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Professors J.M. Vlach, R.W. Longstreth, J.A. Miller (Chair), P.M. Palmer
Associate Professors T.A. Murphy, M. McAlister, C. Heap, T. Guglielmo
Assistant Professors J.K. Kosek, S. Osman, E. Pena, E. Anker
Professorial Lecturers R.D. Wagner, O. Ridout, F. Goodyear
Master of Arts in the field of American studies—Prerequisite: the degree of Bachelor of Arts in American studies or a related field.
Required: the general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences. The program requires 36 credit hours, including AmSt 201, at least two research seminars, and 27 additional credits of courses pertaining to the study of American culture.
Master of Arts in the field of American studies with concentration in folklife—Prerequisite: the degree of Bachelor of Arts in American studies or a related field.
Required: the general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences. Course work in this 36-credit degree program emphasizes the expressive culture of American folk societies and theories and methods for their evaluation and interpretation. AmSt 201, 256, and 257 are required, along with at least two designated research seminars and 21 additional credits of courses pertaining to the study of American culture. Courses in topics related to folklife, such as regionalism, oral history, material culture, vernacular architecture, and social and cultural history are recommended.
Master of Arts in the field of American studies with concentration in historic preservation—Prerequisite: the degree of Bachelor of Arts with a course in American architectural history.
Required: the general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences. Course work in this 36-credit degree program focuses on interpreting issues in historic preservation through a humanistic framework. AmSt 201, at least one designated research seminar, and at least 6 additional credits of general American studies courses are required, along with at least 18 credits of historic preservation courses, including AmSt 277—78. With departmental approval, students may undertake an optional thesis (AmSt 299—300) for 6 credit hours. A comprehensive examination in historic preservation is required.
Master of Arts in the field of American studies with concentration in museums and material culture—Prerequisite: the degree of Bachelor of Arts in American studies or a related field.
Required: the general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences. Course work in this 36-credit degree program, offered in association with the Smithsonian Institution, emphasizes the use of artifacts in historical research. AmSt 201 and 250 are required, along with at least two designated research seminars and 24 additional credits of courses pertaining to the study of American culture. Courses in decorative arts, architectural history, historical archaeology, history of technology, history of art, and folklife are recommended. Programs specific to museum studies and museum education are also available.
Doctor of Philosophy in the field of American studies—This program combines work in the humanities and/or social sciences as preparation for careers in a range of institutions, including universities, museums, archives, libraries, preservation offices, and related public and private enterprises. Applicants are required to have an adequate background in the humanities and/or social sciences as they apply to the understanding of American studies.
Required: the general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences. All students must take AmSt 201, at least two designated research seminars, and at least one theory course approved by the advisor. Candidates must pass a General Examination in three areas, to be taken over the course of one month, by the end of the third year from matriculation. The three fields are elected with approval of the advisory committee and should constitute a coherent, interdisciplinary program of study; one field may be devoted to the comparative study of a non-U.S. culture.
With permission, a limited number of 100-level courses in the department may be taken for graduate credit; additional course work is required. See the Undergraduate Programs Bulletin for course listings.
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| 201 |
Seminar: Scope and Methods in American Studies (3) |
Murphy, McAlister |
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Consideration of American studies as an area for research and teaching; introduction to bibliography. Required of candidates for the degree of Master of Arts in the field of American studies. (Fall) |
| 226 |
Theories and Practices in the Study of Media (3) |
McAlister, Anker |
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Examination of theories and methods in the study of media and popular culture; case studies explore specific issues related to cultural products such as film, television, music, and the Internet. |
| 232 |
Cultural Theory and American Studies (3) |
McAlister |
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Major issues in critical and cultural theory as they relate to American culture. Various interpretive approaches including discourse analysis, cultural studies, new historicism, anthropological theory, etc. Prerequisite: AmSt 231 or permission of instructor. (Spring, alternate years) |
| 244—45 |
Gender, Sexuality, and American Culture (3—3) |
Staff |
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The changing social organization, cultural representation, and meaning of gender and sexuality in the United States, with emphasis on their relationship to race, class, region, nationality, empire, and globalization. AmSt 244: pre-Columbian settlement to 1876; AmSt 245: 1877 to present. Same as Hist 244—45. |
| 256 |
Folklore Theory (3) |
Vlach |
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An intellectual history of American folklore research; analysis of particular theories and methods. Same as Anth 296. (Spring) |
| 257 |
Seminar: American Folklife (3) |
Vlach |
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Research and discussion on the traditional cultures of various geographical regions of the United States. Analysis of folk art, craft, and architecture; regional and ethnic identities. Same as Anth 297. (Fall) |
| 259 |
Topics in American Folklife (3) |
Staff |
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A seminar devoted to a variety of subjects related to folklore and folklife, such as public folklore policy, folk music, or ethnic folklore and culture. Specific topic to be determined by the interests of available faculty and the needs of the folklife program. |
| 262 |
The United States in a Global Context (3) |
McAlister |
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Analysis of the cultural constructions of the nation and international power, comparing the context of the 18th and 19th century, European colonialism, and U.S. expansion in the 20th century. The role of literature and mass media in furthering the logic of globalization. Readings are both theoretical and historical. |
| 268 |
Readings in American Cultural History (3) |
Staff |
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Studies in the cultural history of the United States, focusing on major historiographic debates and interventions. Examples of possible topics include cultural contact, the public sphere, and systems of religious and political belief. Same as Hist 268. (Alternate years) |
| 269 |
Religion and American Culture (3) |
Kosek |
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Interdisciplinary analysis of religious beliefs, practices, and representations in the United States, as well as intersections of the religious and the secular. Relationships of religion to race, gender, capitalism, science, mass media, and material culture. Same as Hist 269. |
| 270 |
Theory and Practice of Public History (3) |
Staff |
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Theoretical and practical dimensions of public history, as illustrated by recent controversies surrounding public exhibitions and debates on revisionist history as well as more traditional means of presenting the past in public forums. Same as Hist 270. |
| 271 |
Race in America (3) |
Guglielmo |
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Interdisciplinary analysis of the history of race and its changing political, social, and cultural meanings in the United States. Transnational racial formations, struggles for and against civil rights, multiracialism, and interracialism. Same as Hist 271. |
| 272 |
American Social Movements (3) |
Guglielmo |
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The history of social movements in the United States, with emphasis on civil rights, feminism, conservatism, and labor in local, national, and transnational contexts; the historical rise and fall of these movements and their larger impact on American life. Same as Hist 272. |
| 273 |
Readings on Women in American History (3) |
Harrison |
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Same as Hist 273/WStu 273. |
| 275 |
The Politics of Historic Preservation (3) |
Staff |
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Overview of the political issues, forces, events, and players that have shaped contemporary preservation practice, with an emphasis on public policy issues that have not been resolved and continue to confront preservation objectives. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. (Spring) |
| 276 |
Economics of Preservation (3) |
Wagner |
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Analysis of economic techniques and benefits used to encourage the retention and reuse of historic buildings and districts in the United States. Emphasis on revitalization of older commercial centers and the Mainstreet program. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. (Spring) |
| 277—78 |
Historic Preservation: Principles and Methods (3—3) |
Longstreth |
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The scope and purpose of the preservation movement in the United States, with focus on developments since the 1960s. Preservation theories, attitudes toward the past and toward design, the intent and impact of legislation, approaches to documentation, the concept of significance, and preservation as an instrument of change. Same as Hist 277—78. (Academic year) |
| 280 |
Field Methods in Architectural Documentation (3) |
Ridout |
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In-depth thematic examination of cultural landscape, focusing on field techniques for recording, analysis, and interpretation of historic properties. Work at field sites is supplemented by lectures, discussion, and readings. (Fall) |
| 281 |
Cityscapes (3) |
Osman |
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Interdisciplinary examination of the American city, including urban theory, history, planning, architecture, urban politics, and cultural representations of the city. Same as Hist 281. |
| 282 |
Seminar in American Architecture (3) |
Longstreth |
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Advanced research problems addressing artistic, cultural, social, technical, and urbanistic aspects of American architecture in the 19th and 20th centuries. Topics vary. Prerequisite: AmSt 175 or 176 or equivalent, or permission of instructor. (Spring, alternate years) |
| 286 |
Interpretation in the Historic House Museum (3) |
Stapp |
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Same as Educ 286. |
| 287 |
U.S. Urban History (3) |
Heap, Osman |
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History of American urban life and culture from the Colonial era to the present, focusing on the transitions from pre-industrial to industrial and post-industrial forms, the social and spatial configuration of U.S. cities, and the urban politics of race, class, and gender. Same as Hist 287. |
| 289 |
Topics in American Studies (3) |
Staff |
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May be repeated for credit provided the topic differs. |
| 290 |
Research Seminar in American Studies (3) |
Staff |
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May be repeated for credit provided the topic differs. |
| 294 |
Historical Archaeology Field Program (3) |
Staff |
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Same as Anth 213. |
| 295 |
Independent Study (arr.) |
Staff |
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Limited to master’s and doctoral candidates. Written permission of instructor required. |
| 299—300 |
Thesis Research (3—3) |
Staff |
| 398 |
Advanced Reading and Research (arr.) |
Staff |
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Limited to students preparing for the Doctor of Philosophy general examination. May be repeated for credit. |
| 399 |
Dissertation Research (arr.) |
Staff |
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Limited to Doctor of Philosophy candidates. May be repeated for credit. |
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Courses Offered in Affiliation with the Smithsonian Institution
Columbian College of Arts and Sciences is affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution’s American Studies Program. The following courses are offered at the Smithsonian Institution.
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| 250 |
American Material Culture (3) |
Mayo |
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Opportunities for research and publication based on historical objects in the collections of the Smithsonian Institution. |
| 251 |
Museum Research and Education (3) |
Mayo |
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Work or study under the direction of Smithsonian staff members and research associates—topics include museum visitor behavior, costumes and furnishings, decorative arts, and photography as historical documentation. |
| 252—53 |
American Decorative Arts (3—3) |
Staff |
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Recognition and evaluation of domestic artifacts from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. |
| 284 |
Seminar: Studies in American Art and History (3) |
Goodyear |
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Selected problems and themes in American cultural history involving the use of artistic materials in different media; emphasis on methodology and analytic techniques. May be repeated for credit. Same as AH 255. |
