Study of the Americas
Faculty
Albanese, Berroa, Bergmann, Beyer, Black, L.A. Brown, L.P. Brown, Brunette, Burr,
J.R. Censer, J.T. Censer, Cheng, K. Clark, R. Clark, Cohen, Cruz, Dennis, Diner,
Dumont, ffolliott, Fonseca, Forche, Foreman, Francescato, Fuchs, Gerdes, Gilbert,
Giles, Gortner, Hammond, Harsh, Henry, Hodges, Horton, Irvine, Irving, Jacobs, Karuch,
Kelso, Klappert, Knight, Kuebrich, 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, P. Smith
(Director), S. Smith, Stewart, Taylor, Todd, Travis, Walker, Warner, Wilkins, Wood,
Yocom, Zagarri, Zambrana
Course Work
The Study of the Americas program offers all course work designated STAM
in the Course Descriptions section of this catalog.
B.A. Degree with a Major in the Study of the Americas
The Study of the Americas undergraduate major focuses on the diverse yet connected
regions, societies, cultures, and peoples of the Americas. The major has designated
regional concentrations 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 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 within the minimum 120 credits
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 designated faculty advisors. New majors should meet with the
program director as soon as possible to arrange for an advisor. Majors should then
meet with their advisors to choose their regional concentration and plan their integrated
course of study.
The Study of the Americas major requires a minimum of 120 credits of course work.
All students must satisfy requirements for the B.A. degree of the College of Arts
and Sciences and requirements for a major in the Study of the Americas. The major
requires 36 credits divided as follows:
- STAM 303 and STAM 304 (six credits): a two-semester introduction to the history
of the Americas and the methodologies of studying the Americas.
- Two history courses (six credits) related to the student's regional concentration:
- Canadian concentration: HIST 379, and one course chosen with approval of the
faculty advisor
- Latin American and Caribbean concentrations: HIST 271-272
- U.S. concentration: HIST 121-122
- Comparative Western Hemisphere concentration: six credits chosen with approval
of the faculty advisor (possible courses include HIST 121, 122, 271, 379, or other
courses approved by the faculty advisor).
- One foreign language course (three credits) 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 advisor. A foreign language literature
course in translation may be used to satisfy this requirement with the approval of
the faculty advisor.
- Four STAM courses (12 credits) or their equivalents (with approval of the faculty
advisor 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 credits) or their equivalents (with approval of
the faculty advisor 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 credits): 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. Occasionally, STAM 410 is offered as a six-credit
seminar. In such cases, credit is given as follows: STAM 410, three credits; STAM
490 or 499, three credits.
Note: Within each regional concentration, the student, in consultation with the
faculty advisor, 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.
Writiting-Intensive Requirement
The university requires all students to complete at least one course designated
"writing intensive" in their majors at the 300 level or above. Students
majoring in the study of the Americas fulfill this requirement by successfully completing
STAM 303, 304, or 410.
Minor in Study of the Americas
A minor in the study of the Americas requires a minimum of 18 credits. 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.
Internships
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 apply to the four-course
concentration; the rest count for elective credit. Specific arrangements must be
made with, and approved by, the faculty advisor and the program director.
Study Abroad
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 advisor and the program
director.
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