Administrative Committee: Professors Albers (Theology), Feaster (English), Janke (Geography and Meteorology), Sponberg (English); Associate Professors Kilpinen (Geography and Meteorology), Morgan (Christ College), Ruff (English); Assistant Professors Bond (English, Chair), Pardoe (History).

Students completing the Program in American Studies will have fulfilled major field requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree under the Interdisciplinary Program Option.

Objectives. The Program in American Studies offers the undergraduate student an opportunity to study the whole civilization of the United States--its fundamental ideas, institutions and symbolic expressions as these have developed over time. This common subject matter is examined through a variety of methods and materials that reach across traditional disciplines. The student must, therefore, become familiar with the approaches of the social sciences, the fine arts, and the humanities as these bear on the subject of American civilization. By drawing together these different perspectives, American Studies enables students to attain a broad vision of the civilization, while deepening their understanding of what is both unique and universal about the United States.

Resources. Valparaiso University has special resources for the student in American Studies. Among these are the Library of American Civilization, containing more than 15,000 volumes of American materials on microfiche; the Sloan Art Gallery, and the Washington Semester Program (page 12), which allows students to spend a semester in Washington, D.C., and intern at such institutions as the National Archives and the Smithsonian.

Program Requirements. A minimum of 48 credit hours in courses approved by the Administrative Committee. Courses must include the 24 credit hours designated in the Program Core and an additional 24 credit hours selected from the list of approved elective courses. The student and the Chair of the Committee, who is adviser for all students in the Program, may select courses that fulfill individual academic or career objectives. Courses not included in the list of approved electives may be substituted in some instances if they are approved by the Chair of the Committee. Students are encouraged to undertake independent study projects.

Honors Work may be undertaken in American Studies with appropriate approval. Students should register for AMST 497: Honors Work in American Studies, and 498: Honors Candidacy in American Studies (see page 52).

Area Minor in American Studies. A student fulfilling major field requirements under a Major Option may present an area minor in American Studies for the required minor. Requirements for the minor are a minimum of 24 credit hours approved by the Committee on American Studies. Courses must include at least 12 credit hours selected from the Program Core. The remaining credit hours are selected from the list of approved elective courses.

Program Core
ART 320 American Painting or ART 321 American Art and Architecture 3 Cr.
ENGL 401 American Literature I 3 Cr.
ENGL 402 American Literature II 3 Cr.
HIST 220 The American Experience to 1877 3 Cr.
HIST 221 The American Experience in the Modern World 3 Cr.
POLS 120 Government of the U.S. 3 Cr.
THEO 324 Christianity in America 3 Cr.
AMST 495 Independent Study 3 Cr.

Elective Courses
ART 311 Modern Art since 1945 3 Cr.
CC 300 Seminar-Modern American Social Thought 3 Cr.
CC 300 Seminar-Dorothy Day and James Agee 3 Cr.
ECON 233 The Economics of Race and Gender. 3 Cr.
ECON 360 Economic History of the U.S. 3 Cr.
ENGL 365 Studies in American Literature. 3 Cr.
ENGL 390 Topics in Literature 3 Cr.
    Note: the Department of English offers courses under both 365 and 390 that are applicable to the American Studies
    Program. Recent offerings include The Novel of Social Criticism in American, American Literary Realism, and Fiction
    by American Women.
GEO 274 North American Indian on Film 3 Cr.
GEO 301 Regional Geography: United States and Canada 3 Cr.
GEO 474 Historical Geography of the U.S. 3 Cr.
HIST 225 Racial Minorities and Mainstream America 3 Cr.
HIST 321 The American Revolution, 1763-1789 3 Cr.
HIST 322 Slavery, Abolitionism and Sectionalism, 1815-1860 3 Cr.
HIST 323 Civil War and Reconstruction. 3 Cr.
HIST 324 Depression and War: The United States, 1929-1945 3 Cr.
HIST 325 The Age of Anxiety: United States Since 1945 3 Cr.
HIST 390 Topics in History 3 Cr.
HIST 394 Beats and Hippies 3 Cr.
HIST 492 Reading and Discussion Seminar 2-3 Cr.
HIST 493 Research Seminar 3 Cr.
    Note: The Department of History frequently offers seminars under 390, 492 (see above) and 493 that are applicable
    to the American Studies Program. Recent offerings include Slavery in the Americas, History of the American South,
    American Environmentalism, Pearl Harbor, American Immigration History.
PHIL 290 Philosophical Topics: American Philosophy 3 Cr.
POLS 220 State and Local Politics in the U.S. 3 Cr.
POLS 320 Problems in State and Local Politics 3 Cr.
POLS 325 Problems in American Politics 3 Cr.
POLS 326 The Presidency. 3 Cr.
POLS 327 Congress. 3 Cr.
POLS 340 Constitutional Law I. 3 Cr.
POLS 341 Constitutional Law II. 3 Cr.
POLS 355 Problems in Political Philosophy: American Democratic Thought. 3 Cr.
SOCW 330 Vulnerable Populations 3 Cr.
SOC 325 Urban Sociology. 3 Cr.
SOC 347 Race and Ethnic Relations. 3 Cr.
SOC 390 Issues in Sociology: American Study topics. 3 Cr.
THTR 337 American Theatre 3 Cr.
THEO 320 Topics in Christian History: History of Lutherans in America 3 Cr.
THEO 368 Native American Religions 3 Cr.

AMST 495. Independent Study.
Cr. 3. An independently supervised course of study taken under the direction of a member of the Administrative Committee on American Studies usually during the student's senior year. Students are expected to produce a major paper that reflects intensive reading and research in an area pertaining to American culture and to employ the interdisciplinary methods characteristics of American Studies as a field. Before registering for this course students must submit a prospectus to the Administrative Committee for approval. Required for majors.

AMST 497. Honors Work in American Studies.
Cr. 3. See Honors Work, page 52.

AMST 498. Honors Candidacy in American Studies.
Cr. 3. See Honors Work, page 52.