The Program in American Studies is designed for the purpose of studying the culture of the United States from an interdisciplinary perspective. Required courses in history, literature, and government provide students with a strong base from which to build individualized programs according to their own interests and needs. The majority of courses taken in the program are chosen from among offerings of the traditional academic departments. The specific American Studies courses which are offered use an approach which crosses conventional departmental boundaries, studying a topic or time period from several different perspectives, such as sociological, literary, or historical. In this way, students begin to synthesize knowledge acquired from separate academic disciplines and gain a better understanding of the complex culture of the United States.

Students in the program are required to take at least one course in minority or ethnic issues, such as Eng 237 , Eng 337 or His 250, His 350.