Skip to main content

American Studies

2023-24 Academic Catalog Page

BRETT BIEBEL, Continuing Lecturer
B.A., St. John’s University; M.A., University of Minnesota-Twin Cities; M.F.A, Minnesota State University

JANE SIMONSEN, Professor, Chair
B.A., Gustavus Adolphus, M.A.; Ph.D, University of Iowa

MAJOR IN AMERICAN STUDIES. 28 Credits, including AMST101 (4 credits) and AMST 401 (2 credits); one course from each of the three Foundations areas: History, Politics, Arts & Culture (12 credits); at least 10 additional credits from Elective courses. At least 16 credits from 300-level courses; no more than 8 credits from any course code other than AMST. 

NOTE: The major in American Studies is currently offered only through the Augustana Prison Education Program (APEP). 

Grade Point Average Notation: All courses listed in the catalog as required courses for any major and/or minor, including those courses outside of the department or with a different subject coding, are considered part of the major and will count in the grade point average. Recommended supporting courses that are optional and not required may also count in the major depending on the program. For more information see your department chair or the degree requirements for Bachelor of Arts and information on Majors/Minors.


Courses (AMST)


Courses: Foundations: History, Politics, Arts and Culture

Take one class from each area.

Area I: American History

HIST-130 Rethinking American Hist, to 1877
HIST-131  Rethinking American Hist, 1877-Present
HIST-133 American Environment
HIST-220 Hearing Hurstory: Black Women in America
HIST-345  African-American History
SCAN-350 Immigration History

Area II: Politics and American Communities

COMM-110 Communication and Controversy (selected sections)
COMM-210A Presidential Rhetoric
COMM-230 Comm, Politics, and Citizenship
COMM-240 Advertising and Consumer Culture
COMM-330 Public Rhetoric: Msg, Power, Influence
COMM-380 Rhetorical Theory
ECON-345 Money and Banking (prereq: ECON 200 Principles of Economics)
ECON-404 U.S. Econ History (prereq: ECON 200 and BUSN 311 or MATH 430)
GEOG-123 Intro Urban Studies
POLS-101 American Government
POLS-107 Contemporary Political Ideas
POLS-203 Identity in American Politics
POLS-260 The Legal System
POLS-320 American Foreign Policy
POLS-325 Public Policy: Process & Politics
POLS-330 American Political Participation
POLS-335 Gender and Sexuality in Amer Politics
POLS-338 The American Presidency
POLS-352 Capitalism and Modernity
POLS-361 Constitutional Law I
POLS-362 Constitutional Law II
POLS-385 Race, Wealth, and Inequality in American Politics
PUBH-180 Health Disparities
SOAN-101 Intro to Sociology
SOAN-321 Native North America
SOAN-221 Inequality in America
SOAN-329 American Race & Ethnic Relations
SOAN-335 Citizenship
SOAN-341 Crime and Society
WGSS-250 Critical Race Feminism

Area III: American Arts and Culture

ART-343 Art of Americas
ARHI-368 American Art
ENGL-265 History of American Literature
ENGL-270 Multicultural Literature of the U.S.
ENGL-275 Intro to African American Lit
ENGL-278 Native American Indian Literature
ENGL-370 American Realism
ENGL-375 American Modernism
ENGL-385 Contemporary Literature
ENGL-390 Contemporary African American Literature
HIST-235 American Film History and Theory
HIST-232 Picturing the Other: American Indians in Visual Culture
HIST-335 Am West in Hist & Memory
HIST-336 A Consumer’s Republic
KINS-320 Sporting Hollywood
MJMC-345 Cultural History of Media
MUSC-132 Music and Activism
MUSC-315 Music in American History
MUSC-316 African American Music
MUSC-317 Jazz History and Analysis
RELG-205 American Christianities 
RELG-313 Race, Ethnicity, and Religion
SOAN-222 Popular Culture
THEA-343 Modern & Contemporary Theatre
THEA-344 Musical Theatre History
WGSS-235 Gender & Sexuality
WGSS-335 Masculinity in American Culture
WGSS-370 Gender and Social Justice

Courses: Electives

Take additional credits above the American Foundations classes to meet a minimum of 28 credits. Elective courses include all of those listed for American Foundations and the additional courses listed below. The same course cannot count as both a Foundations course and an Elective course.

CSD-215 Phonetics
CLAS-250 Classics and Film
CLAS-258 Greek Warrior Myths and Combat Trauma
EDUC-217 Urban Education
GEOG-339 Historical Geography of North America
HIST-333 Disease and Health
HIST-338 The Long Sixties
LING-201 Language Myths
MJMC-345 Cultural History of Media
POLS-334 Race, Wealth and Inequality
RELG-372 Redemption, Reconciliation, and Restorative Justice
SOAN-326 Social Gerontology
SOAN-342 Sociology of Education