American Studies Program

American Studies at Georgetown University is an interdisciplinary major that encourages students to make connections across diverse fields of study. The core American Studies curriculum explores the evolution of American society from European colony to the present with a special focus on the intellectual and cultural dimensions of the American experience. Students develop a course of study that integrates academic work in a range of disciplines, which can include history, literature,theology, political science, theater and performance studies, fine arts, economics, philosophy, sociology, and anthropology.

Founded in 1969, American Studies at Georgetown is among the oldest and most respected undergraduate American Studies programs in the country. The program strives to provide a personalized experience for its majors. The classroom curriculum is enriched by fall and spring semester field trips that coincide with the material covered in the core course sequence. Recent field trips include Mount Vernon, Carlyle House Historic Park, the Clara Barton House, Harper’s Ferry, Lincoln’s Summer Cottage, Antietam Battlefield, and Monocacy National Battlefield. Innovative approaches to teaching and learning, such as digital portfolios, digital museums, student-produced documentary films, performance, and blogs, are integrated into the curriculum. A senior thesis project is the capstone of the American Studies experience, allowing each student to explore in detail a topic of particular interest.

American Studies Learning Goals

American Studies is an interdisciplinary major where students make connections across diverse fields of inquiry.

• The core curriculum in American Studies aims to facilitate students’ ability to make cross-disciplinary connections and to refine their particular area of interest.

* The American Studies core curriculum, which consists of a four course American Civilization sequence, a two course American History requirement, and a two semester Senior Seminar, provides a structure for integrating students’ interdisciplinary work.
* American Studies students explore the evolution of American society from European colony to the present with a particular focus on the intellectual, cultural, and societal dimensions of the American experience.
* Students’ investigations are informed by a rich, multifaceted curriculum which draws from a wide range of fields, including history, literature, theology, political science, theater and performance studies, art, architecture, music, folklore, economics, philosophy, sociology, anthropology, racial and ethnic studies, media and communications, and science.

• A goal of American studies is to expose students to theoretical, analytical, and methodological approaches from diverse perspectives, including cultural studies, history, the humanities, and the social sciences.

A goal of the American Studies program is to have students develop a course of study that integrates academic work across a range of disciplines.
• A goal of the American Studies major is to have students synthesize and critically evaluate knowledge from diverse fields.

* Students work closely with faculty mentors to develop their individualize curriculum, develop an integrated course of study, and produce original thesis projects.

• A goal of the American Studies program is to create a community of learning among faculty and students that is sustained trough classroom instruction, internship and study abroad experiences, program field trips, activities, and lectures,

* The American Studies community of faculty and students engages in sustained interaction and conversation.
* Faculty and students regularly engage in active learning experiences both within and outside the classroom.

• American Studies aims to provide students with general knowledge of the field and to develop an area of substantive concentration.

* Students have the flexibility to develop concentrations in particular areas of American Studies that reflect their own interests and goals.
* Students use digital portfolios to assemble and integrate their coursework and related academic experiences as they progress through the major and to provide a foundation for the development of their senior thesis project.
* Every American Studies major is required to complete a senior thesis that reflects their area of primary interest, and which is the culmination of their academic program.

American Studies seeks to develop and use innovative approaches to teaching and learning.
• A goal of the American Studies program is to develop and implement innovative instructional techniques both in the classroom and through related activities and practices.

* Students receive instruction in the use of innovative approaches for creating and sharing knowledge, such as digital portfolios, digital museums, digital stories, student-produced documentary videos, blogs, live performance, scripts, novels, poetry, and music, which are integrated into the curriculum.
* Classroom learning is enhanced by fall and spring semester field trips that correspond to the American Civilization curriculum.
* Students have the opportunity to produce, attend, and generally be part of lectures and events supported by the program that supplement and enhance their curriculum, such as performances, art and photo exhibits, film screenings, and conferences.

• American Studies seeks to have students incorporate innovative approaches to sharing knowledge into their coursework as well as the capstone thesis project where appropriate.

* Students should leave American Studies with at least a basic ability to use digital tools for displaying and sharing knowledge.

AMST Photostream