Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of General Studies in American Studies
Career Opportunities
American Studies graduates are prepared for a broad array of occupations. Recently our graduates have entered jobs in museums, libraries, social policy, government, politics, journalism and education. Many have entered graduate work in American studies or disciplines in their concentrations. See an advisor for a list of American studies courses that may meet teacher licensure requirements in history and social sciences.
Undergraduate Admission
Admission to KU
All students applying for admission must send high school and college transcripts to the Office of Admissions. Prospective first-year students should be aware that KU has qualified admission requirements that all new first-year students must meet to be admitted. Consult the Office of Admissions for application deadlines and specific admission requirements.
Visit the International Support Services for information about international admissions.
Students considering transferring to KU may see how their college-level course work will transfer on the Office of Admissions website.
Requirements for the B.A. or B.G.S. Major
American Studies Major Requirements:
Majors must complete each of the following courses:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| AMS 100 | Introduction to American Studies | 3 |
| or AMS 101 | Introduction to American Studies, Honors | |
| AMS 110 | American Identities | 3 |
| or AMS 112 | American Identities, Honors | |
| AMS 332 | The United States in Global Context | 3 |
| or SOC 332 | The United States in Global Context | |
| AMS 360 | Theory and Method | 3 |
| AMS 496 | Social Justice Perspectives and Experiences | 3 |
American Studies Required Electives
Choose 4 courses from the list below, at least 3 of which are 300 level or above. Students may use any AMS 344 Topics course, but may not use more than two. AMS 494 may be used as an elective with departmental permission:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| AMS 260 | Introduction to Chicanx/Latinx Studies | 3 |
| AMS 290 | Religion in American Society | 3 |
| AMS 306 | The Black Experience in the U.S. Since Emancipation | 3 |
| AMS 320 | Grounding U.S. Latinx Histories: Human Mobility and Migration | 3 |
| AMS 321 | American Gun Culture | 3 |
| AMS 324 | Being Deviant in America | 3 |
| AMS 325 | Spanish for Heritage Learners | 3 |
| AMS 344 | Case Study in American Studies: _____ (not more than two different topics under this number may be used.) | 3 |
| AMS 518 | Capitalism and the Black Experience | 3 |
| AMS 650 | Jazz and American Culture | 3 |
Students considering graduate study should take at least 2 courses beyond major requirements. These should be selected in consultation with a faculty advisor.
Capstone experience
Majors must complete 1 of the following:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| AMS 550 | Research Seminar in: _____ | 3 |
| AMS 551 | Research Project in American Studies 1 | 3 |
| or AMS 552 | Public Service in American Studies | |
| or AMS 553 | Honors in American Studies | |
- 1
By application, advanced students may pursue a focused project of research or service under the supervision of a faculty member. Satisfied by AMS 551, AMS 552, or AMS 553
American Studies Major Hours & Major GPA
While completing all required courses, majors must also meet each of the following hour and grade-point average minimum standards:
Major Hours
Satisfied by 30 hours of major courses.
Major Hours in Residence
Satisfied by a minimum of 15 hours of KU resident credit in the major.
Major Junior/Senior (300+) Hours
Satisfied by a minimum of 21 hours from junior/senior courses (300+) in the major.
Major Junior/Senior (300+) Graduation GPA
Satisfied by a minimum of a 2.0 KU GPA in junior/senior courses (300+) in the major. GPA calculations include all junior/senior courses in the field of study including F’s and repeated courses. See the Semester/Cumulative GPA Calculator.
Major Junior/Senior Major Attempts
Summary includes American Studies junior/senior (300+) hours attempted, including F's and incompletes.
Graduation Plan
With careful planning and commitment to a full-time course load, you can graduate in 4 years. Download a sample 4-year plan for American studies.
Double Majors
American studies majors are encouraged to take a second major in a related field, such as history, English, Political Science, Sociology, Anthropology, Religious Studies, African and African-American studies, Economics, or Art History. Because the major is interdisciplinary, a second major is relatively easy to achieve during the usual 4 years of undergraduate study.
A sample 4-year plan for the BA degree in American Studies can be found at American Studies, or by using the left-side navigation.
A sample 4-year plan for the BGS degree in American Studies can be found at American Studies, or by using the left-side navigation.
Departmental Honors
An honors program allows seniors to do independent work under faculty direction toward completion of an honors thesis. Enrollment in AMS 553 is required. By special arrangement, students may design independent study programs to meet concentration requirements. Graduation with honors is awarded to students who meet College honors requirements, which, in addition to the course requirements includes a major GPA of 3.5.