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The Undergraduate Course of Study

The field of American Civilization is varied, often eclectic, and the undergraduate concentration at Brown strives toward a balance of flexibility and structure. Thus, the concentration allows students a great deal of freedom and personal choice in their course selection within a basic framework of required course types and a declared specialization in the field. Concentrators take courses both in the Department and throughout the University for concentration credit. Consultation with the Concentration Advisor is an integral part of designing a coherent course of study and all of the information offered in the following sections should be considered supplementary to meetings with the Advisor. Nevertheless, the following pages contain some of the basic principles behind the concentration and we urge you to read them carefully.

Requirements

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:

  • Completion of four (three, if opting for four focus courses) of the numerous 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.
  • Completion of three (four, if opting for three 1000 level courses) upper-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; Nineteenth century material culture; religious practice during the twentieth century.
  • Completion of a proseminar/writing seminar preferably before the senior year. This requirement can be fulfilled in two ways: either by taking AMCV0190 or AMCV0150 prior to the junior year; or by taking an upper-level seminar course in American Civilization or in another department, in which the reading and writing assignments focus on some aspect of U.S. society and culture.
  • Completion of the Junior Seminar, AMCV1700. This course is designed to allow students to read classics in the field and explore interdisciplinary methods.
  • Completion of an AMCV1900 seminar 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.

Fine Print: Details about Concentration Credit, AP, ISPs, transfer credit, double concentrations

Courses Eligible for Concentration Credit

To be eligible for concentration credit courses outside the Department must be upper-level (i.e. designed primarily for third and fourth year students) and must pertain to U.S. society and culture or be comparative. There are, however, a few exceptions to both rules, which is why it is important always to consult with the Concentration Advisor when choosing courses.

Independent Study and GISPs are not applicable toward an American Civilization concentration. Students who wish to pursue a specific topic that is not covered by standard course work are urged to consider the Honors Program. Extra-departmental courses (university courses) will be considered on an individual basis.

Transfer Credits

While the University allows Departments to grant up to four transfer credits towards a concentration, the American Civilization considers three to be the maximum for the concentration. Usually, the Department will grant one transfer credit per term spent away. Ordinarily, the AMCV1900 and Junior Year Seminar requirements cannot be satisfied with transfer credit. Students planning to take a term or more at another institution must consult with the Concentration Advisor beforehand in order to determine how their study away will affect concentration plans. In many cases, tentative approval for transfer credit is given before a student leaves, while the final, official transfer of credit must be arranged after those courses have been completed. The courses must first be approved for University credit by the Registrar. The Concentration Advisor will determine whether they are acceptable for concentration credit on the basis of an examination of the student's transcript, a description of the course, and any class work that the student can provide. The same procedure will be followed in the case of a junior year spent abroad.

Advanced Placement Credit

Advanced placement credit is generally considered as preparation for the concentration and cannot be used to satisfy requirements.

Double Concentration

Students who are doing a double concentration are allowed only two courses from their second concentration to fulfill American Civilization concentration requirements.

Concentration Declaration

Declaration of Concentration forms can be found here.