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American Studies Program

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Undergraduate Programs of Study

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American Studies Major Requirements

American Studies Minor Requirements

American Studies Departmental Honors

American Studies Related Courses

American Studies at Manhattanville is the interdisciplinary study of North American culture and society. Both the major and minor are offered. Flexibility and an individualized approach are hallmarks of the program; students self-design much of their program of study through participating departments such as Art History, Education, English, History, Music, Philosophy, Political Science, Sociology and World Religions. Successful completion of a major or minor in American Studies requires comprehensive study of North America’s social and political institutions, intellectual and religious traditions, economic systems, and cultural expression. The program’s required core course sequence focuses on introducing students to major themes in American Studies through the study of American landscapes and places.

A degree in American Studies provides an excellent preparation for entry into many careers, as well as for graduate study in the humanities, social sciences or professional programs. Manhattanville American Studies graduates are pursuing careers in teaching, historic preservation, museum work, publishing, marketing, non-profit work and broadcasting and have completed graduate programs in American Studies, History, Management, Political Science, and Law.

Faculty and Professional Interests

Andrew Bodenrader — American literature

Lawson Bowling — Recent U.S. social and economic history

John Carney — American government, political theory

Carmelo Comberiati — Music in American culture

Peter Gardella — Religion in America

Gillian Greenhill Hannum — American art history

Nancy Harris — American women, education, sports

Van Hartmann — American literature, American film

James Jones — African American religions

Raymond Langley — American philosophy

Mohamed Mbodj — African-American history

Patricia Misciagno — U.S. Presidency, women

Colin Morris (Program director) — American cultural geography, political and intellectual history

John Murray — Mass media, science and technology

Matthew Pauley — Constitutional law

Harvey Rachlin — Popular music, music business

Donald Richards — Immigration, antebellum America

Eric Slater — Urban America

Gregory Swedberg — Mexican history

Joan Rudel Weinreich — American education

Kwan Ha Yim — U.S. diplomacy

American Studies Major Requirements

The major in American Studies requires successful completion of a total of ten 3-credit courses and a senior evaluation project, for a total of 33 credits. The course of study must include:

AMS 2021	American Places I: Cities On a Hill
AMS 2022	American Places II: Frontier Nation

One American Studies Seminar (AMS- approved 3000-level course)
Seven additional electives (see list of related courses below).

AMS 3998

Senior Evaluation: thesis or other supervised project.

American Studies Minor Requirements

The minor in American Studies consists of six courses for a total of 18 credits. The course of study must include:

AMS 2021

American Places I: Cities on a Hill or AMS 2022 American Places II: Frontier Nation

One American Studies Seminar (AMS 3000-level course)
Four additional electives (see list of related courses below).

Note: A grade of C or better is required for a course to be counted toward a major or minor in American Studies.

American Studies Departmental Honors

Graduation honors are awarded to students who have earned a G.P.A. of 3.6 or higher in their major courses and who have completed an outstanding senior evaluation

American Studies Related Courses

The following list indicates courses in various departments that can be counted for full credit in American Studies. Other courses can also be counted toward the American Studies major or minor on approval by the program director.

ENG 2050/ ENG 2051/ ENG 2052	American Literature I, II, III
ENG 3050	American Poetry
ENG 3057 /ENG 5057	Hawthorne, Melville, Poe
ENG 3101	Images of New York City in Literature and Film

HIS 1011/ HIS 1012	Development of America I & II
HIS 2005	Recent American History
HIS 2024	American Economic History
HIS 2036	History of New York City
HIS 2012	American Sports History
HIS 2009	The American Civil War
HIS 2060	Reconstruction and the New South
HIS 3001	California and the American West
HIS 3014	African-American History
HIS 3037	Immigrant Experience in America
HIS 3011/ HIS 5011	The American Revolution
HIS 3075/5075	American Ideas: 19th Century
HIS 3067	Topics in American Sports History
HIS 3072	The American Transcendentalists
HIS 3080	The American Century
HIS 3086	Early America

MUH 2016	History of Jazz
MUH 3005	Music in American Culture
MUMG 2021	Pop Songs and the Music Business

POS 1031	Introduction to American Government
POS 2013	Women and Politics
POS 2031	Presidential Elections
POS 2038	American Presidency
POS 3012	Politics of the Environment
POS 3067	Power, Politics and Passion: Women and the 21st Century
POS 3070	State and Local Government
POS 3080	Select Public Policy Issues
POS 3081	The Public Policy of Science and Technology
POS 3093	The United States as a Pacific Power

SOC 2011	Wealth and Power in America
SOC 2015	Women and Work
SOC 2017	Sports and Society
SOC 3051/ SOC 5050	Mass Media and Society

WREL 1017	Modern American Religions
WREL 2021	African-American Religion
WREL 3025/ WREL 5025	Religion in America

Manhattanville College

American Studies Program

American Studies Major Requirements

American Studies Minor Requirements

American Studies Departmental Honors

American Studies Related Courses