Bachelor of Arts in American Studies

The Department of History offers Bachelor of Arts degrees in American Studies and History. Students majoring in History may also select a concentration in Social Studies. The department also offers minors in American Studies and History. More information can be found in the Undergraduate Catalog.

 

• Bachelor of Arts Degree in American Studies
• Core Curriculum Requirements
• Degree Requirements
• Minor in American Studies
• American Studies Newsletter

Department Honors

Students whose grade point average in the History or American Studies majors (including support work) before the beginning of their final year at UTSA is 3.5 or above, and whose overall grade point average is 3.0, may earn Department Honors. To do so, students must enroll in the honors thesis course (HIS 4993 or AMS 4993) their final two semesters and must complete a substantial original research project approved by the faculty supervisor and another faculty member. Students must maintain a 3.5 grade point average in both the major and support work to be eligible for the award.

Bachelor of Arts Degree in American Studies

American Studies combines the study of history, literature, the arts, and social sciences to understand the diverse perspectives on cultural traditions and material practices shaping regional, ethnic, class, gender, and political diversity in the United States. American Studies students will conduct interdisciplinary study of topics such as race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality, transnationalism and border studies, urban experience, social justice, cultural studies, and religion. American Studies provides excellent preparation for careers in many fields, including law, journalism, government, foreign service, social work, international business, education, nonprofit, and public administration.
The minimum number of semester credit hours required for this degree, including the Core Curriculum requirements, is 120. Thirty-nine of the total semester credit hours required for the degree must be at the upper-division level.

All candidates for this degree must fulfill the Core Curriculum requirements and the degree requirements, which are listed below.

Core Curriculum requirements:

Students seeking the Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies must fulfill University Core Curriculum requirements in the same manner as other students. The courses listed in the table below satisfy both degree requirements and Core Curriculum requirements; however, if these courses are taken to satisfy both requirements, then students may need to take additional courses in order to meet the minimum number of semester credit hours required for this degree.

Courses that Satisfy Core Curriculum and Degree Requirements

Communications

English Rhetoric/Composition (6 semester credit hours)
All students must take the following six hours to meet this core requirement:
WRC 1013 Freshman Composition I
WRC 1023 Freshman Composition II

Mathematics

Mathematics (3 semester credit hours)
Any three hours listed under this section in the list of core courses will satisfy this core requirement.

Natural Sciences

Science (6 semester credit hours)
Three hours from Level One and three hours from Level Two will satisfy this core requirement.

Humanities & Visual and Performing Arts

Literature (3 semester credit hours)
Any three hours listed under this section in the list of core courses will satisfy this core requirement.

The Arts (3 semester credit hours)
Any three hours listed under this section in the list of core courses will satisfy this core requirement.

Social and Behavioral Sciences

United States History and Diversity (6 semester credit hours)
Any six hours listed under this section in the list of core courses will satisfy this core requirement.

Political Science (6 semester credit hours)
POL 1013 Introduction to American Politics, plus three additional hours listed under this section in the list of core courses will satisfy this core requirement.

Social and Behavioral Science (3 semester credit hours)
AMS 2043 Approaches to American Culture

Economics (3 semester credit hours)
Any three hours listed under this section in the list of core courses will satisfy this core requirement.

World and Society Issues

(3 semester credit hours)
Any three hours listed under this section in the list of core courses will satisfy this core requirement.

Degree Requirements

39 semester credit hours in courses approved by the American Studies advisor, of which 21 must be at the upper-division level:
24 semester credit hours of required courses:
AMS  2043  Approaches to American Culture
AMS  3123  Applications of American Studies
AMS  3243  Studies in Transnationalism
AMS  3343  Studies in Race and Ethnicity
AMS  3443  Studies in Gender and Sexuality

6 semester credit hours of American Culture, three hours of which must be AMS 4823, and three hours from one of the following:

AMS  3013  Early American Culture
AMS  3023  Modern American Culture
AMS  4823  Topics in American Culture

AMS 4823 may be repeated for credit as long as the topics differ. Students can also take AMS 4983 Senior Thesis in their last semester in partial fulfillment of this requirement.

AMS  4973 Advanced Seminar in American Studies

15 semester credit hours of support work focused on the Americas from at least two disciplines. American content may be interpreted as North, South and Central America, and the Caribbean. The American Studies faculty advisor must approve all support work.

Up to 9 hours of Foreign Language study may be counted as support work. Students can also take 3 semester credit hours of AMS 4933 Internship in American Studies in partial fulfillment of this requirement.

39 semester credit hours of electives
Students majoring in American Studies are encouraged to make advising appointments with faculty in AMS early in their course of study.

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Minor in American Studies

All students pursuing a Minor in American Studies must complete 21 semester credit hours.

12 semester credit hours of required courses:

AMS  2043  Approaches to American Culture
AMS  3123  Applications of American Studies
AMS  4823  Topics in American Culture
AMS  4973  Advanced Seminar in American Studies

9 additional semester credit hours of the following courses:

AMS  3243  Studies in Transnationalism
AMS  3343  Studies in Race and Ethnicity
AMS  3443  Studies in Gender and Sexuality

Students have the option of taking AMS 4933 Internship in American Studies to substitute for one of the above courses.
To declare a Minor in American Studies, or seek approval of substitutions for course requirements, students should consult the College of Liberal and Fine Arts Advising Center or an AMS Faculty Advisor.

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