Bachelor of Arts (Honours) - American Studies

American Studies majors take a broad, inter-disciplinary approach to the meaning and nature of culture in the United States including the context of European colonialism – an inquiry that explores the idea of America as a contested site of meaning. Literature is the core of the program, but majors position their literary study in a comparative analysis of visual media and history to supplement their understanding of the relationship between cultural expressions and their context in social, political, and economic change.  

Combining a specialization in American culture with emphasis on critical reading, writing and thinking throughout the course of study, American Studies majors have many opportunities for graduate study and employment. They graduate prepared for the fields of law and politics, technical writing, editing, journalism and teaching. Students competing for positions specifically focused on American literature or culture will be able to present themselves as specialists in that field. The cultural and historical context of the American Studies program serves majors in business fields reliant on the interpretation of cultural trends and meaning such as marketing and media research, publishing and public relations.