Study of the Americas
Albanese, Berroa, Bergmann, Beyer, Black, L.A. Brown, L.P. Brown, Brunette, Burr, Carr, J.R. Censer, J.T. Censer, Cheng, K. Clark, R. Clark, Cohen, Cruz, Dennis, Diner, Dumont, ffolliott, Fonseca, Forche, Foreman, Francescato, Fuchs, Gilbert, Giles, Gortner, Hammond, Harsh, Henry, Hodges, Horton, Irvine, Irving, Jacobs, Kelso, Klappert, Knight, Lancaster, Lankford, Lavine, Levine, Lipset, Lont, Mellander, Meyer, Mobley, Moylan, Nadeau, O'Connor, O'Malley, Pacheco, Palkovich, Pfiffner, Rabin, Rader, Ricouart, Rosenblum, Rosenzweig, Ruth, Seligmann (Director), P. Smith, S. Smith, Stewart, Taylor, Todd, Travis, Walker, Warner, Wilkins, Wood, Yocom, Zagarri, Zambrana
The Study of the Americas Program faculty offers all course work designated STAM in the Course Descriptions section of this catalog.
The Study of the Americas undergraduate major focuses on the diverse yet connected regions, societies, cultures, and peoples of the Americas. The major culminates in the conferral of the B.A. degree in the Study of the Americas (with a designated regional concentration in Canadian, Caribbean, Latin American, United States, or Comparative Western Hemisphere Studies).
As an interdisciplinary program, the Study of the Americas Program strongly encourages its students to pursue a double major: combining a major in the Study of the Americas with a major from one of the departments that cooperates closely with the program (Art Studio, Art History, Biology, Communication, Economics, English, Modern and Classical Languages, Geography and Earth Systems Science, History, Philosophy and Religious Studies, Psychology, Public and International Affairs, Sociology and Anthropology, and Theater). The program also encourages its students to pursue one of the interdisciplinary minors available within the College of Arts and Sciences (African American Studies, Film and Media Studies, Urban and Suburban Studies, Women's Studies). Students can usually fulfill the requirements for these options with the minimum 120 hours required for all College of Arts and Sciences degrees.
Because of its highly individualized plan of study, the program requires its majors to work closely with a designated faculty adviser. New majors should meet with the program director as soon as possible to arrange for an adviser. Majors should then meet with their advisers to choose their regional concentration and plan their integrated course of study.
The Study of the Americas major requires a minimum of 120 hours of university course work. All students must satisfy requirements for the B.A. degree at the university and requirements for a major in the Study of the Americas. The major requires 36 hours divided as follows:
- STAM 303 and STAM 304 (six hours): a two-semester introduction to the history of the Americas and the methodologies of studying the Americas.
- Two history courses (six hours) related to the student's regional concentration:
- Canadian concentration: HIST 379, and one course chosen with approval of the faculty adviser.
- Latin American and Caribbean concentrations: HIST 271-272.
- U.S. concentration: HIST 121-122.
- Comparative Western Hemisphere concentration: six hours chosen with approval of the faculty adviser (possible courses include HIST 121, 122, 271, 379, or other courses approved by the faculty adviser).
- One foreign language course (three hours) beyond the level required for the degree requirement. The language should relate to the student's regional concentration and must be chosen with the approval of the faculty adviser. A foreign language literature course in translation may be used to satisfy this requirement with the approval of the faculty adviser.
- Four STAM courses (12 hours) or their equivalents (with approval of the faculty adviser and center director) in the student's regional concentration. All four courses must be at the 300 level or above.
- Two STAM elective courses (six hours) or their equivalents (with approval of the faculty adviser and center director) in an area other than the student's regional concentration. Both courses must be at the 300 level or above.
- STAM 410 Senior Seminar (three hours): a capstone seminar in which students investigate a topic (chosen by the professor teaching the course) in the light of their individual area of interest within their regional concentration. Each student is required to complete a research project that results in a senior paper of approximately 25 pages. The seminar is only offered in the spring semester, and students should plan their schedules accordingly.
Note: Within each regional concentration, the student, in consultation with the faculty adviser, is encouraged to develop an area of interest that connects the six courses. Possible interest areas include African American studies; Appalachian studies; class, society, and culture; cultural studies; film and media studies; ecological studies; ethnography and everyday life; fine arts of the Americas; folklore and folklife; gay/lesbian/bisexual studies; gender, sexuality, society, and culture; history and art; history and literature; history and politics; historic preservation; literature of the Americas; migration; Native American studies; politics and culture; politics and economics; politics and government; politics and mass media; political activism and movements; popular culture of the Americas; postcolonial studies; race, society, and culture; technology and culture; urban and suburban studies; visual studies; and women's studies.
A minor in the Study of the Americas requires a minimum of 18 semester hours. All students take STAM 303, 304, and 490.
In addition students take three of the following: STAM 310, 320, 330, 340, or 401.
Two of the courses should be in the same regional concentration. The third may be in a different regional area. Different subtopics are offered each semester. For more information, contact the director of the Study of the Americas Program.
The general education requirements (with the exception of foreign language) for the B.A. degree are satisfied by successful completion of the Program for Alternative General Education (PAGE). See the PAGE section in this catalog. Also, contact the PAGE office for sample schedules for Study of the Americas majors. PAGE courses will be available through May 1998.
The university requires all students to complete at least one course designated "writing intensive" in their majors at the 300 level or above. Student majoring in the Study of the Americas will fulfill this requirement by successfully completing STAM 303, 304, and 410.
Majors are encouraged to take at least three credits in internship work on a project that is related to their regional concentration (and that will apply to the four-course concentration). Internships are possible with Congress and local governments, community organizations, environmental organizations, foundations, government and nongovernment agencies, human rights organizations, international business organizations, labor unions, legal organizations, libraries, media organizations, museums, political parties, public interest organizations, publications, and religious organizations.
An internship semester is also possible: three credits will apply to the four-course concentration; the rest will count for elective credit. Specific arrangements must be made with, and approved by, the faculty adviser and the center director.
Majors are also encouraged to participate (for a summer, a semester, or a year) in a study-abroad program related to their regional concentration. Interested students must work out their plan of study abroad with their faculty adviser and the center director.
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