American Studies

Track advisor
Dennis Domer
domer@ku.edu

The American Studies track is designed to enable students to achieve depth in their understanding of the American experience.  Students choosing the American Studies track are trained in the use of written records and oral histories for gathering information and presenting the socio-cultural patterns and problems of American life.  Students are expected to develop further inter-disciplinary understanding of American culture relevant to their major interests by taking elective courses in race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality, class, religion, political economy, material culture, social and cultural theory, popular culture, or visual arts.

Requirements

Students pursuing the American Studies track will be required to complete 18 credit hours of course work in American Studies, 18 hours of required Museum Studies courses, and 6 hours of internship, distributed as follows:

1.   Required courses in Museum Studies (18 hours)

2.   Required American Studies Courses (18 hours):

            A.   AMS 801, 802, 803, 804 (12 hours)

            B.   Two graduate courses on American studies topics (e.g., race and ethnicity; gender; sexuality; class; religion; political economy; material culture; social and cultural theory; visual arts, etc.) that are relevant to the student’s major interests (6 hours)

3.   Internship (6 hours)

Supervised internship of approximately 500 hours of professional-level work.  Many students find paid internships, and students may serve longer internships if they wish. Students are required to write a paper describing and critically analyzing their internship experiences.

 4.  Master’s Examination

Based on their written internship report, students take an oral examination about their internship experience, which is evaluated in the context of all graduate course work taken.  The examination is conducted by a three-member committee, all of whom have graduate faculty status.  The student consults with the American Studies track advisor, choosing two American Studies faculty members and lecturers from whom she/he may have taken courses, and one museum professional who has graduate faculty status. The American Studies track advisor chairs the examination committee. The three-member committee must be approved by the Director of Museum Studies.

For more information about the American Studies Program, click here.