Program Requirements
American Studies Major Requirements
Note: There are additional specific requirements for American Studies majors who are also majoring in Inclusive Adolescence Education. Please refer to these specific course requirements in the box below under Additional Requirements for Students Seeking Adolescence Teaching Certification in Social Studies.
| Core courses in American Studies (which must be taken at Fisher) | (12) | |
| AMST 210P | P3 The American Experience | |
| AMST 300D | P1 Reading American Culture | |
| AMST 370 | American Studies: Discipline and Theory | |
| AMST 470 | Senior Research Seminar | |
| Electives | (24) | |
| Eight American Studies electives* | ||
| Total | (36) | |
*Elective courses are drawn from Areas A, B, and C. At least two courses are required from each area as listed below, and at least two of these courses must be taken at St. John Fisher College.
For students majoring in American Studies, all courses designated AMST and all courses chosen from Areas A, B, and C that may apply to the major are included in the determination of the grade point average in the major.
Area A (American History)
| HIST 103D | P3 The United States to 1865* |
| HIST 104D | P3 The United States Since 1865* |
| AMST 101P | P3 American Identities |
| AMST 233D | P1 American Memory |
| AFAM 219D | Retracing the Black Past I |
| AFAM 220D | Retracing the Black Past II |
| HIST 205D | CC American Social History: The Family |
| HIST 242D | P3 Women in American History |
| HIST 280P | CC E Pluribus Unum? The Asian American Experience |
| HIST 281D | Native American and United States Relations |
| HIST 305 | American Intellectual History |
| HIST 310D | The New Republic, 1783–1829 |
| HIST 320 | The Crisis of the Union, 1829–1877 |
| HIST 330C | Populist and Progressive Era, 1877–1918 |
| HIST 340D | America Between the Wars, 1918–1941 |
| HIST 351P | The United States Since 1945 |
| REST/HIST 272P | CC Martin and Malcolm |
*HIST 103D and HIST 104D are required of all American Studies majors. If you choose to take only two courses from this area, you must take HIST 103D and HIST 104D. If you choose to take more than two courses from this area, you must include HIST 103D and HIST 104D.
Area B (Social Sciences)
| AMST 110P | Issues in Contemporary American Society |
| AMST 190C | Work in America |
| AMST 199C | RW Research-Based Writing** |
| AMST/WGST 216 | P2 Feminist Theory |
| AMST 220 | P3 Ranking America |
| AMST 273P | P5 Social Justice in America: Service Learning |
| AFAM 150D | P5 Introduction to African American Studies |
| AFAM 290D | Stride Toward Freedom: Afro-Rochester Leaders |
| AFAM 305P | Black Thought in the 20th Century |
| ECON 105C | P3 Introduction to Microeconomics |
| ECON 106C | P3 Introduction to Macroeconomics |
| ECON 110P | CC Gender and Race in the American Workplace |
| ECON 208D | Economics of Social Issues |
| HIST 300 | The Modern World: Geography and Politics |
| POSC 111C | P3 Introduction to American Government |
| REST 286D | P2 Crime and Justice in America |
| SOCI/WGST 257D | Genders and Society |
| SOCI 314 | U.S. Race Relations |
| SOCI 315 | Our Gendered World |
| SPST 225P | P3 Sport and American Culture |
| WGST 101C | CC Introduction to Women and Gender Studies |
Area C (Humanities)
| AMST 170 | LC Americans Abroad |
| AMST 180D | CC “Indians” in American Culture |
| AMST 199C | RW Research-Based Writing** |
| AMST/ARTS 201C | P1 Picturing the Past |
| AMST 203C | P1 Hollywood Film Genres |
| AMST 204P | P1 Film, Television, and Visual Culture |
| AMST 205D | P1 Literature and Film of the Vietnam War |
| AMST 214P | P1 Contemporary Latina/o Fiction |
| AMST 217 | P1 American Crime Narratives |
| AMST 230 | P1 Surveillance Society |
| AMST 231 | P3 Conspiracy Theories |
| AMST 234D | P1 Promised Land: Narratives of Exile and Migration |
| AMST/WGST 237P | P3 Hope, Survival, and Human Spirit: Theories of Resistance |
| AMST 250 | P1 American Modernism |
| AMST/ARTS 320C | P1 Culture and Art in America |
| AMST/ARTS 321P | P1 Culture and Art in America II |
| AFAM 205P | From Bebop to Hip Hop |
| AFAM/REST 280D | Black Church in America |
| AFAM 304P | African American Images in Film |
| ARTS 102C | P1 Encounter with the Arts |
| ARTS 109D | CC Film and Society |
| ARTS 203D | P1 Art History: 1700–Present |
| ENGL 220D | P1 Modern African American Literature |
| ENGL 236D | CC The American Dream |
| ENGL 261C | Topics in Sexuality and Literature** |
| ENGL 262P | CC Topics in Ethnicity and Literature** |
| ENGL/ARTS 263C | P1 Topics in Literature and the Arts** |
| ENGL 297 | P1 The Emergence of American Literature |
| ENGL 298 | P1 Modern American Literature |
| PHIL 215C | P2 American Philosophy |
| REST 173D | CC North American Religions |
**Applicable depending on topic; consult with AMST department chair to determine in which area the course may be applied.
Additional Requirements for Students Seeking Adolescence Teaching Certification in Social Studies
American Studies provides an outstanding foundation for Adolescence Teaching Certification in Social Studies. Students pursuing this certification dual major in Inclusive Adolescence Education and American Studies and receive the Bachelor of Science degree. The following additional and/or specific requirements must be completed:
- Inclusive Adolescence Education Major (47)
The major includes Education courses, field experiences, student teaching, and courses for Certification in Students with Disabilities (7–12) and Middle School Extension in the content area (5–6). See Inclusive Adolescence Education for details. - In addition to the four required American Studies courses for the major, the following requirements must be met as part of the eight electives for the American Studies major: three courses from Area A, including HIST 103D and HIST 104D, three courses from Area B, including HIST 300, POSC 111C, and either ECON 105C or ECON 106C.
- Two additional history courses chosen from:
HIST 101D P3 Western Civilization: Europe and the World, 1500-1815
HIST 102D P3 Western Civilization: Europe and the World Since 1815
HIST 291D P3 Japan in the World, 1800-2000
HIST 292D P3 China in the World, 1800-2000
Students must choose at least one of HIST 291D or HIST 292D.
Note: These requirements add only six additional credits to the content area of the American Studies major. As early as possible, students should consult with an Education advisor to set up a program leading to certification.