Graduate Program

Graduate Advisor
Varies, contact department office.

Application Deadlines
Annual: January 15.
NOTE: Early application is recommended. No new applications are accepted after January 15.


Degrees Offered

  • Master of Arts in American Studies (M.A.)
  • Doctor of Philosophy in American Studies (Ph.D.)

The Department of American Studies is committed to the interdisciplinary study of American culture and society as a whole. Besides general courses in American life and thought, six areas of study are offered: Cultural Studies (including folklore and material culture); Southwest Studies; Environmental and Social Justice; Popular Culture; Gender Studies; Race, Class and Ethnicity. Students consult with department faculty to develop individual, interdepartmental programs of study in the humanities and social sciences that focus on these or other significant aspects of American society and thought.


Master of Arts in American Studies

Admission

Applicants to the Master of Arts (M.A.) in American Studies degree program should hold a bachelor’s degree in American Studies or a related field such as Anthropology, Art History, Economics, Education, English, Ethnic Studies, History, Philosophy, Political Science, Sociology, or Women Studies. In making their application, candidates are expected to submit a substantive letter of intent with a clear statement of their American Studies research interests and their goals in pursuing such investigations on a graduate level. Only candidates who show purpose and promise, and whose research needs can be appropriately met, are admitted by a committee of the department faculty.

Program Options

Taking into consideration the experience and purposes of each student, individualized programs are planned to focus in two major areas of interest with supplementary work in other areas.

The M.A. is offered under Plan I (thesis), Plan II (non-thesis), and Plan III (course work only) as described in The Graduate Program section of this Catalog. The master’s program in any case requires an interdisciplinary and interdepartmental grouping of courses for the study of American culture. 

Plan I: completion of at least 27 credit hours of course work in addition to at least six (6) thesis credit hours.
Plan II: completion of a minimum of 33 credit hours of graduate course work culminating in a comprehensive examination.
Plan III: completion of a minimum of 33 credit hours of graduate course work with no final examination or project.

All graduate students must take the following in their first three semesters in the program:

  • AMST 500 – American Culture Study Seminar (in the first fall semester)
  • AMST 501 – Theories and Methods in American Studies (in the first spring semester)
  • AMST 502 – Research Methods Practicum (in the second fall semester)

Students must also take at least four other American Studies seminars during the completion of their M.A. course work.


Doctor of Philosophy in American Studies

Applicants to the doctoral program should should have a background in American Studies or a related field such as Anthropology, Art History, Economics, Education, English, Ethnic Studies, History, Philosophy, Political Science, Sociology, or Women Studies. In making their application, candidates are expected to submit a substantive letter of intent with a clear statement of their American Studies research interests and their goals in pursuing such investigations on a graduate level. Only candidates who show purpose and promise, and whose research needs can be appropriately met, are admitted by a committee of the department faculty.

Requirements

Taking into consideration the experience and purposes of each student, individualized programs are planned to emphasize three major areas of interest with supplementary work in other areas.

At least 48 credit hours of course work are required for the Ph.D.:

  • Required introductory graduate sequence (500, 501, 502): 9 credit hours
  • American Studies graduate seminars (500-level): 18 credit hours
  • Graduate electives (in AMST or interdepartmental): 15 credit hours
  • ​Independent Study in preparation for comprehensive exam: 6 credit hours

Dissertation hours: minimum of 18 credit hours 

Note: Students with an existing M.A. may transfer up to 18 credit hours at the discretion of the department.

Foreign Language

In addition to the course requirements for the doctorate, the American Studies Department language requirement may be fulfilled either through the various options approved by the Office of Graduate Studies or through satisfactory completion of an alternative methodology option to be determined by the student in consultation with the student’s committee on studies and the chairperson of the department.

Examination

The comprehensive examination is taken after completion of course work. It is a written examination, the primary purpose of which is to ascertain the candidate’s ability at synthesizing the subject matter and various methodologies covered during his or her time in the program. Detailed guidelines for the comprehensive examination are available through the department.

Dissertation

The dissertation concerns itself with at least three disciplines in a specific area of American life.


Graduate Minor in American Studies

The declared minor in American Studies is only available to Master’s level students. To complete the minor, students must earn 9 credit hours of 500-level courses (seminars) under Plan I. Under Plan II, students need 12 credit hours of 500-level courses. Under either plan, 1–3 credit hours of Independent Study with a faculty member in American Studies can count toward the minor. AMST 500 is a restricted course and does not apply to the minor.

American Studies graduate students who wish to pursue a minor in another department should do so in consultation with their academic advisor and should contact the other department for specific guidelines for the minor. Faculty members in American Studies may opt to waive their right to serve on a committee of studies outside American Studies. Plan I students may take no more than 9 credit hours of graduate course work in any other single department, and Plan II students may take no more than 15 credit hours of graduate course work in any other single department.


Courses in American Studies (AMST) are categorized in areas of interest. The category for each course appears in parenthesis at the end of the course description according to the following legend:

General (G); Cultural Studies (C); Environmental and Social Justice (ESJ); Gender Studies (GS); Popular Culture (PC); Race, Class and Ethnicity (RCE); and Southwest Studies (SS).


Courses

AMST 182. Introduction to Environmental and Social Justice. (3)



AMST 183. Introduction to Gender Studies. (3)



AMST 184. Introduction to American Popular Culture. (3)



AMST 185. Introduction to Race, Class and Ethnicity. (3)



AMST 186. Introduction to Southwest Studies. (3)



AMST 200. Topics in American Studies. (3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



AMST 201. Introduction to Chicana and Chicano Studies . (3)



AMST 252. The Native American Experience. (3)



AMST 285. Perspectives in American Studies. (3)



AMST 303. Law in the Political Community. (3)



AMST 309 / 509. Topics in Social Movements. (3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



AMST 310 / 510. Topics in Cultural Studies. (3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



AMST 314. Violin Making: Construction and Culture. (3 to a maximum of 15 Δ)



AMST 320. Topics in Environmental and Social Justice. (3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



AMST 321. Science, Nature and Anxiety in the Zombie Films of George Romero. (3)



AMST 330 / 530. Topics in Gender Studies. (3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



AMST 340. Topics in Popular Culture. (3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



AMST 341 / 541. Topics in Film. (3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



AMST 343. Urban Legends. (3)



AMST 344. Growing up Catholic in America. (3)



AMST 345. Religion(s) in the American West. (3)



AMST 346. Religion in New Mexico. (3)



AMST 347. Catholicism in America. (3)



AMST 350 / 550. Topics in Race, Class, Ethnicity. (3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



AMST 351. Blacks in the U.S. West. (3)



AMST 353. Race Relations in America. (3)



AMST 356 / 556. Topics in Native American Studies. (3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



AMST 357 / 557. Topics in African-American Studies. (3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



AMST 358 / 558. Topics in Latino/a Studies. (3)



AMST 360 / 560. Topics in Southwest Studies. (3 to a maximum of 9 Δ)



AMST 363. Chicano/Latino Film. (3)



AMST 385. Theories and Methods of American Studies. (3)



AMST 485. Senior Seminar in the Culture of the United States. (3)



AMST 486. Senior Seminar in Southwest Studies. (3)



AMST 497. Individual Study. (1-3 to a maximum of 9 Δ)



AMST *498. Internship. (1-6)



AMST 499. Honors Thesis. (3)



AMST 500. American Culture Study Seminar. (3)



AMST 501. Theories and Methods in American Studies. (3)



AMST 502. Research Methods Practicum. (3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



AMST 509 / 309. Topics in Social Movements. (3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



AMST 510 / 310. Topics in Cultural Studies. (3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



AMST 511. Social Movements. (3)



AMST 512. Transnational American Studies. (3)



AMST 513. Cultural Politics of Neoliberalism. (3)



AMST 517. Visual Culture. (3)



AMST 519. Topics in Cultural History. (3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



AMST 520. Topics in Environmental and Social Justice. (3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



AMST 523. Environmentalism of the Poor. (3)



AMST 530 / 330. Topics in Gender Studies. (3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



AMST 540. Topics in Popular Culture. (3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



AMST 541 / 341. Topics in Film. (3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



AMST 550 / 350. Topics in Race, Class, Ethinicity . (3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



AMST 552. Colonialism and Decolonization. (3)



AMST 556 / 356. Topics in Native American Studies. (3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



AMST 557 / 357. Topics in African-American Studies. (3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



AMST 558 / 358. Topics in Latino/a Studies. (3)



AMST 560 / 360. Topics in Southwest Studies. (3 to a maximum of 9 Δ)



AMST 597. Individual Study-Master's Degree. (1-3 to a maximum of 3 Δ)



AMST 599. Master's Thesis. (1-6, no limit Δ)



AMST 697. Individual Study. (1-3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



AMST 699. Dissertation. (3-12, no limit Δ)



Course Search:




Keyword Search:

Office of the Registrar

MSC 11 6325
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131

Phone: (505) 277-8900
Fax: (505) 277-6809