American Studies (Minor)

American Studies (Minor)
American Studies

What is American studies?

The American studies minor is the interdisciplinary study of the traditions, institutions, history and culture of the United States in all its varied aspects. You’ll explore historical periods, art, politics, religion, popular culture,mass media and other features of American life. You’ll be able to focus on a historical period or a topic such as race, ethnicity, gender or class, as well as regional studies,or urban and rural environments. Students can use a minor in American studies to enhance their opportunities for careers in communication, law or sociology, or to prepare for graduate-level study.

Why study American studies at UNH?

At UNH, the American studies minor is an individualized program that will allow you to work with faculty from several different departments. You can choose a topic that interests you and build your coursework around it. Resources are available from the Hamel Center for Undergraduate Research for independent research, and you’ll be encouraged to participate in the annual Undergraduate Research Conference, featuring the scholarly and creative research of more than1,800 undergraduate students from all academic disciplines.

Potential career areas

  • Educational programming
  • Journalism
  • Law
  • Marketing
  • Museum administration
  • Politics
  • Social work
  • Teaching
  • Writing
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Curriculum & Requirements

American studies is the interdisciplinary examination of American life and culture at regional, national, and international scales. It integrates perspectives from a wide variety of disciplines, including history, English, communications, political science, geography, sociology and the arts.

At UNH, the American studies minor is an individualized program of study that allows each student to choose from a broad range of courses offered by several different departments that best match their interests and needs. It is intended to encourage students with particular interests in the United States to develop those interests and learn more about the country from a variety of perspectives.

Students must complete five courses approved to satisfy minor requirements as follows:

  • At least one course must concentrate on issues of race, gender, or ethnicity.
  • No more than three courses may be at the 400 or 500 level.
  • No more than two courses may be taken offered by the same department.

Students must earn a C- or better and maintain a 2.0 grade point average in all courses taken to complete the minor.

Approved Courses
ANTH 697Special Topics4
ARTH #693American Art4
CMN 505Analysis of Popular Culture4
CMN 607Persuasion in American Politics4
ENGL 738Asian American Studies4
ENGL #739American Indian Literature4
HIST 405History of Early America4
HIST 406History of the Modern United States4
HIST 410Historic Survey of American Civilization4
HIST 600Explorations4
HIST 603European Conquest of North America4
HIST 611Civil War Era4
HIST 613American Ways of War4
HIST 618American Environmental History4
HIST 620Foreign Relations of the United States4
ITAL 444AItalians Come to America: Representing Emigration and Immigration on Both Sides of the Atlantic4
MUSI 405Survey of Music in America4
POLT 402American Politics and Government4
POLT 403United States in World Affairs4
POLT 500American Public Policy4
POLT 508Supreme Court and the Constitution4
POLT 523American Political Thought4
RMP 511Issues of Wilderness and Nature in American Society4
THDA 450History of Musical Theatre in America4
WS 405Gender, Power and Privilege4

Explore Program Details

American Studies is the interdisciplinary study of United States culture in all its varied aspects. Students learn to connect history, art, politics, religion, popular culture, literature, and other features of American life and to examine both the differences and the similarities among, for example, different racial and ethnic groups, historical periods, and media. Students may wish to focus their coursework in the minor around a particular topic, either chronologically or thematically. Examples include but are not limited to: a specific historical period (for example, the twentieth century); race, ethnicity, gender, or class in America; popular culture; the arts; Native American studies; regional studies; urban, rural, and natural environments; or, American institutions (such as education, sports, religion).

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