Admission to the Program

Formal admission to the major requires a grade point average of 2.50 (on a 4.00 scale) in two courses related to the major. 

University Requirements

• A total of 120 credit hours 
• 6 credit hours of college writing 
• 3 credit hours of college mathematics or the equivalent by examination 

General Education Requirements

•  A total of ten courses, consisting of one foundation course and one second-level course in an approved sequence from each of the five curricular areas 
•  No more than 6 credit hours may be taken in the same discipline 

Major Requirements

•  39 credit hours with grades of C or better 

Course Requirements

•  AMST-206 American Dreams/American Lives (3) 
•  AMST-400 Interpreting American Culture (3) 
•  One of the following as a senior project: 

AMST-410 Senior Thesis (3) 

•  AMST-491 Internship in American Studies (3) 
•  9 additional credit hours in American studies (AMST-xxx) courses at the 300 level or above, excluding independent study and internships 
•  21 credit hours of courses focusing on Washington, D.C., the United States, or the United States and the world, selected from at least three departments or programs including American Studies, Anthropology, Art History, History, or Literature, with no more than 9 credit hours taken in the same department.  

University Honors Program

All University Honors students must complete at least 12 credit hours of advanced-level (300-level and above) Honors courses including a 3 to 6 credit hour Honors Senior Capstone Project. Students may graduate with University Honors in the major if they complete at least 12 advanced-level Honors courses including the Senior Capstone Project in the department. Each department has three levels of University Honors requirements: Level I Options (100-200-level Honors classes); Level II Options (300-level and above Honors classes); and Level III Options (Honors Senior Capstone). The department Honors coordinator advises students in the University Honors Program regarding departmental options. For more information, go to www.american.edu/academic.depts/honors/ . 

Combined Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees

American University offers students the opportunity to earn both undergraduate and graduate degrees through its accelerated bachelor’s/master’s programs. Undergraduate students may complete up to 3 credits for every 9 credits required for the graduate degree that may be applied to the requirements for both degree programs.  The department that oversees the graduate program the student enters will determine if the courses the undergraduate student completes will satisfy master’s degree requirements. 

Bachelor’s/master’s students must complete at least 18 in-residence credit hours at the graduate level after the bachelor’s degree is earned and  maintain continuous, sequential enrollment in the two programs. Students must finish the master’s degree requirements within three years from the date of first enrollment in the master’s program.