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American Studies

The United States Studies Centre coordinates the American Studies program for the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Sydney. American Studies is an interdisciplinary major incorporating units of study from the US Studies Centre and from the departments of Government and International Relations, History and English.

Zara Seidler
“I chose to do American Studies because I thought it was a really great time to be studying American politics given the climate there at the moment. The ‘US in the World’ and ‘US Politics: Elections, Presidents, Laws’ units gave me an understanding deeper than what you can access through the news and gave me the tools to be able to analyse what I was seeing in the news." Zara Seidler, Bachelor of International and Global Studies

The American Studies program draws on the combined expertise of the US Studies Centre and the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences to offer Australia’s broadest range of undergraduate units focused on the United States, which enables you to develop a critical, multi-faceted understanding of the United States and its global influence.

The Centre also offers a fourth year honours program.

Requirements

For students enrolled beginning 2022

A major in American Studies requires 48 credit points from the American Studies Unit of Study (units with a USSC or AMST code, or other listed co-tabled units) table including:

  1. 6 credit points of 1000-level core units (AMST1001 Global America)
  2. 6 credit points of 1000-level selective units
  3. 6 credit points of 2000-level core units (AMST2701 American Dreams)
  4. 6 credit points of 2000-level selective units
  5. 6 credit points of 3000-level core units (AMST3601 American Perspectives)
  6. 12 credit points of 3000-level selective units
  7. 6 credit points of 3000-level Interdisciplinary Project units

A minor in American Studies requires 36 credit points from the Unit of Study (units with an AMST or USSC code, or other listed co-tabled units) table including:

  1. 6 credit points of 1000-level core units (AMST1001 Global America)
  2. 6 credit points of 1000-level selective units
  3. 6 credit points of 2000-level core units (AMST2701 American Dreams)
  4. 6 credit points of 2000-level selective units
  5. 6 credit points of 3000-level core units (AMST3601 American Perspectives)
  6. 6 credit points of 3000-level selective units

For students who enrolled prior to 2018

Students intending to major in American Studies must complete:

  • AMST1001 Global America (offered in Semester 2)
  • HSTY1023 Emerging Giant: The Making of America, which is taught in Semester 2, 2022
  • AMST2601 American Foundations (now AMST2701 American Dreams)
  • AMST3601 American Perspectives
  • Four senior units of study offered by participating departments of which no more than three may come from a single department.

Students who enrolled prior to 2014 should contact the course coordinator to find out the units of study required to qualify for the major.

American Studies coordinator

Dr Aaron Nyerges

Units of Study

Offered by the US Studies Centre:

1000-level units:

2000-level units:

3000-level units:

Offered by other departments:

2000-level units:

3000-level units:

OLE Units

For more detail, please refer to the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences handbook for your relevant year.