American Civilization
Students who concentrate in American civilization pursue an interdisciplinary approach to the study of the social, cultural and political experiences and identities of the diverse groups
who constitute and have constituted the society of the United States. In consultation with the concentration advisor, American civilization concentrators design individualized concentration plans and have the
opportunity to take courses both in the department and throughout the University for concentration credit.
Students must take ten upper-level courses to fulfill the requirements for a concentration in American civilization. The rules governing the choice of these courses are as follows:
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Completion of four (three, if opting for four focus courses) of the numerous 100-level (1000-level) survey courses offered by the Department's faculty. These courses examine a wide
variety of topics and themes and are designed to provide concentrators with a broad foundation in the interdisciplinary study of U.S. society and culture.
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Completion of three (four, if opting for three 100-level (1000-level) courses) which together define a coherent area of specialization within the concentration by focusing on a
particular problem, topic, or area of American society and culture. These courses, which may be taken in any department in the university, should be upper-level and pertain to U.S. society and culture.
Other students have prepared successful focus areas in a wide range of fields including: American popular culture, 1960-2004; education, race and class; health care policies; the sixties; women's history,
1850 to the present; ninetheenth century material culture; religious practice during the twentieth century.
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Completion of a proseminar/writing seminar preferably before the senior year. This requirement may be fulfilled in two ways: either by taking an AC 19 (AMCV 190) or AC 15 (AMCV 150)
seminar prior to the junior year; or by taking an upper-level seminar in American Civilization in another department, in which reading and writing assignments focus on some aspect of U.S. society and culture.
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Completion of the Junior Seminar, AC 170 (AMCV 1700). This course is designed to allow students to read classics in the field and explore interdisciplinary methods.
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Completion of an AC 190 (AMCV 1900) seminar taken in the senior year. The aim of this final senior seminar is to apply the interdisciplinary skills learned in the field of American
Civilization to a semester-long, in-depth study of a particular topic.
Honors
The Honors program in the Department of American Civilization is designed for students who want to write a senior paper in order to explore a topic in depth; engage in original research;
and receive their AB with Honors in American Civilization. Admission to the honors program is based on overall performance AND the recommendation of two faculty members. In addition to the ten courses required of
all concentrators, honors candidates must register in each semester of their senior year for a thesis writing course (AC 192 (AMCV 1970)). Concentrators considering honors should consult with the Concentration
Advisor during the first semester of the junior year.
Page last updated in April, 2007.
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