American Studies
Program Director: Vacant
Website: http://american.cas.lehigh.edu
Supported by the Office of Interdisciplinary Programs 610-758-3996; incasip@lehigh.edu
Williams Hall, 31 Williams Drive
American Studies is interdisciplinary study that crosses the humanities and the social sciences, encouraging students to analyze America—broadly, transnationally considered—as a site of intellectual inquiry. Asking “What is America? What does it mean and what has it meant to be called ‘American’?” provokes a multitude of theoretical and pragmatic questions that are vital for developing intercultural knowledge and civic engagement among undergraduate students. Applying cultural and social thought to such matters as citizenship, democracy, community, religion, gender, poverty and prosperity, politics, popular culture, and identity in this region makes American Studies an intellectually sophisticated yet practical course of study, bringing theory and praxis together.
THE MINOR
| Four courses from the approved list, at least two of which must be at the 100-level or above. | 16 | |
COURSES
| AMST/REL 347 | American Religious Thinkers | 4 |
| ANTH 172 | North American Archaeology | 4 |
| COMM/WGSS/AAS 376 | New Media, Race and Gender | 4 |
| ENGL 105 | Intro to Latino/a Literature and Culture | 4 |
| ENGL/FILM 119 | Introduction to the Horror Film | 4 |
| ENGL 123 | American Literature I | 4 |
| ENGL 124 | American Literature II | 4 |
| ENGL 316/LAS 105 | Native American Literature | 4 |
| ENGL/FILM 319 | Advanced Studies in the Horror Film | 4 |
| ENGL/REL 317 | Topics in Jewish Literature | 4 |
| ENGL/AAS 318 | African-American Literature and Culture | 4 |
| ENGL 376 | Early American Literature | 4 |
| ENGL 377 | American Romanticism | 4 |
| ENGL 378 | American Realism | 4 |
| ENGL 379 | Modern American Literature | 4 |
| ENGL 380 | Contemporary American Literature | 4 |
| ENGL 382 | 4 | |
| HIST 112/WGSS 124 | Takin’ It to the Streets: The Global Sixties | 4 |
| HIST 124 | Women in America | 4 |
| HIST/AAS/WGSS 126 | How Black Women Made Modern America | 4 |
| HIST/AAS 130 | African American History | 4 |
| HIST 180 | Religion and the American Experience | 4 |
| HIST 305 | Public History | 4 |
| HIST/ES 315 | American Environmental History | 4 |
| HIST/WGSS 325 | History of Sexuality and the Family in the U.S. | 4 |
| PHIL 007 | Emerson, Thoreau, and Beyond: An Introduction to Philosophy | 4 |
| PHIL/AAS 117 | Race, Racism, and Philosophy | 4 |
| PHIL 217 | Race & Philosophy Seminar | 4 |
| POLS/AAS 205 | The Political Development of American Race Relations | 4 |
| POLS/PHIL 367 | American Political Thought | 4 |
| REL/AAS/JST/ENGL 102 | Promised Lands: Jewish and African American Children's Literature | |
| REL/POLS 126 | Religion, Law and Constitution | 4 |
| REL/JST/WGSS 138 | Sex, Gender, Jews | 4 |
| REL/JST 152 | American Judaism | 4 |
| REL 171 | Religion And Society | 4 |
| REL/JST/THTR 177 | Jews and the Broadway Musical | 4 |
| SOC/AAS 103 | Race and Ethnicity in the Contemporary U.S. | 4 |
| SOC/AAS/LAS 106 | Race and Ethnicity in the Americas | 4 |
| SOC 115 | A Nation of Immigrants: The American Experience | 4 |
| SOC 128 | Race, Gender, and Work | 4 |
| SOC 130 | Sociology of Sports | 4 |
| SOC 138 | The Sociology of Reality TV | 4 |
| SOC 166 | Money, Power, Prestige: Social Stratification" | 4 |
| SOC/WGSS/AAS 310 | Gender, Race, and Sexuality: The Social Construction of Differences | 4 |
| SOC/AAS 313 | Keep the Change: Social Movements in Society | 4 |
| SOC 323 | The Child In Family and Society | 4 |
| SOC 326 | Social Class in American History | 4 |
| SOC/JOUR 327 | Mass Communication and Society | 4 |
| SOC/WGSS 364 | Sociology of the Families | 4 |
| SOC/REL 375 | The Christian Right In America | 4 |
| SOC/AAS 379 | Race and Class in America | 4 |
** THE GRADUATE PROGRAM IN AMERICAN STUDIES IS CURRENTLY ON HIATUS. NO STUDENTS ARE BEING ADMITTED. CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS MAY STILL BE PURSUED**
M.A. in American Studies
A Master of Arts degree in American Studies is offered in the College of Arts and Sciences. Candidates for the master’s degree must complete at least 30 credit hours, 18 of which must be at the 400 level.
| AMST 400 | American Studies: Theory and Method | 3 |
| Methods Course 1 | 3-6 | |
| AMST 490 | Master’s Thesis | 6 |
| Concentration/Track 3 | 12 | |
Environmental Policy Design (EPD) 4, 5, 6 | ||
Gender & Sexuality (WGSS) 4, 7 | ||
Race & Ethnicity (AAS) 4, 8 | ||
Culture & Ideas 9 | ||
Documentary Film 4, 10 | ||
Customized Concentration | ||
| Free Electives 11 | 3-6 | |
| 1 | Choose 1 or 2 methods courses in consultation with advisor/mentor and permission of course instructor needed. Possible courses include SOC 410 Statistics for Sociological Inquiry; SOC 411 Advanced Quantitative Research Methods; SOC 412 Advanced Qualitative Research Methods:POLS 402 Methods Of Policy Analysis; POLS 403 Creativity, Ideas, and Methods in Political Science; POLS 421 Research Methods; PSYC 421 Statistical Analysis of Psychological Data I;HIST 401 Historical Research HIST 438 Techniques in Public History; ENGL 481 Theory and Criticism; ENGL 483 Creative Writing and Literary Studies; EDUC 403 Research;EDUC 405 Qualitative Research Methods; EDUC 408 Introduction to Statistics |
| 2 | Traditional thesis is available but students may also fulfill this requirement through other final project forms such as: documentary film, journal article, internship/Community Fellows placement, exhibit/installation, archive, report. There will be a written and presentation component to all thesis/other final projects. |
| 3 | Choose one in consultation with advisor/mentor. Individualized option is available but student must propose their track with a rationale that will be approved by their advisor and the director. |
| 4 | |
| 5 | |
| 6 | Sample courses include HIST 448 Land Use, Growth Management, and the Politics of Sprawl; SOC 421 Information Ecology; ANTH 352 Environmental Archaeology; ES 431 Public Administration . |
| 7 | Sample courses include WGSS 458 Readings in Gender History; WGSS 450 Seminar in Feminist Theory; SOC 351 Gender and Social Change; WGSS 441 Gender and Health . |
| 8 | Sample courses include HIST 332 Slavery and the American South; SOC 465 Inequalities at Work; HIST 367 Rise and Fall of the Old South; SOC 379 Race and Class in America. |
| 9 | Sample courses include SOC 402 Sociology of Cyberspace; ANTH 376 Culture and the Individual; HIST 328 American Intellectual History since 1900; POLS 435 Power, Persuasion and the American Presidency. |
| 10 | Sample courses include HIST 438 Techniques in Public History; HIST 305 Public History; HIST 337 History and Community Memory; AMST 425 ; AMST 433 Documentary Film Production. |
| 11 | Free electives chosen in consultation with advisor from American Studies approved classes. |
GRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN AFRICANA STUDIES
A Graduate Certificate in Africana Studies is offered in the College of Arts and Sciences. Candidates for the certificate must complete 12 credit hours (4 courses) at the 300-level or above, with no more than 6 credits at the 300-level.
The Graduate Certificate in AAS is designed as a complement to a graduate program (e.g. English, History, Sociology, American Studies, Political Science) or as a standalone post-baccalaureate course of study. The Certificate is a small, flexible program that provides students with breadth and the challenge of working outside their home discipline in concentrated interdisciplinary study of Africana Studies. In recognition of contemporary educational and employment contexts that are increasingly diverse and international, the AAS Program offers the graduate certificate as a means to enrich academic, personal, and employment horizons.
| 4 courses from the list below at the 300-level or above | 12 | |
| with no more than 6 credits at the 300-level | ||
COURSES
Additional courses may be chosen in consultation with the program director.
| Gender, Race and Sexuality: The Social Construction of Differences | ||
| Modernity in the Maghreb | ||
| Keep the Change: Social Movements in Society | ||
| Infections and Inequalities: HIV, TB and Malaria in the Global South | ||
| African-American Literature and Culture | ||
| Globalization and Development in Africa | ||
| Africans and the Atlantic World | ||
| United States and Africa | ||
| Slavery and the American South | ||
| Special Topics in African History and/or Diaspora | ||
| Special Topics in Africana Studies | ||
| Global Africa: Aid, Volunteerism, NGO's and International Studies | ||
| Global Politics of Race: Asia and Africa | ||
| Colonialism and the Black Radical Tradition | ||
| Global Media and Culture | ||
| New Media, Race and Gender | ||
| New Media, Race and Gender | ||
| Seminar on a topic in Africana Studies | ||
| Special Topics in Africana Studies | ||
| Rise and Fall of the Old South | ||
| Social Movements From the 1960s to Present | ||
| Global Politics of Race: Asia and Africa | ||
| Inequalities at Work | ||
| Social Stratification: Race, Class, Gender | ||
| Race, Ethnicity, and Health |
GRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN WOMEN, GENDER & SEXUALITY STUDIES
The Graduate Certificate in WGSS is designed as a complement to a disciplinary graduate program or as a standalone post-baccalaureate course of study. The Certificate is a small, flexible program that provides students with breadth and the challenge of working outside their home discipline in concentrated interdisciplinary study of women and gender. In recognition of contemporary educational and employment contexts that are increasingly diverse and international, the WGSS Program offers the graduate certificate as a means to enrich academic, personal, and employment horizons. A certificate in WGSS will be especially beneficial to those who wish to incorporate a broader perspective into their teaching (either in secondary or higher education), and qualifies them for positions that require such expertise. Additionally, individuals interested in fields such as social policy, human resources, and business will also gain from understanding how gender operates at individual, organizational, and institutional levels. Students will work closely with outstanding faculty from diverse disciplinary backgrounds.
| WGSS 450 | Seminar in Feminist Theory | 3 |
| Select three additional courses 1,2 | 9 | |
| Total Credits | 12 | |
| 1 | 2 courses outside home department (for matriculating students) |
| 2 | No more than 6 credits at the 300-level |
Refer to Women, Gender and Sexuality catalog entry for course listing.
GRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN URBAN ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND PLANNING
| Core Course | 3 | |
| Socio-cultural Foundations of Environmental Policy | ||
| Elective Courses 1 | 9 | |
| Urban Environmental Policy Workshop | ||
| Urban Agriculture Policy, Planning and Practice | ||
| Environmental Justice: From Theory to Practice | ||
| Human-Climate Interactions | ||
| Land Use, Growth Management, and the Politics of Sprawl | ||
| American Environmental Policy | ||
| Advanced Environmental Policy | ||
| Total Credits | 12 | |
| 1 | Additional courses selected in consultation with the program adviser may fulfill program requirements. No more than 6 credits can be taken at the 300 level. |
GRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
| Core Courses | 6 | |
| Socio-cultural Foundations of Environmental Policy | ||
| Foundations of Sustainable Development Practice | ||
| Elective Courses 1 | 6 | |
| Globalization and Development in Africa | ||
| Economic Development | ||
| Urban Agriculture Policy, Planning and Practice | ||
| Human-Climate Interactions | ||
| Ethnobotany: People and Plants | ||
| Social Entrepreneurship: How to Change the World | ||
| Gender and Third World Development | ||
| Land Use, Growth Management, and the Politics of Sprawl | ||
| International Social Entrepreneurship | ||
| Global Health Issues | ||
| The Political Economy of Globalization | ||
| Total Credits | 12 | |
| 1 | Additional courses selected in consultation with the program adviser may fulfill program requirements. No more than 6 credits can be taken at the 300 level. |
GRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN ENVIRONMENTAL LAW & POLICY
| Core Course | 3 | |
| Philosophical-Policy & Legal Design: Methods & Applications | ||
or ES 404 | Socio-cultural Foundations of Environmental Policy | |
| Elective Courses 1 | 9 | |
Select any three of the following: | ||
| Environmental Valuation for Policy Design | ||
| Public Administration | ||
| International Environmental Law & Philosophical-Policy Design | ||
| International Law & Philosophical-Policy Design | ||
| Comparative Environmental Law & Philosophical-Policy Design | ||
| Environmental Justice: From Theory to Practice | ||
| Advanced Environmental Policy | ||
| Seminar: Green Polity | ||
| Human-Climate Interactions | ||
| American Environmental Policy | ||
| Political Economy | ||
| Total Credits | 12 | |
| 1 | Additional courses selected in consultation with the program adviser may fulfill program requirements. No more than 6 credits can be taken at the 300 level. |
Courses
AMST 347 (PHIL 347, REL 347) American Religious Thinkers 3-4 Credits
An examination of the writings of key figures in the history of American religious thought (such as Edwards, Emerson, Bushnell, Peirce, James, Royce, Dewey and the Niebuhrs). Attention will be directed both to the historical reception of these writings and to their contemporary significance.
AMST 400 American Studies: Theory and Method 3 Credits
An introduction to the theoretical orientations and methodological strategies of American Studies. Seminar involves extensive reading as well as application of theory and method to students’ research.
AMST 401 Special Topics in American Studies 1-3 Credits
Graduate seminar focused on one particular subject area in American Culture.
AMST 402 Independent Study 3 Credits
Individually supervised course in the area of American Culture. Consent of the program director required.
AMST 433 Documentary Film Production 3 Credits
An independent study mode of course awarding credit for the production of a 30-minute documentary film that meets two standards: 1) high production value, and 2) scholarly content based on detailed research and driven by critical analysis.
AMST 471 Special Topics 3 Credits
AMST 481 Independent Study 1-3 Credits
AMST 482 Independent Study 1-3 Credits
AMST 490 Master’s Thesis 1-6 Credits
Independent work, with a faculty member, on a single master's thesis or two thesis papers. Topic approved by individual faculty member. Typically taken in the last semester of course work.
Repeat Status: Course may be repeated.
