Course Descriptions: American Studies

 

American Studies is a partnership between U.S. history and literature that works toward common understandings about the American experience.  At its most basic level, the course will explore what it means to be an American, and whether our way is the best way. This course is interdisciplinary and will chronologically examine the following thematic units: the Civil War, Reconstruction, Industrialism, the incorporation of the West, Progressivism, World War One, the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression, World War Two, the Cold War, the Civil Rights movement, and postmodernity.  In conjunction with examining history, the literary styles, genres, and individual authors and the motivating impulses for their writings will be studied within this historical context.  In addition, students will explore various aspects of society and culture at different moments in American history and situate the interactions between peoples in a culturally diverse society within national and global contexts. 2 Trimester course

 

Graduation Requirements Satisfied with this Course:  Upon completion of the American Studies course, students will receive 1.0 credits for English and 1.0 credits for Social Studies.

 

Prerequisites: A student must be a junior or senior to enroll in this course.  Please note that academically motivated sophomores can take this course with a letter of recommendation from a previous instructor and an interview with both American Studies instructors.