Undergraduate

Why major in American Studies?

Our undergraduate major can help you find your voice, galvanize your interests, and explore the vast array of interdisciplinary resources available at Indiana University. You’ll find a campus home within an inviting department where faculty are committed to helping you develop your expertise and practical skills.

Engaged & Engaging

Our department uses dynamic interdisciplinary methods to examine the United States of America and the larger Americas. We help you understand, analyze, and participate in ideas and methods from across the humanities and social sciences, practicing a form of engaged citizenship.

A Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in American Studies gives you the skills to critically analyze historical, political, social, and cultural dimensions of the Americas. This comparative approach enables you to differentiate between and use methodologies from various disciplines. You learn to examine issues from multiple perspectives, to pay attention to the distribution of power and privilege, and to hone your own arguments on the basis of research.

While focused on the Americas, we use a transnational approach that teaches you to situate the United States in a global context. Your teachers are experts in a variety of fields, trained in a wide range of disciplines. You have the opportunity to create a path through your coursework that zeros in on issues and ideas that are most compelling to you.

We also offer a minor in American Studies that pairs well with other subject areas. Our interdisciplinary minor in Native American and Indigenous Studies represents a subfield of our department.

We are part of the College of Arts + Sciences

A degree in American Studies provides students with the foundational skills of a liberal arts education, which are prized by employers and vital to a 21st-century career.

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Preparation for a meaningful career

Your degree will provide you with a diverse set of skills and knowledge, preparing you for a variety of work environments. We offer and encourage participation in internships.

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