AMST: B.A. in American Studies

American Studies is an interdisciplinary field of culture studies that encompasses topics and research methods in literature and language, history and art history, media studies, and the social sciences, such as anthropology and sociology. American Studies seeks especially to understand the beliefs and values in and through which Americans make sense of themselves and their worlds. The program aims to help students develop knowledge that is comparative, historical, and critical--and informed by a high degree of personal awareness. Students majoring in American Studies meet every semester with a faculty advisor and are expected to combine their AMST coursework with supporting courses in a discipline such as English or History. This is a writing-intensive liberal arts major that prepares students for a variety of career paths, including business, education, law and communications.

To earn a B.A. in American Studies, students are required to complete all CORE, College of Arts and Humanities, and American Studies requirements. The College of Arts and Humanities has a dual advising system which means that you need to meet regularly with an advisor in the Office of Student Affairs (ARHU advisor) regarding your CORE and ARHU College requirements and with your departmental advisor for your major requirements. For more information about individual courses listed in the plan, you can consult the Course Catalog.

Please note: These sample templates presume that a student is full time and entered the major during the freshman year. All part-time students and students who have changed their major into the college, should consult with their advisors to determine how to develop an individualized plan.

For college advising, please contact: Office of Student Affairs
1120 Francis Scott Key Hall
301-405-2108

For departmental advising, please contact: American Studies
Advisor: Dr. Jo B. Paoletti - jpaol@umd.edu
Phone: 301-405-6646
Office: 1105 Holzapfel By appointment; email or call first

What can I do with my major?

Download an editable (RTF) or plain text version of this plan.

You should also download and print the ARHU Advising Worksheet (MS Word format) before meeting with your advisor.

Year 1

Semester 1

CORE/ARHU Requirements and Electives
Major Requirements
  • MATH 110/111/113/115/140/220/STAT 100
  • ENGL 101 (A/H/U/S or X)
  • UNIV 100 or 101
  • Language Requirement (#1)
  • AMST 201 (also CORE HO)

Semester 2

CORE/ARHU Requirements and Electives
Major Requirements
  • CORE (e.g. Lab - LL or PL)
  • CORE (e.g. HL)
  • CORE (e.g. SH or SB)
  • Language Requirement (#2)
  • AMST 2xx -from list
First year benchmark (or 30 credits):
  • CORE: Fundamental English and Math requirements
  • MAJOR: 6 cr. of AMST courses, including AMST 201

Year 2

Semester 3

CORE/ARHU Requirements and Electives
Major Requirements
  • CORE (e.g. Non Lab – LS/PS/MS)
  • CORE (e.g. SH or second SB)
  • Language Requirement (#3)
  • Focus Area 1 (1xx-4xx)
  • Focus Area 2 (1xx-4xx)

Semester 4

CORE/ARHU Requirements and Electives
Major Requirements
  • CORE (e.g. Non Lab – LS/PS)
  • CORE (e.g. SH or second SB)
  • CORE (e.g. HA)
  • Focus Area 1 (1xx-4xx)
  • Focus Area 2 (1xx-4xx)
Second year benchmark (or 60 credits):
  • CORE: 7 of 9 Distributive Studies courses;
  • ARHU: At least 50% of the foreign language sequence completed.
  • MAJOR: 12 cr. of focus area courses

Year 3

Semester 5

CORE/ARHU Requirements and Electives
Major Requirements
  • Elective (3xx-4xx)
  • Professional Writing (ENGL 391/392/393/394/395)
  • CORE (e.g. Diversity)
  • AMST 330
  • Focus Area 1 (3xx-4xx)

Semester 6

CORE/ARHU Requirements and Electives
Major Requirements
  • CORE Advanced Studies (#1)
  • Elective (1xx-4xx)
  • Elective (1xx-4xx)
  • AMST 418_/428_/429_/432
  • Focus Area 2 (3xx-4xx)
Third year benchmark (or 90 credits):
  • CORE: Distributive Studies Completed.
  • ARHU: Intermediate level language requirement, 24 of the required 45 upper level credits (~50%). (Upper level courses needed to fulfill major requirements as well as upper level CORE requirements are included in the 45 upper level requirement).
  • MAJOR: AMST 330, one 400-level AMST course and 18 cr. of focus area courses

Year 4

Semester 7

CORE/ARHU Requirements and Electives
Major Requirements
  • Elective (1xx-4xx )
  • Elective (3xx-4xx)
  • AMST 418_/428_/429_/432
  • AMST 418_/428_/429_/432
  • Focus Area 2 (3xx -4xx)

Semester 8

CORE/ARHU Requirements and Electives
Major Requirements
  • Elective (1xx-4xx)
  • Elective (3xx-4xx)
  • Elective (3xx-4xx)
  • AMST 450 [Capstone/also CORE Advanced Studies (#2)]
  • Focus Area 2 (3xx-4xx)