American Studies provides a broad framework for the exploration of the people, places, society, and culture of the United States. The field accomplishes this by appropriating ideas and methodologies from one discipline and applying them to another, and by transcending established boundaries among disciplines to create a new structure that combines traditional values and new visions. The program incorporates fieldwork research experiences, collaborative exploration, and public presentation.

American Studies is a highly selective major requiring intellectual independence and maturity. If you wish to be considered for admission to the major, you must write a short essay explaining your goals, developing the six-course plan you will follow, and detailing the trajectory of your course of study.