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Unweighted GPA: 3.7
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SAT: 720 math
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List of All U.S. Colleges with an American Studies Major

Did you know that Katie Couric was an American studies major? How about Janeane Garofalo?

 

A broad, multidisciplinary major, American studies prepares students for a wide range of careers, from law to communications to teaching.

 

Thinking of majoring in American studies? Keep reading to find out what it entails, the colleges that offer the program, and what to look for.

 

Overview of the American Studies Major

 

In an American studies program, students examine social, political, historical, and other angles of American culture. They will take courses in literature, history, political science, philosophy, sociology, economics, media, film, and other areas to look at American identity and perspectives. 

 

People who are strong critical and analytical thinkers will thrive in an American studies program. They must also be willing to look at a variety of issues from multiple perspectives. Research is an important skill for someone in this major.

 

A strong American studies program will help students hone these and other skills, such as research, communication, and writing.

 

American studies graduates go on to find careers in a number of fields, such as:

 

  • Arts administration
  • Business
  • Communications
  • Education/teaching
  • Government
  • Journalism
  • Law
  • Library science
  • Media
  • Museum curation
  • Public policy
  • Politics
  • Research

 

Many of these jobs, such as law, require a graduate degree. For others, a bachelor’s is sufficient. There are master’s and PhD programs in American studies, necessary for careers like teaching at the college level.

 

What to Look for in a College as an American Studies Major

 

Outcomes

 

Because American studies graduates end up in many different careers, it’s important to see how a college’s program prepares students for their lives after college. Note where students end up after they earn their degrees. Also, establish whether these outcomes align with your own career goals. For instance, are you thinking of being a lawyer? See how many American studies graduates from a given school head to law school.

 

Internship Opportunities

 

Does the school partner with organizations to help students secure prestigious internships to prepare them for their future careers? Georgetown University, for example, notes that its American studies students have interned with presidential campaigns, Congress, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, The Washington Post, and many other organizations.

 

Specializations Offered

 

American studies is a broad discipline, and many students specialize in a certain sub-topic. Look at whether you’ll be able to choose a concentration that interests you at the school in question. For example, at Williams College, American studies majors can focus on concentrations like Arts in Context; Comparative Studies in Race, Ethnicity & Diaspora; Critical and Cultural Theory; and Space and Place.

 

Study Abroad Opportunities

 

In order to study American culture, it’s important to learn about other perspectives and cultures. This is why so many American studies majors study abroad. Look for a college with a robust study abroad program that allows you to explore different cultures. Also, note how many students (especially American studies majors) do study outside of the United States and what the process is like. Does the college have an office dedicated to learning internationally? What are the requirements for studying abroad?

 

List of All U.S. Colleges With an American Studies Major

 

School City State
American International College | AIC Springfield Massachusetts
American University Washington DC Washington DC
Amherst College Amherst Massachusetts
Augustana University Sioux Falls South Dakota
Barnard College New York New York
Bates College Lewiston Maine
Baylor University Waco Texas
Boston College | BC Chestnut Hill Massachusetts
Boston University | BU Boston Massachusetts
Bowling Green State University | BGSU Bowling Green Ohio
Brandeis University Waltham Massachusetts
Brigham Young University | BYU Provo Utah
Brooklyn College Brooklyn New York
Brown University Providence Rhode Island
California State University, Fullerton | CSU Fullerton Fullerton California
California State University, Long Beach | Long Beach State Long Beach California
California State University, Los Angeles | Cal State LA Los Angeles California
Carleton College Northfield Minnesota
City College of New York | CCNY New York New York
Claflin University Orangeburg South Carolina
Claremont McKenna College | CMC Claremont California
Coe College Cedar Rapids Iowa
Colby College Waterville Maine
College of William & Mary | William & Mary Williamsburg Virginia
Columbia University New York New York
Connecticut College New London Connecticut
Cornell University Ithaca New York
Creighton University Omaha Nebraska
DePaul University Chicago Illinois
Dickinson College Carlisle Pennsylvania
Eckerd College Saint Petersburg Florida
Elmhurst College Elmhurst Illinois
Emmanuel College (Massachusetts) Boston Massachusetts
Emory University Atlanta Georgia
Fairfield University Fairfield Connecticut
Fordham University Bronx New York
Franklin and Marshall College | F&M Lancaster Pennsylvania
George Washington University | GW Washington DC Washington DC
Georgetown University Washington DC Washington DC
Goucher College Baltimore Maryland
Hamilton College Clinton New York
Hendrix College Conway Arkansas
Hillsdale College Hillsdale Michigan
Hobart and William Smith Colleges | HWS Geneva New York
Hofstra University Hempstead New York
Illinois Wesleyan University Bloomington Illinois
Indiana University Bloomington | Indiana Bloomington Indiana
Johns Hopkins University | JHU Baltimore Maryland
Knox College Galesburg Illinois
Lake Forest College Lake Forest Illinois
Lehigh University Bethlehem Pennsylvania
Lipscomb University Nashville Tennessee
Marist College Poughkeepsie New York
Miami University Oxford Ohio
Middlebury College Middlebury Vermont
Mills College Oakland California
Montana State University | MSU Bozeman Montana
Muhlenberg College Allentown Pennsylvania
New York University | NYU New York New York
Northwestern University Evanston Illinois
Oberlin College Oberlin Ohio
Occidental College Los Angeles California
Oklahoma State University | OSU Stillwater Oklahoma
Oregon State University | OSU Corvallis Oregon
Pace University New York New York
Penn State Brandywine Media Pennsylvania
Pitzer College Claremont California
Pomona College Claremont California
Providence College Providence Rhode Island
Purdue University West Lafayette Indiana
Ramapo College of New Jersey | RCNJ Mahwah New Jersey
Reed College Portland Oregon
Rider University Lawrenceville New Jersey
Roger Williams University | RWU Bristol Rhode Island
Rollins College Winter Park Florida
Rutgers University–New Brunswick | Rutgers New Brunswick New Jersey
Saint Louis University | SLU Saint Louis Missouri
San Francisco State University | SF State San Francisco California
Scripps College Claremont California
Sewanee: The University of the South | Sewanee Sewanee Tennessee
Shenandoah University Winchester Virginia
Skidmore College Saratoga Springs New York
Smith College Northampton Massachusetts
Springfield College Springfield Massachusetts
St. Anselm College Manchester New Hampshire
St. John Fisher College Rochester New York
St. Michael’s College Colchester Vermont
St. Olaf College Northfield Minnesota
Stanford University Stanford California
Stetson University DeLand Florida
Stonehill College Easton Massachusetts
Swarthmore College Swarthmore Pennsylvania
Temple University Philadelphia Pennsylvania
The State University of New York at Binghamton | SUNY Binghamton Vestal New York
The State University of New York at Geneseo | SUNY Geneseo Geneseo New York
The State University of New York at Stony Brook | SUNY Stony Brook Stony Brook New York
Towson University Towson Maryland
Trinity College Hartford Connecticut
Tufts University Medford Massachusetts
Tulane University New Orleans Louisiana
Union College (New York) Schenectady New York
University of Alabama Tuscaloosa Alabama
University of Arkansas Fayetteville Arkansas
University of California, Berkeley | UC Berkeley Berkeley California
University of California, Davis | UC Davis Davis California
University of California, Santa Cruz | UCSC Santa Cruz California
University of Colorado Boulder | CU Boulder Boulder Colorado
University of Connecticut | UConn Storrs Connecticut
University of Dayton Dayton Ohio
University of Hawaii at Manoa | UH Manoa Honolulu Hawaii
University of Idaho Moscow Idaho
University of Iowa Iowa City Iowa
University of Kansas Lawrence Kansas
University of Maryland, Baltimore County | UMBC Baltimore Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park | Maryland College Park Maryland
University of Massachusetts Boston | UMass Boston Boston Massachusetts
University of Massachusetts Lowell | UMass Lowell Lowell Massachusetts
University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities | Minnesota Minneapolis Minnesota
University of New Mexico | UNM Albuquerque New Mexico
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | UNC Chapel Hill North Carolina
University of Notre Dame Notre Dame Indiana
University of Pennsylvania | UPenn Philadelphia Pennsylvania
University of Richmond University of Richmond Virginia
University of Rochester Rochester New York
University of South Florida | USF Tampa Florida
University of Southern California | USC Los Angeles California
University of Texas at Austin | UT Austin Austin Texas
University of Texas at Dallas | UT Dallas Richardson Texas
University of Texas at San Antonio | UTSA San Antonio Texas
University of Toledo Toledo Ohio
University of Wyoming Laramie Wyoming
Ursinus College Collegeville Pennsylvania
Utah State University Logan Utah
Valparaiso University | Valpo Valparaiso Indiana
Vanderbilt University Nashville Tennessee
Vassar College Poughkeepsie New York
Warner Pacific University Portland Oregon
Washington College Chestertown Maryland
Washington State University | WSU Pullman Washington
Washington University in St. Louis | WashU Saint Louis Missouri
Wayne State University | WSU Detroit Michigan
Webster University Saint Louis Missouri
Wellesley College Wellesley Massachusetts
Wesleyan University Middletown Connecticut
Western New England University | WNE Springfield Massachusetts
Western Washington University | WWU Bellingham Washington
Wheaton College (Massachusetts) Norton Massachusetts
Willamette University Salem Oregon
Williams College Williamstown Massachusetts
Yale University New Haven Connecticut
Youngstown State University Youngstown Ohio

 

What Are Your Chances of Acceptance?

 

What are your odds of being admitted to a top American studies college? It starts with academics. Most selective schools use the Academic Index to filter applicants before looking at qualitative factors, so your grades and test scores play a big role. 

 

Your extracurriculars, essays, recommendations, and other qualitative factors also play an important role in the admissions process. American studies majors might consider activities like student newspaper, debate team, history club, and student government.

 

Want to know where you stand? Check out our free Chancing Engine to find out your likelihood of being admitted to top American studies schools. We examine many factors, including your academic stats, extracurriculars, and much more. Sign up for your free CollegeVine account to get started!


Short Bio
Laura Berlinsky-Schine is a freelance writer and editor based in Brooklyn with her demigod/lab mix Hercules. She specializes in education, technology and career development. She also writes satire and humor, which has appeared in Slackjaw, Points in Case, Little Old Lady Comedy, Jane Austen’s Wastebasket, and Funny-ish. View her work and get in touch at: www.lauraberlinskyschine.com.