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American Studies Schools and Programs in The United States

56 schools in The United States teach American Studies.

  • Stetson University

    University DeLand, The United States In an official register

    Stetson University is an independent institution of higher learning, established in 1883, operating four colleges and schools across the I-4 corridor in Central Florida. The primary undergraduate campus is located in DeLand, Florida, USA. The Center for International…

American Studies Studies in The United States

American studies is the interdisciplinary study of the society and culture of the United States. It draws on history, literature, sociology, media and the arts instead of a single discipline. The University of Maryland describes its undergraduate programme as an interdisciplinary approach to the cultural complexities of the United States and the people, places, literary and visual arts, ideas and institutions that comprise it.

SpainExchange lists 58 schools in the United States under American studies. Boston has three (Boston University, Suffolk University and Emmanuel College) and St. Louis has two (Saint Louis University and Washington University in St. Louis).

How the degree is organised

According to EducationUSA, the U.S. Department of State's advising network, undergraduate programmes lead to an associate degree (two years) or a bachelor's degree (four years), and graduate programmes lead to a master's or doctoral degree. American studies is mainly a bachelor's major and a graduate field.

  • Bachelor of Arts (BA): usually four years of full-time study. Students take classes in a wide variety of subjects in addition to their major, which is typically declared by the end of the second year. At the University of Maryland in College Park, the American studies major requires 42 credit hours, including four courses in a focus area outside the department, and majors must also reach intermediate level in a foreign language
  • Master of Arts (MA): at the University of Maryland, students complete a minimum of 30 hours of coursework and submit a thesis or a scholarly article.
  • Doctorate (PhD): at the University of Maryland, students who enter with a master's degree take a minimum of 30 hours of courses plus at least 12 hours of dissertation research, and sit three comprehensive examinations

The name and home of the programme vary. At The University of Texas at Austin, American Studies is taught in the Department of Social & Cultural Analysis, which offers undergraduate and graduate programmes. The Department of American Studies at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey emphasises the interdisciplinary study of literature, history, culture and social sciences.

Admission and language

Each university sets its own admission rules; there is no national entrance exam. Teaching is in English, and U.S. universities require an English language proficiency test before admission. Students who first need to improve their English can take a university English programme, such as Global Launch, the English language learning unit of Arizona State University in Tempe.

Each institution reviews an international applicant's previous studies and may ask for a report from a credential evaluation agency.

Students who do not want a full degree can look at short-term options. EducationUSA describes short-term study programmes lasting 12 months or less, including university exchanges, and advises students to ask the international office of their home university about existing exchange agreements.

For a degree programme, international students need a student visa. The F visa is for study at an accredited U.S. college or university. Once a school certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) accepts the student, its international student office issues the Form I-20 used in the visa application.

Costs

Fees are set by each institution. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), average tuition and fees in 2022-23 were $9,800 at public four-year institutions and $40,700 at private non-profit four-year institutions. The figure for public institutions uses the in-state rate, so international students should check the rate that applies to them.

Where to study American studies

Besides the schools in Boston and St. Louis, examples from this directory include The University of Texas at Austin, the University of Maryland in College Park, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey in New Brunswick, Yale University in New Haven, Brown University in Providence, the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and Middlebury College in Middlebury. EducationUSA reminds students that no official ranking of U.S. colleges and universities exists.

Recognition and careers

Recognition of credits and degrees by other institutions and by employers is linked to the institution's accreditation, which can be checked in the databases of the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

American studies does not lead to one profession. The University of Maryland lists internship placements such as the Smithsonian Institution and the U.S. National Archives, and says its MA students pursue careers in media, museums, historic preservation, public history, secondary school teaching and advocacy or policy work. Some of these fields require graduate study: according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), historians typically need at least a master's degree, and archivists, curators and conservators typically need a master's degree in a field related to their position. BLS projects employment growth from 2025 to 2035 of 3% for historians and 4% for archivists, curators and museum workers.

Frequently asked questions

What do you study in American studies?

The culture and society of the United States from several disciplines at once: history, literature, sociology, media and the arts. Students usually add a focus area of their own choice.

How long does a degree in American studies take?

A bachelor's degree usually takes four years of full-time study. EducationUSA describes the master's as a two-year degree and the doctorate as a five to eight-year programme.

Can I study American studies for one semester or one year?

Yes, through short-term programmes or a university exchange. Ask the international office of your home university whether it has an exchange agreement with a U.S. university.