
Courses, by choice and advisement, on a topic or theme in American Studies, drawn from at least two disciplines. Up to six units may be in community college or lower division course work. For students with GPA 3.0 or higher, electives can include a senior course on advisement: Independent Study (699) on a specific topic connected to prior course work, to be developed through consultation with the coordinator and faculty from the appropriate department (3 - 6 units)
Total for Major: 39 units
Courses especially appropriate as electives for the American Studies major are offered by the following departments (not an exclusive list):
- Art
- Asian American Studies
- Africana Studies
- California Studies
- English
- Cinema
- Geography
- History
- Humanities
- Journalism
- Latina/Latino Studies
- Music
- American Indian Studies
- Political Science
- Social Science
- Urban Studies and Planning
- Women and Gender Studies
Minor in American Studies
Required Courses
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| AMST 300 | Perspectives on American Culture or upper division History course |
3 |
| AMST 310/ HUM 485 |
The Arts and American Culture | 3 | GEOG 455 or GEOG 550 or GEOG 552 |
Geography of Ethnic Communities Geography of the United States and Canada Geography of California |
3 |
| AMST 410/ HUM 478 |
California Culture | 3 |
Total required units: 12
Elective Courses (9 units)
These courses, chosen upon advisement from throughout the appropriate departments and programs of the university, allow the student to explore a particular theme or topic in American Studies.
Total units: 21
