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American Studies

Link to a list of faculty for this program.

Contact Information—Department of American Studies, University of Minnesota, 104 Scott Hall, 72 Pleasant Street S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455 (612-624-4190; www.cla.umn.edu/american).

Along with the program-specific requirements listed below, please read the General Information section of this catalog for Graduate School requirements that apply to all major fields.

Curriculum—American studies is an interdisciplinary, interdepartmental program. The American studies graduate faculty consists of American studies core faculty members and graduate faculty members drawn from a wide number of departments. Students develop subfields (understood as a more specific focus of research and teaching) and also pursue broad training in analyzing the development of cultural and historical processes that shaped the nation and its diverse cultures, as well as analyzing contemporary practices.

Prerequisites for Admission—An undergraduate major in a field related to American studies or other preparation acceptable to the Admissions Committee for American studies is required.

Special Application Requirements—American studies admits for graduate study at the Ph.D. level only. Ph.D. students may obtain a M.A. during the course of their studies, but no students are admitted for a terminal M.A. Students entering the Ph.D. program must hold at least a bachelor's level degree from a recognized institution of higher education. The deadline for application to the Department of American Studies is December 1 of the year prior to intended entry. Refer to the Web site for application procedures and additional information.

Key to test abbreviations (GRE, TOEFL, GMAT, MELAB).

For an online application or for more information about Graduate School admissions, see the General Information section in this catalog, or visit the Graduate School Web site.

Courses—Refer to American Studies (AMST) in the course section of this catalog or in Twin Cities Courses on the University Catalog Web site for courses pertaining to the program.

Use of 4xxx Courses—One 4xxx course in American studies, English, history, American Indian studies, or another appropriate program, may be included as one of the seminars to meet course requirements in American studies. As long as a member of the graduate faculty teaches the course, students can register for additional 4xxx courses by contracting to take the course as an AMST 8xxx directed study with appropriate additional coursework.

M.A. Degree Requirements

The master's degree is not designed as a terminal degree and students are not admitted to it. A Ph.D. student may elect to pursue the M.A. All Ph.D. coursework is applicable. Current graduate students seeking to obtain the M.A. should review the information in the current Graduate Handbook on the Web.

Language Requirements—Reading knowledge of one foreign language is required.

Minor Requirements for Students Majoring in Other Fields—For a master's minor, students are expected to choose courses consistent with or complementary to their major. Students should complete either AMST 8201 or 8202 and two more courses in American studies.

Ph.D. Degree Requirements

Ph.D. students must complete the following course distributions: four core American studies courses (Introductory Seminars AMST 8201 and AMST 8202; AMST 8401—Practicum in American Studies; and Dissertation Seminar, AMST 8801); a minimum of three seminars, one of which must require original research; one comparative culture course covering international or non-U.S. topics; and seven adviser-approved courses, at least one of which must focus on American cultural diversity. With adviser approval, any or all of the above listed seminars (except the required core courses) may count toward these seven courses. Twenty-four thesis credits are also required. Ph.D. students may register for 0999 no more than two semesters total without approval from their adviser and the director of graduate studies.

Language Requirements—Reading knowledge of one foreign language is required.

Minor Requirements for Students Majoring in Other Fields—For a doctoral minor, students must complete at least 12 credits of courses consistent with or complementary to their major, including four 5xxx or 8xxx courses in American studies, one of which must be AMST 8201 or AMST 8202.

Faculty

For latest graduate faculty listings, see <www.grad.umn.edu/faculty_rosters/faculty.html>.

Key to membership categories (abbreviations after faculty names).

Regents Professor
Richard D. Leppert, Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature, SM
Elaine Tyler May, SM
Steven Ruggles, History, SM
Eric Sheppard, Geography, SM

Professor
Patricia C. Albers, American Indian Studies, SM
Ronald R. Aminzade, Sociology, SM
W. John Archer, Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature, SM
David O. Born, Preventive Sciences, SM
Timothy Andres Brennan, Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature, ASM
Rose M. Brewer, African American and African Studies, SM
Maria Damon, English, SM
Gail Dubrow, Graduate School, ASM
Penny A. Edgell, Sociology, SM
Donna R. Gabaccia, History, SM
Philip J. Gersmehl, Geography, SM
Edward M. Griffin, English, SM
Karen N. Hoyle, Library Collection, and Preservation (Children’s Literature Research Collections), AM
Mary Jo Kane, Kinesiology, SM
Sally J. Kenney, Public Affairs, SM
Sally G. Kohlstedt, Geology and Geophysics (Science/Technology, History of) SM
Regina Kunzel, Gender Women, and Sexuality Studies, ASM
Alex J. Lubet, Music, SM
Judith A. Martin, Geography-Urban and Regional Planning, SM
Lary L. May, SM
Ellen Messer-Davidow, English, SM
Richa Nagar, Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies, ASM
John D. Nichols, American Indian Studies, SM
David W. Noble, SM
Riv-Ellen Prell, SM
Paula Rabinowitz, English, SM
Harvey B. Sarles, Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature, SM
David E. Wilkins, American Indian Studies, SM
John S. Wright, English, African American and African Studies, SM
Jack D. Zipes, German, Scandinavian, and Dutch, SM

Associate Professor
Lisa Albrecht, School of Social Work, SM
Bruce P. Braun, Geography, SM
Robert "Robin" Brown, Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature, SM
Brenda J. Child, SM
Susan Craddock, Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies, ASM
Jeffrey R. Crump, Design, Housing, and Apparel, SM
Jigna Desai, Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies, ASM
Roderick Ferguson, SM
Kirsten Fischer, History, SM
Vinay Gidwani, Geography, ASM
Ronald Greene, Communication Studies, ASM
Douglas Hartmann, Sociology, SM
Trica Keaton, SM
Erika Lee, History, SM
Josephine D. Lee, English, SM
Richard Lee, Psychology, SM
Patrick McNamara, History, ASM
Louis G. Mendoza, Chicano Studies, SM
Roger P. Miller, Geography, SM
Kevin P. Murphy, History, ASM
Lisa A. Norling, History, SM
Jean M. O'Brien-Kehoe, History, SM
Joanna O'Connell, Spanish and Portuguese, SM
Laurie Ouellette, Communication Studies, ASM
Daniel J. Philippon, English, SM
Jennifer L. Pierce, SM
Gilbert B. Rodman, Communication Studies, ASM
Jani Scandura, English, ASM
Robert B. Silberman, Art History, SM
Katherine M. Solomonson, Architecture, SM
Brian G. Southwell, Journalism and Mass Communications, ASM
Dara Zippora Strolovitch, Political Science, ASM
Eden Torres, Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies, SM
David Treuer, English, ASM
Barbara Welke, History, SM
Michelle M. Wright, English, ASM
Jacquelyn N. Zita, Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies, SM

Assistant Professor
M. Bianet Castellanos, M2
David A. Y. O. Chang, History, M2
Tracey Ann Deutsch, History, M2
Kale Fajardo, M2
Karen Zouwen Ho, M2
Keith A. Mayes, African American and African Studies, M2
Hoon Song, Anthropology,M2
Omise'eke Natasha Tinsley, English, M2
David Valentine, Anthropology, M2

Senior Fellow
Harry C. Boyte, Public Affairs, AM

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