UT Dallas 2019 Undergraduate Catalog

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, Erin A. Smith

Associate Professors of Instruction: Kathleen Byrnes, Angela McNulty

Senior Lecturers: Jillian Duquaine-Watson, Patricia A. Leek, Syed Naqvi, Neall Pogue, Azadeh Stark, Larissa Werhnyak, 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-Scientist3

MATH 1314 College Algebra3

Life and Physical Sciences: 6 semester credit hours

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 beyond Core Curriculum

AMS 3327 American Studies: Histories, Theories, Methodologies

AMS 2341 American Studies for the Twenty-First Century3, 4

or AMS 2300 American Popular Culture3, 4

AMS 3302 American Cultures

BIS 3320 The Nature of Intellectual Inquiry

MATH 1306 College Algebra for the Non-Scientist3

or MATH 1314 College Algebra3

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. Each subject field must be interdisciplinary in nature and must include at least one course providing a historical focus.

American Medicine and Healthcare

American Popular Culture

Communication in 21st Century America

Environment and Community

Law, Legality, and Culture

Race and Ethnicity in American Society

The U. S. and the World

Women and the Workplace

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

Students must fulfill the requirements for the major and earn at least a 3.900 cumulative GPA as well as a 3.9 GPA in courses used to complete the major. Additionally, students must devote six semester hours to a capstone project approved by the program head. This might consist of an internship, thesis, portfolio project, or upper-level research seminar (or some combination thereof).

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.

4. If a student has taken one of these options to fulfill core requirements, the other option must be taken to fulfill major requirements.

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