School of Interdisciplinary Studies
American Studies (BA)
The program in American Studies focuses on the study of the cultures, institutions, legal system, political structure, and social processes of the United States. It emphasizes an interdisciplinary perspective. Students choose two broad areas or options to study.
American Studies graduates work in business, culture industries, government, legal fields, media, non-profit organizations, and sports industries. The BA in American Studies is also an excellent preparation for law school or graduate school. Each student designs his or her own program within specific guidelines and in consultation with an academic advisor. The courses that a student takes as part of the American Studies program may be given in any school within the University but will include American Studies courses and appropriate Interdisciplinary Studies courses. A list of courses which apply to the American Studies degree may be obtained from the academic advisors in the School of Interdisciplinary Studies. Double majors including American Studies are encouraged.
Bachelor of Arts in American Studies
Degree Requirements (120 semester credit hours)1
Faculty
Professors: George W. Fair, Karen J. Prager, Lawrence J. Redlinger
Professor in Practice: Seema Yasmin
Associate Professors: Erin A. Smith
Senior Lecturers: Kathleen Byrnes, Dachang Cong, Jillian Duquaine-Watson, Patricia A. Leek, Lynn W. Mabe, Angela McNulty, Rebekah Nix, Elizabeth M. Salter, Nancy C. Van, Tonja Wissinger
I. Core Curriculum Requirements: 42 semester credit hours2
Communication: 6 semester credit hours
COMM 1311 Survey of Oral and Technology-based Communication
RHET 1302 Rhetoric
Mathematics: 3 semester credit hours
Choose one course from the following:
MATH 1306 College Algebra for the Non-Scientist
MATH 1314 College Algebra
Life and Physical Sciences: 6 semester credit hours
Choose two courses from the following:
ISIS 2305 Humans: Our Place in Nature
ISIS 2308 Bones, Bodies, and Disease
Or select any 6 semester credit hours from Life and Physical Sciences core courses
Language, Philosophy and Culture: 3 semester credit hours
Choose one course from the following:
AMS 2300 American Popular Culture
AMS 2341 American Studies for the Twenty-First Century3
HUMA 1301 Exploration of the Humanities
Or select any 3 semester credit hours from Language, Philosophy and Culture core courses
Creative Arts: 3 semester credit hours
Choose one course from the following:
ARTS 1301 Exploration of the Arts
FILM 2332 Understanding Film
Or select any 3 semester credit hours from Creative Arts core courses
American History: 6 semester credit hours
Choose two courses from the following:
HIST 1301 U.S. History Survey to Civil War
HIST 1302 U.S. History Survey from Civil War
HIST 2301 History of Texas
Government / Political Science: 6 semester credit hours
GOVT 2305 American National Government
GOVT 2306 State and Local Government
Social and Behavioral Sciences: 3 semester credit hours
Choose one course from the following:
GST 2300 Introduction to Gender Studies
PSY 2301 Introduction to Psychology
SOC 1301 Introduction to Sociology
Or select any 3 semester credit hours from Social and Behavioral Sciences core courses. Students are strongly encouraged to take a core course that is closely related to their options and career goals.
Component Area Option: 6 semester credit hours
Students are strongly encouraged to take two Component Area Option courses that are closely related to their options and career goals.
II. Major Requirements: 48 semester credit hours
Major Core Courses: 12 semester credit hours
AMS 3302 American Cultures
or AMS 2341 American Studies for the Twenty-First Century3
BIS 3320 The Nature of Intellectual Inquiry
Choose two courses from the following:
HIST 3369 United States Foreign Relations
PSCI 3325 American Public Policy
PSCI 3327 American Foreign Policy
Or other courses on American history or American government approved by the academic advisor.
Major Related Courses: Two Options 36 semester credit hours
In addition to the major core courses, students will take 18 semester credit hours of coursework in two of the following subject options, for a total of 36 semester credit hours:
African American Culture
American Body Politic
American Economic System
American Legal System
America: Past and Present
America and the World Community
American Business and Technology
American Literature and Arts
Gender Studies
Issues in Media and Communication
Latino/Latina Culture
Popular Culture
III. Elective Requirements: 30 semester credit hours
Required for all freshmen: 1 semester credit hour
UNIV 1010 Freshman Seminar
BIS 1100 Interdisciplinary Studies Freshman Seminar
Free Electives: 29 semester credit hours
Students must complete 51 semester credit hours of upper-division coursework to graduate. They must complete a minimum of 45 semester credit hours at UT Dallas. In the final semester, all the coursework should be taken at UT Dallas.
Honors in American Studies
Grade Point Average (GPA): 3.900 cumulative GPA, 3.900 GPA in courses described below, and a total of 27 or 30 upper-division UT Dallas semester credit hours as described below. (The variation is determined by whether or not AMS 3302 or AMS 2341 is chosen). The total semester credit hours must be 30.
Required courses: 24 semester credit hours
AMS 3302 American Cultures (3 semester credit hours)
or AMS 2341 American Studies for the Twenty-First (3 semester credit hours)3
BIS 3320 The Nature of Intellectual Inquiry (3 semester credit hours)
Two of HIST 3369, PSCI 3325, PSCI 3327 or other courses on American history or American government approved by the academic advisor (6 semester credit hours)
Core Course of first chosen option area (3 semester credit hours)
Core Course of second chosen option area (3 semester credit hours)
One approved AMS course from option area 1 (3 semester credit hours)
One approved course from option area 2 (3 semester credit hours)
Prescribed courses: 6 semester credit hours
6 semester credit hours of Internship
or 3 semester credit hours of Internship and one approved three semester credit hour course from option area 1 or 2
Notation on Transcript: Honors in Major
1. Incoming freshmen must enroll and complete requirements of UNIV 1010 and the corresponding school-related freshman seminar course. Students, including transfer students, who complete their core curriculum at UT Dallas must take UNIV 2020.
2. Curriculum Requirements can be fulfilled by other approved courses from institutions of higher education. The courses listed are recommended as the most efficient way to satisfy both Core Curriculum and Major Requirements at UT Dallas.
3. A required major course that also fulfills a Core Curriculum requirement. Semester credit hours are counted in the Core Curriculum.