USC Catalogue: The Schools: USC College of Letters, Arts and Sciences: American Studies and Ethnicity: Undergraduate Degrees

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(beginning to Environmental Studies)

Undergraduate Degrees

American Studies and Ethnicity

American Studies and Ethnicity offers challenging and diverse opportunities to study the peoples, cultures and institutions of the United States in interdisciplinary courses. Combining the study of history with literature, the arts and the social sciences, American Studies seeks to bring together these various disciplines and modes of inquiry in a common project: the effort to understand the diverse peoples and cultures that have composed the United States and to provide critical perspectives on the words, deeds, myths and material practices that have shaped this country in its full regional, ethnic, class and gender diversity. An education in American Studies will be particularly appropriate for students interested in pursuing careers in law, journalism, government, foreign service, social work, international business, public administration and education.

The program in American Studies and Ethnicity is administered by an Advisory Committee comprising a director and two other faculty members, one from the social sciences and the other from the humanities. These faculty members serve as advisors to majors and minors, thus providing, in conjunction with the sequence of courses, a unique opportunity for students to undertake an interdisciplinary concentration under close faculty supervision.

American Studies

Degree: B.A., American Studies and Ethnicity (American Studies)

Program Major Requirements

Ten courses in American Studies or courses certified for American Studies credit are required. The required courses include: ENGL 263 American Literature; HIST 200 The American Experience; AMST 301 America, the Frontier and the New West; AMST 498 Senior Seminar in American Studies.

Students must choose the remaining six courses required for the major from the approved list of American Studies courses and in terms of an area of concentration. Concentrations include: (1) American Cultural and Intellectual Life; (2) American Social and Institutional Life; and (3) Gender and Ethnicity in America. Only one of the six concentration courses can be taken below the 300 level. Of the six concentration courses, no more than three can be taken in one department.

On choosing a major in American Studies, the student must consult with the program chair about the assigned advisor, whom the student will be expected to consult in choosing a series of courses with intellectual coherence and sufficient range and depth. In exceptional cases, a student has the option of structuring his or her own concentration. The rationale for and content of such an individual program must be submitted in writing to the program chair for approval by the program chair and the steering committee.

American Studies Minor

Course Requirements

For the minor in American Studies, 24 units in American Studies and related fields are required. These units must be distributed as follows: ENGL 263; HIST 200; AMST 301 and AMST 498; and two additional courses. These additional courses must be chosen from the courses certified in American Studies, at the 300 level or above.

Students will be required to follow general education requirements.

Concentrations

American Cultural and Intellectual Life		Units
AHIS 370	Modern Art III: 1940 to the Present	4
ARCH 409	American Architecture and Urbanism	4
CTCS 392	History of the American Film, 1925-1950	4
CTCS 393	History of the American Film, 1946-1975	4
CTCS 464	Film and/or Television Genres	4
CTCS 469	Film and/or Television Style Analysis	4
ENGL 440	American Literature to 1865	4
ENGL 441	American Literature, 1865 to 1920	4
ENGL 442	American Literature, 1920 to the Present	4
ENGL 446	African-American Poetry and Drama	4
ENGL 447	African-American Narrative	4
ENGL 448	Chicano and Latino Literature	4
ENGL 451	Periods and Genres in American Literature	4
ENGL 470	Women in English and American Literature after 1800	4
HIST 346	American Intellectual History	4
JOUR 461	Literature of Journalism	4
LING 115	Language, Society, and Culture	4
MUJZ 100x	Jazz, Ragtime, and Blues	4
MUJZ 486	Jazz Masters from World War II to the Present	2
PHIL 425	American Philosophy	4
POSC 375	American Political Thought	4
REL 341	Ethics in a Technological Society	4
REL 461	Business and Society	4
REL 469	Black Religion in America	4
REL 481	History of Religion in America	4

American Social and Institutional Life Units

AMST 357 Latino Social Movements 4

ANTH 105 Culture, Medicine and Politics 4

ECON 348 Current Problems of the American Economy 4

ENGL 441 American Literature, 1865 to 1920 4

ENGL 442 American Literature, 1920 to the Present 4

GEOG 331 Geography of the United States and Canada 4

GEOG 425 Historical Geography of the United States 4

HIST 341 American Social History 4

HIST 356 The Old South 4

HIST 357 The New South 4

HIST 457 The American West 4

HIST 472 History of the Mexican-American 4

JOUR 466 People of Color and the News Media 4

JOUR 467 Gender and the News Media 4

POSC 300 Principles, Institutions, and Great Issues of American Democracy 4

POSC 320 Urban Politics 4

POSC 333 Stigma and Society: Physical Disability in America 4

POSC 334 Interest Groups and Elite Behavior 4

POSC 422 Political Attitudes and Behavior 4

POSC 423 Presidents and the Presidency 4

POSC 425 Legislative Process 4

POSC 435 Politics and the Economy 4

POSC 437 Mass Media and Politics 4

REL 469 Black Religion in America 4

REL 481 History of Religion in America 4

SOCI 331 Cities 4

SOCI 345 Social Institutions 4

SOCI 360 Social Inequality: Class, Status, and Power 4

SOCI 369 The Family in a Changing Society 4

SOCI 435 Women in Society 4

American Social and Institutional Life	Units
AMST 357	Latino Social Movements	4
ANTH 105	Culture, Medicine and Politics	4
ECON 348	Current Problems of the American Economy	4
ENGL 441	American Literature, 1865 to 1920	4
ENGL 442	American Literature, 1920 to the Present	4
GEOG 331	Geography of the United States and Canada	4
GEOG 425	Historical Geography of the United States	4
HIST 341	American Social History	4
HIST 356	The Old South	4
HIST 357	The New South	4
HIST 457	The American West	4
HIST 472	History of the Mexican-American	4
JOUR 466	People of Color and the News Media	4
JOUR 467	Gender and the News Media	4
POSC 300	Principles, Institutions, and Great Issues of American Democracy	4
POSC 320	Urban Politics	4
POSC 333	Stigma and Society: Physical Disability in America	4
POSC 334	Interest Groups and Elite Behavior	4
POSC 422	Political Attitudes and Behavior	4
POSC 423	Presidents and the Presidency	4
POSC 425	Legislative Process	4
POSC 435	Politics and the Economy	4
POSC 437	Mass Media and Politics	4
REL 469	Black Religion in America	4
REL 481	History of Religion in America	4
SOCI 331	Cities	4
SOCI 345	Social Institutions	4
SOCI 360	Social Inequality: Class, Status, and Power	4
SOCI 369	The Family in a Changing Society	4
SOCI 435	Women in Society	4

Gender and Ethnicity in America Units

AMST 357 Latino Social Movements 4

ANTH 315 North American Indians 4

ENGL 446 African-American Poetry and Drama 4

ENGL 447 African-American Narrative 4

ENGL 448 Chicano and Latino Literature 4

ENGL 470 Women in English and American Literature after 1800 4

GEOG 350 Race and Environmentalism 4

HIST 355 The African-American Experience 4

JOUR 466 People of Color and the News Media 4

JOUR 467 Gender and the News Media 4

LING 375 Sociolinguistics 4

POSC 333 Stigma and Society: Physical Disability in America 4

POSC 381 Sex, Power, and Politics 4

POSC 421 Ethnic Politics 4

POSC 427 Black Politics in the American Political System 4

REL 469 Black Religion in America 4

SOCI 342 Race Relations 4

SOCI 360 Social Inequality: Class, Status, and Power 4

SOCI 435 Women in Society 4

SWMS 301 Introduction to Feminist Theory and the Women's and Men's Movements 4

SWMS 364 Racial and Ethnic Women in America 4

Gender and Ethnicity in America		Units
AMST 357	Latino Social Movements	4
ANTH 315	North American Indians	4
ENGL 446	African-American Poetry and Drama	4
ENGL 447	African-American Narrative	4
ENGL 448	Chicano and Latino Literature	4
ENGL 470	Women in English and American Literature after 1800	4
GEOG 350	Race and Environmentalism	4
HIST 355	The African-American Experience	4
JOUR 466	People of Color and the News Media	4
JOUR 467	Gender and the News Media	4
LING 375	Sociolinguistics	4
POSC 333	Stigma and Society: Physical Disability in America	4
POSC 381	Sex, Power, and Politics	4
POSC 421	Ethnic Politics	4
POSC 427	Black Politics in the American Political System	4
REL 469	Black Religion in America	4
SOCI 342	Race Relations	4
SOCI 360	Social Inequality: Class, Status, and Power	4
SOCI 435	Women in Society	4
SWMS 301	Introduction to Feminist Theory and the Women's and Men's Movements	4
SWMS 364	Racial and Ethnic Women in America	4

Catalogue 2005-06