What does it mean (for a person, place, or thing) to be American?
AMS addresses this question by investigating the diverse cultures of those groups and individuals who live within and across the shifting borders of the United States and the Americas. Faculty who teach in AMS represent a wide range of disciplinary and interdisciplinary fields, including history, anthropology, literature, cultural studies, film studies, sociology, ethnic studies, and gender studies. By exploring these fields in an interdisciplinary manner, students will gain the knowledge and tools necessary to understand and analyze the complex patterns of meaning that shape and transform American culture and the definition of what it means to be "American."
Graduating AMS students are ideally equipped to enter various professional fields and graduate programs, working within community-based organizations, and/or pursuing further interdisciplinary graduate education in the arts, humanities, and social sciences.
Classes in this option are offered primarily during day time hours.
I came to UW Bothell specifically for the American Studies option because the program combined my academic interests in history, film, literature, and culture. The interdisciplinary coursework helps to form the natural learning community I found at UW Bothell. These courses have challenged me to explore my own identity.Bethany Rickard Class of 2008
Bruce Burgett, Colin Danby, Michael Goldberg, David Goldstein, Kanta Kochhar-Lindgren, Kari Lerum, Bill Seaburg, Linda Watts
While there are no official requirements, students choosing this degree option will find it helpful to have completed college coursework in American history, culture, and/or social structures.
