American Studies

The American Studies major is an interdisciplinary program incorporating units of study taught by the Departments of English, Film Studies, History, Government and International Relations and Music, and by the United States Studies Centre. Understanding the United States is critical for global citizens. This major enables students to develop a broad, multi-faceted understanding of the United States, which remains the dominant cultural and political force in the twenty-first century, and has long loomed large in Australian life. A major in American studies is one of the Area Studies options for students enrolled in the Bachelor of International and Global Studies.

Students take advantage of the widest range of undergraduate units of study focused on the United States of any Arts faculty in Australia. They partake of a rich tradition of research and teaching on the United States in the faculty, particularly in the departments of History and English. Fisher Library holds the most extensive collections of American material of any library in Australia.

Major
For students enrolled before 2011, the major is offered at senior level only. It consists of one core unit of study, AMST2601 American Foundations, and five senior units of study chosen from a list of cross-listed units offered by participating departments, no more than three of which may come from a single department.

Students enrolled in 2011 intending to major in American Studies must complete both AMST1001 Global America and HSTY1076 American History from Lincoln to Clinton. After completing those units, they can then complete AMST2601 American Foundations (preferably in semester 1 of their second year), together with five senior units of study chosen from the list of cross-listed units offered by participating departments, no more than three of which may come from a single department.

AMST1001 and AMST2601 are interdisciplinary units, with modules team-taught by staff from the contributing departments. In 2011, AMST2601 will include a module that involves collaboration with students and staff at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Contributing departments offer more than twenty units of study focused on the United States, not all of which will be offered in any given year. Units in History and English are generally taught once every two years, ensuring students will have a wide range of choices from which to construct a major. Check the American Studies Program website for the list of cross-listed units of study.

Honours
Beginning in 2012, Honours in American Studies will be offered. The fourth year Honours program will consist of an American Studies seminar, one other seminar chosen from the American-focused fourth year units taught in English, Film Studies, Government and International Relations, and History, and an 18-20,000 word thesis.

Contact/further information
Coordinator: Associate Professor Stephen Robertson, Department of History, Room 818 Brennan MacCallum, +61 2 9351 3782