Academic Catalogs

American Studies, Associate of Arts Degree

Banner Code: 3_AA_AMST

Control Number: 18051

Financial Aid Eligible


This interdisciplinary major is designed to provide students with an integrated understanding of American society, history, and culture. More than 300 colleges and universities in the United States offer American Studies programs. They approach American culture from many directions but have in common the desire to view the United States as a whole rather than from the perspective of a single discipline. Students who have graduated from four-year universities with American Studies degrees have gone onto work as lawyers, librarians, business leaders, writers, archivists, researchers, teachers, and politicians.

Program Level Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, students will be able to:

  1. Apply perspectives from a variety of disciplines to develop an understanding of American culture, past and present, and its impact upon both the peoples of the United States and those outside its borders.
  2. Critically evaluate historical sources, literature, art, film, music, or other types of cultural or intellectual expressions in terms of their relevance to the American experience.

Review Graduation Requirements and General Education

Course Title Units
Required Core
Select a minimum of 18 units from at least five different disciplines:18
Aging in a Multicultural Society
Contemporary Art History
Interpersonal Communication
Fundamentals of Human Communication
Public Speaking
Intercultural Communication
Economic Issues and Policy
Asian American and Transpacific Literature
Black Voices: Introduction to African American Literature
American Literature: The Short Story
American Literature through the Civil War
American Literature 1865 to Present
Introduction to Ethnic Studies
History of Ethnic Minorities in the United States
History of Ethnic Minorities in the United States
Racial and Ethnic Relations in America
Racial and Ethnic Relations in America
California Geography
History of American Women
Chicano History
History of California
United States History to 1876
United States History since 1876
Cultural Competence in Health & Social Services
History and Appreciation of the Cinema
Introduction to Mass Communications
History of Rock Music
History of Jazz
Ethics
Survey of Current Issues
American Government
Dating, Relationships, and Marriage
Analysis of Social Problems
Units Required for Major 18
Local General Education, CSU General Education, or IGETC patternVaries
Electives to satisfy unit requirementVaries
Total Units60