"American Studies forces you to look at your life, the things you do, use, and think about every day, as part of a bigger picture of American culture. It doesn't let you take anything for granted and it changes the way you understand yourself not only as an American citizen, but as a human being."
- Rebecca Chamov,
American Studies major
Credit: Cary Cordova
Do you enjoy history, literature, the arts, cultural studies, communication, technology, or political science? American Studies offers an opportunity for students who want to go beyond a traditional major and invites them to think critically about the culture they live in. We attempt to discover what being American means and we see American culture as the product of social, historical, and political forces over time and invite students to understand the dynamic process through which cultural values are formed.
American Studies faculty members at UC Davis teach courses in popular culture, media studies, folk culture, nature and technology, and material culture to mention only a few. All of these courses explore the multiple cultures that exist within the larger category of "American." Students majoring in American Studies take seven upper-division, in-depth classes and seminars devoted to studying major thinkers and issues integral to our culture. Advanced work in at least two other departments or programs allows each student to emphasize a period, a problem, or a subject tailored to his or her own individual education goals. Students have the option of writing a senior thesis within this emphasis.
We encourage our students to explore the roots and impact of values expressed in our society.
American Studies lays a foundation that will guarantee you professional success. As an interdisciplinary major that draws on the ideas and approaches of several fields within the university, American Studies aims to give students a broad, liberal arts education. We encourage our students to think critically, to read widely, and to work diligently in improving their written and oral communication skills. Students emerge from American Studies with skills that prepare them for any career where innovative thinking and skillful expression are required. Many of our students have pursued careers in primary, secondary, and post-secondary education. Many have gone on to law school and careers in law or public policy. Others enter business, public relations, advertising, and marketing. Regardless of their chosen career, our students share a common inheritance from their years in American Studies: they are actively engaged in the world around them and they see society as a work in progress, one to which they can actively contribute.
American Studies faculty has the reputation of being very student-oriented. It would not be unusual to have your American Studies advisor or instructor congratulate you on your research and encourage you to take it to the next step. Many faculty welcome students who wish to conduct research with them their area of focus.
Questions? Contact us at our Web site: http://ams.ucdavis.edu/
For more information about this and other majors, visit our Departments, Programs and Centers page.