Dominican University

Request Personalized
e-Brochure

American Studies

Courses | Employment

Majors/Minors

American Studies allows students to take courses in many areas. Electives may include upper-level courses from any of 13 different disciplines. Many students elect to pursue a second major in a subject such as communication arts and sciences, history, political science or sociology to further strengthen their research interests and career development. Students in elementary teaching find the major’s coursework especially useful for preparing them for the diverse activities of the elementary classroom as well as meeting the Illinois General Education Requirements for teaching.

American studies majors take at least 37 credit hours in this interdisciplinary field, 20 of which must be completed at Dominican University. Major Requirements (Twelve courses)
  • American Studies 200; Sociology 110; History 211 or 212
  • Two courses from English electives listed below
  • One course chosen from Sociology or Political Science electives
  • Two courses chosen from Art, Philosophy, Theology and Communication Arts and Sciences electives
  • One course chosen from all electives
  • Two courses chosen from among the 200- and 300- level U.S. History electives
  • One 300 level course chosen from History electives
In their senior year students must intensify one 200- or 300- level U.S. History course.

Students seeking elementary education certification must choose three courses from either U.S. history or English electives. Students seeking elementary education certification should take Political Science 170 and one of their electives.

Minor Requirement (Eight courses)
  • American studies 200; History 211 or 212;
  • Three courses from all electives excluding History and English electives
  • One course chosen from U. S. History electives
  • One course chosen from English electives
  • One course chosen from 300 level American Studies electives;
A minimum of twelve hours in the minor field must be completed at Dominican.

Electives
  • Art History 250, 265, 298, 319, 324, 354, 355 (326-329 with the approval of the Director of American Studies)
  • Communication Arts and Sciences 207, 219, 222, 227, 266, 272, 277, 291, 294, 316, 353, 358, 373, (420 with the approval of the Director of
  • American Studies)
  • Economics 366
  • Education 310
  • English 277, 285, 286, 287, 291, 294, 295, 298, 342, 343, 344, (220-229, 420-439 with the approval of the Director of American Studies)
  • Geography 314, 324
  • History 221, 222, 223, 224, 306, 312, 319, 320, 333, 334, 344, 345, 346, 348, 367, 368, 378, 440, 460, (307 with approval of the Director of American Studies)
  • Italian 260
  • Philosophy 200
  • Political Science 170, 215, 262, 276, 280, 282, 286, 290, 291, 295, 297, 341, 374, 375, 380, 381, 382
  • Sociology 210, 218, 220, 222, 230, 240, 245, 250, 268, 280, 285, 302, 372, 380, 382 (286 with approval of the Director of American Studies)
  • Theatre 270
  • Theology 277, 381
Topics courses in the above disciplines may be permitted for credit toward the major with the consent of the Director of American studies.

Courses


110. INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY (3)
Listed also as Sociology 110.

170. AMERICAN GOVERNMENT (3)
Listed also as Political Science 170.

200. INTRODUCTION TO AMERICAN STUDIES (3)
What is American Studies? What is American culture? Who is American? Who decides? How do we know? How does it change? Through the examination of regional American cultures, this course will introduce students to the theories and methods of American Studies. Readings will include American Studies “classics” and selections from the disciplines that contribute to American studies.

205. THE AMERICAN CATHOLIC EXPERIENCE (3)
The interaction between Catholicism and the democratic and pluralistic American society forged distinctive and changing expressions of what it means to be a Catholic in the United States. This course provides an interdisciplinary examination and analysis of the Catholic experience in the United States from the colonial era to the present. Students will examine how class, gender, race, and ethnicity intersect with the critical issues contemporary Catholics encounter in both their church and nation.

215. AMERICAN POLITICAL THOUGHT (3)
Listed also as Political Science 215.

222. MASS MEDIA AND SOCIETY (3)
Listed also as Sociology 222 and Communication Arts and Sciences 222.

224. “THE AMERICAN CENTURY”
(focus 1940-1990) (3)
Listed also as History 224.

225. CHANGING AMERICA: THE GILDED AGE THROUGH THE NEW DEAL (3)
Listed also as History 223.

226. THE COLONIAL AMERICAN EXPERIENCE (3)
Listed also as History 221.

249. RELIGION IN AMERICA (3)
This course examines the historical development of religious traditions and communities in the United States. Students will address the various interpretations of the U.S. Constitution and the 1st Amendment’s mandate regarding the separation of church and state. Students will also examine the social, political and cultural influences and challenges that religious pluralism offers to life in the United States.

266. THE AMERICAN CINEMA (3)
Listed also as Communication Arts and
Sciences 266.

279. PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION (3)
Listed also as Political Science 280.

286. POLITICS: SPRINGFIELD AND CHICAGO (3)
Listed also as Political Science 286.

294. AMERICAN MASS MEDIA HISTORY (3)
Listed also as Communication Arts and Sciences 294 and History 296.

299. SERVICE LEARNING (1)

305. THE CHICAGO SCENE IN LITERATURE (3)
Listed also as English 295.

306. THE MEXICAN-AMERICAN EXPERIENCE (3)
Listed also as History 306.

311. PHILOSOPHY AND HISTORY OF AMERICAN EDUCATION (3)
Listed also as Education 310.


315. GROWING UP IN AMERICA (3)
What does it mean to be a “child”? Has childhood always existed? What was it like growing up in the past? How has the state impacted childhood? What roles do children play in their families? What kinds of problems do children face today that did not exist in the past? This course examines childhood in America from the colonial era to the present. Investigation into the lives of children will examine how race, class and gender shape the experience of childhood. This course approaches the topic using historical, anthropological, literary and sociological methods.
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or consent of department
Listed also as History 317.

317. AMERICAN INTELLECTUAL HISTORY (3)
Listed also as History 312.

320. AFRICAN-AMERICAN EXPERIENCE TO 1877 (3)
Listed also as History 320 and African/African-American Studies 320.

321. AFRICAN-AMERICAN EXPERIENCE
SINCE 1877 (3)
Listed also as History 319 and African/African-American Studies 321.

328. LATIN AMERICAN AND UNITED STATES RELATIONS (3)
Listed also as History 328.

336. AMERICAN WORKING-CLASS HISTORY (3)
Listed also as History 324.

337. THE AMERICAN WEST (3)
Listed also as History 367.

338. GENDER AND URBAN LIFE (3)
This course specifically addresses the relationship between urban America and ideas of gender as well as race and class. Through readings, discussion and observation participants will examine how the urban experience both reflects and influences cultural definitions of male and female. Critical themes under investigation will include: commercialization of sexuality, the idea of the city as a place for personal freedom for both men and women, the city as a dangerous place for women, women as workers and the relationship between race and gender for African-Americans in the city.
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or consent of department
Listed also as History 368.
This course will satisfy the History core area requirement.


339. AMERICAN POPULAR CULTURE BEFORE ELECTRONIC MEDIA (3)
Listed also as History 339.

341. TWENTIETH-CENTURY AMERICAN POPULAR CULTURE (3)
Listed also as History 341 and Communication Arts and Sciences 341.

343. NINETEENTH-CENTURY AMERICA (3)
Listed also as History 222.

344. HISTORICAL EXPERIENCE OF WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES (3)
Listed also as History 344.

345. THE URBAN EXPERIENCE IN THE UNITED STATES SINCE 1800 (3)
Listed also as History 345.

348. RACE AND ETHNICITY IN AMERICA (3)
Listed also as History 348.

375. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS (3)
Listed also as Political Science 375.

378. NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY (3)
Listed also as History 378.

450. INDEPENDENT STUDY (1-8)
Independent study of some aspect of American society or culture, with the consent of the instructor and the director of American studies.

452. WAR ON TWO FRONTS: COMBAT IN VIETNAM AND UPHEAVAL IN THE UNITED STATES (3)
Listed also as History 452.

455. INTERNSHIP (1-8)
INDEPENDENT RESEARCH OR CREATIVE INVESTIGATION (1-3)
Introductory, Intermediate, Advanced, Senior Thesis Independent Research or Creative Investigation is a course in which students collaborate with faculty
mentors on an ongoing faculty research project or conduct an independent project under the guidance of a faculty member. This directed undergraduate research or creative investigation culminates in a conference presentation, journal article or other creative/scholarly project.
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor

Employment

Explore the American experience from many perspectives— artistic, ethnic, historical, literary, political, economic and sociological. Develop a comparative perspective on the important questions and practical considerations surrounding events and issues.

Employment
  • Law
  • Public Service
  • Urban Planning
  • Research,
  • Consulting
Employers
  • Education
  • Government
  • Corporations
  • Health-care
  • Not-for-Profits
  • Cultural Institutions