Program Requirements
B.A. in American Studies
For students majoring in American Studies, all courses designated AMST and all elective courses chosen from Areas A, B, and C (see below) that may apply to the major are included in the determination of the grade point average in the major.
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 below under the Inclusive Adolescence Education Dual Major heading.
Requirements
Core Courses - 13 credits
Core courses must be taken at Fisher.
- AMST 210P - P3 The American Experience (3)
- AMST 270 - Career Planning Seminar (1)
- AMST 300D - P1 Reading American Culture (3)
- AMST 370 - American Studies: Discipline and Theory (3)
- AMST 470 - Senior Research Seminar (3)
Electives - 21 credits
Seven American studies 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.
Area A (American History)
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.
- HIST 103D - P3 The United States to 1865 (required) (3)
- HIST 104D - P3 The United States Since 1865 (required) (3)
- AMST 101P - P3 American Identities (3)
- AMST 233D - P1 American Memory (3)
- AFAM 240 - CC The Struggle for Civil Rights (3)
- HIST 205D - CC American Social History: The Family (3)
- HIST 296D - History of Rochester (3)
- HIST 298D - New York State History (3)
- HIST 340D - America Between the Wars, 1918–1941 (3)
- HIST 351P - The United States Since 1945 (3)
- REST/HIST 272P - CC Martin and Malcolm (3)
Area B (Social Sciences)
- AMST 140 - American Dialogues (3)
- AMST 190C - Work in America (3)
- AMST 199C - RW Research-Based Writing (3)*
- AMST/WGST 216 - P2 Feminist Theory (3)
- AMST 273P - P5 American Social Justice (3)
- AFAM 150D - P5 Introduction to African American Studies (3)
- AFAM 305P - P5 Black Thought in the 20th Century (3)
- CRIM 230 - Prison Nation (3)
- CRIM 335 - Crime Films (3)
- ECON 105C - P3 Principles of Microeconomics (3)
- ECON 106C - P3 Principles of Macroeconomics (3)
- ECON 110P - CC Gender and Race in the American Workplace (3)
- HIST 300 - The Modern World: Geography and Politics (3)
- POSC 111C - P3 Introduction to American Government (3)
- POSC 224 - P3 Campaigns and Elections (3)
- POSC 267 - P3 Foundations of U.S. Law (3)
- POSC 292 - P2 Introduction to American Political Thought (3)
- SOCI 205 - CC Savage Inequalities (3)
- SOCI 314 - U.S. Race Relations (3)
- SOCI 315 - Our Gendered World (3)
- SPST 201P - P3 Sport and Society (3)
- WGST 101C - CC Introduction to Women and Gender Studies (3)
- WGST 203P - CC Introduction to Queer Studies (3)
Area C (Humanities)
- AMST 170 - LC Americans Abroad (3)
- AMST 180D - CC “Indians” in American Culture (3)
- AMST 199C - RW Research-Based Writing (3)*
- AMST/ARTS 201C - P1 Picturing the Past (3)
- AMST 203C - P1 Hollywood Film Genres (3)
- AMST 204P - P1 Film, Television, and Visual Culture (3)
- AMST 217 - P1 American Crime Narratives (3)
- AMST 234D - P1 Promised Land: Narratives of Exile and Migration (3)
- AMST/REST 235 - P2 Catholics in America (3)
- AMST/WGST 237P - P3 Social Protests (3)
- AMST 250 - P1 American Modernism (3)
- AMST 251 - P1 Class in American Culture (3)
- AMST/ARTS 320C - P1 Culture and Art in America (3)
- AMST/ARTS 321P - P1 Culture and Art in America II (3)
- AFAM/REST 282P - Black Church Issues (3)
- ARTS 102C - P1 Encounter with the Arts (3)
- ARTS 109D - CC Film and Society (3)
- ARTS 203D - P1 Art History: 1700–Present (3)
- ENGL 204 - P1 Nature Writing (3)
- ENGL 220D - P1 Black Writers in the U.S. (3)
- ENGL 236D - CC The American Dream (3)
- ENGL 247C - P1 War in Literature (3)
- ENGL 262P - CC Coming to America (3)
- ENGL/ARTS 263C - P1 Topics in Literature and the Arts (3)*
- ENGL 264D - P5 Topics in Politics and Literature (3)*
- ENGL 297 - P1 Readings in American Literature (3)
- PHIL 215C - P2 American Philosophy (3)
- REST 173D - CC Religions of North America (3)
*Applicable depending on topic; consult with AMST department chair to determine in which area the course may be applied.
Total: 34 credits
Inclusive Adolescence Education Dual Major
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 (46 credits)
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 five required American studies courses for the major, the following requirements must be met as part of the area electives for the American studies major:
- THREE courses from Area A to include 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 (3)
- HIST 102D - P3 Western Civilization: Europe and the World Since 1815 (3)
- HIST 291D - P3 Japan Since 1800 (3)
- HIST 292D - P3 China Since 1800 (3)
Students must choose at least one of HIST 291D or HIST 292D.
Note: These requirements add nine 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. It is highly recommended that students interested in teaching social studies take HIST 208 - Ancient and Medieval Europe, HIST 298D - New York State History, and a Global History to 1500 course as either electives within their major or as general electives.