<p>I'm interested in possibly majoring in American Studies during college. Does anyone know of any colleges that are particularly strong in this area?</p>
<p>I don't know how the program actually ranks, but I know people speak reverently of the American Studies honors program at Northwestern. I've personally had the pleasure of taking a class taught by two of the professors in the program and they're both brilliant, accomplished scholars and exceptional pedagogues.</p>
<p>American</a> Studies Program, Northwestern University</p>
<p>Thank you! I had been looking a bit at Northwestern but I didn't know about their programs specifically. It looks great! :)</p>
<p>Why america?</p>
<p>Also look at Lafayette, Hamilton, Rutgers and Grinnell.</p>
<p>Carleton, Yale (I know they have a grad program), Brown, maybe Penn still has one.</p>
<p>I wanted to do American Studies too, but I chose a school that didn't have it. What they had instead, though, was a create your own major option.</p>
<p>
[quote]
What they had instead, though, was a create your own major option.
[/quote]
A lot of schools have this, and it really is a great option, especially if the major you're after is less common.</p>
<p>The American Studies program at William and Mary has a lot to offer: "The American Studies Program enjoys the benefits of collaboration with research centers at William and Mary such as the Institute of Early American History and Culture, and The National Institute of American History and Democracy. It also maintains close ties with local institutions of public history and culture, including Colonial Williamsburg, the Jamestown Yorktown Foundation, and the National Park Service."</p>
<p>W&M</a> American Studies Program | American Studies Program</p>
<p>Part of the campus is in Colonial Williamsburg, so if colonial America is your thing, you'll probably love it here.</p>
<p>Amherst has a wonderful program. My D is an American Studies major at Barnard, which has a very strong major. She is working on legal issues and Constitutional issues, and is now studying American Studies in London with all courses approved by her department. She is eager to see how we are taught across the pond.</p>
<p>Notre Dame also has an American Studies major. There is also an interdisciplinary minor in Journalism, Ethics, and Democracy.</p>
<p>Notre Dame's program reminds me much of American's CLEG program.</p>
<p>Communications, Law, Economics, and Government. Very cool, especially if you can't make up your mind. "American studies" almost seems like a dated term. I haven't heard that in years.</p>
<p>OP: American Studies is really a bogus major. Maybe a history degree with an US focus, or Social Anthro, making American Studies a minor. Grad schools and employers are never impressed by someone spending 4 yrs studying the culture he or she grew up w/. If you go area studies go outside the US-- Asian, Middle Eastern, etc. (Now, I'm sure the American Studies folks will lambast me...)</p>
<p>LACs are going to have great options here.</p>
<p>Charlie's World--I don't know that I would call American Studies a "bogus major," but thank you for the advise because I realized I may have been slightly misinformed. I was under the impression from what one of my teachers told me that American Studies was like a combination of studying US History and American Literature. I looked it up in a couple places and it's based more on social/communications/economic background, which I'm not as interested in. So I may take you up on your advise and consider one of the combinations you suggested. I'm still considering American Studies, though, because the major seems to be slightly different at different colleges. Ideally, I might like to create my own major--like History in relation to Literature or something--can I do that?</p>
<p>To everyone--thank you for the advise! I'm interested in LACs and these look like good colleges to look into!</p>
<p>By the way, Ruggs' guide would be a good place to look. Examples: Amherst, U. Minnesota, Skidmore, Smith, Brandeis, Johns Hopkins...</p>
<p>Poetrygirl, it's not a major, but you might be interested in Northwestern's new freshman initiative, the Kaplan Humanities Scholars program:</p>
<p>kaplanfreshman.northwestern.edu</p>
<p>I'm a scholar, and it sounds like what you're describing fits the program exactly.</p>
<p>The Barnard major is exactly what you describe. D has taken courses mainly in American lit and American history. She needs to write a senior thesis that will integrate these topics.</p>