Major & Minor
The American Studies Major and Minor
Students may choose American Studies as an undergraduate major or a minor. A minimum of 9 courses is required to complete the major, 5 courses to complete the minor. Coursework for both consists of a combination of required courses (see degree requirements below) and an individualized program of study.
Although students generally declare their major or minor in the spring of their sophomore year, you may want to take electives early on in areas that interest you but that will later connect with the American Studies major.
The Major
A minimum of 9 courses is required to complete the major:
Two American Studies Core courses. The following courses are ordinarily required:
- Introduction to American Studies
- U.S. Intellectual History, 1865-Present or Freedom & Citizenship in the United States
Two seminars in American Studies
Four courses drawn from at least two departments, one of which must be in History and one of which must deal primarily with some aspect of the American experience before 1900 [A course on U.S. history before 1900 would fulfill both requirements].
Senior Research Project
The final requirement for the major in American Studies is completion of a senior essay, to be submitted in the spring of senior year.
Alternatively, students may fulfill this requirement by taking an additional seminar in which a major paper is required or by writing an independent essay under the supervision of a faculty member. Seniors who wish to do a senior research project are required to take the Senior Project Colloquium the fall of the senior year.
The Minor
A minimum of 5 courses is required to complete the minor:
- AMST UN1010: Introduction to American Studies
- One seminar offered by American Studies
- Three courses on American history, culture, or politics offered by the Center or other departments
For more information, speak to your advising dean,
visit Undergraduate Program Study in Columbia College Bulletin Board
or email: [email protected]
Because we offer an interdisciplinary curriculum, students design their own courses of study. Students work with our advisors to develop programs tailored to their particular interests. Advisors approve Plan of Study forms and provide general guidance regarding the major and concentration. Each student is expected to meet with an advisor at least once a semester.
Deadline to arrange a meeting TBD.
Any grade lower than a C minus cannot be counted toward a degree in American Studies. A grade of C minus can be counted only with the approval of the director or associate director of the center. Pass/fail courses will not count toward the major unless the course was taken before the student declared the major.
The final requirement for the major in American Studies is completion of a senior essay, to be submitted in the spring of senior year.
Alternatively, students may fulfill this requirement by taking an additional seminar in which a major paper is required or by writing an independent essay under the supervision of a faculty member. Seniors who wish to do a senior research project are required to take the Senior Project Colloquium the fall of the senior year.
Here are some recent senior theses:
Alexander Pines (2016)
Icons of Ruin and Those Who Worship Them: The Visual Memory of Pruitt-Igoe
Carolina Cannon (2023; Senior Thesis Prize co-winner)
From Postcards to Pillars: Memorializing the Lynching of African Americans
Nikhil Rao Lahiri (2022)
Guardians of Democracy: The Criminal Justice Response to the 2021 Insurrection at the United States Capitol
Rachel Ijams (2021)
“Better Off Being In A White Home?” Community-Specific Implications of the Indian Child Welfare Act
Rylee Spada (2024; Senior Thesis Prize co-winner)
Folsom’s Street Fair: Making a Subcultural Tourist Attraction and Selling San Francisco’s South of Market District, 1984-1997
Students with a 3.6 minimum GPA in the major and an outstanding senior project will be considered for honors. By College policy, no more than 10% of majors are permitted to receive honors in a given year.
We encourage our students to study abroad and to take courses that examine America in an international context. With careful planning, you can both study abroad and fulfill all the American Studies requirements. You should consult with your advisor early on about how to integrate study abroad into your program, and you should keep in mind that syllabi from courses taken abroad must be reviewed by your advisor to determine whether they count toward American Studies requirements.
A major in American Studies can open doors to many careers as well as to graduate or professional school. A number of our students, for example, develop a thematic concentration centered on the media that can take them into journalism, publishing, and other related areas. An interdisciplinary major like American Studies, in combination with your general education through the Columbia Core Curriculum, can also lead to opportunities in nonprofit organizations or public affairs. Over the last few years, our majors have gone on to graduate school, law and medical school; business, government, and public-service organizations; as well as other post-college programs such as Teach for America.
Best Senior Thesis in American Studies
Shenton Award; Outstanding Community Service