Graduate students design their own course of study within the guidelines set up by the department, working with faculty (in courses, preliminary exams and as dissertation advisors) in American Studies and across the University.

Our students must complete 22 credits (as well as preliminary exams and a dissertation proposal) to advance to doctoral candidacy. These comprise 11 seminars, 2 advising independent studies, and 9 exam-related independent studies. Generally, during their first year student take six seminar courses and two advising independent study courses with the DA. In the second year, students take five seminars and three preliminary exam independent studies with likely exam advisors. In the third year, students take six exam preparation independent studies as they prepare for and take their preliminary exams and write their dissertation proposals.

• Two required seminars

  1. AMST2010 (usually taken Fall Year 1): Students will be introduced to models of interdisciplinary scholarship that comprise the field of American Studies.  By interacting with a variety of disciplines and methods, students build dynamic new approaches to their topics of study. The instructor of AMST 2010, a member of the faculty appointed in the Department of American Studies, will draw from their own research specialty in their framing of the field and may take into account the interests of first year students when designing the course.
  2. AMST2520 (usually taken Fall Year 2): Students learn the contours of the field of American Studies; interdisciplinary pedagogy; and begin the conceptualization of their own intellectual interests as they develop their preliminary exam lists and overview essay and prepare a draft of a syllabus. The syllabus will be submitted as part of the preliminary exam process and used as the basis for a course that students may teach in their fourth or fifth year.

• Nine Elective Seminars (usually five in Year 1 and four in Year 2)

  Taken around the university, most seminars will feature small groups of students discussing texts, so PhD students can hone reading, writing, discussion, and analytical skills as well as understand the methods, historiography, and content of their fields. Other seminars might focus on proficiencies needed as students enter the academy or public humanities, including language, digital, or publication skills. At the end of these nine seminars, students should have written at least three papers or prepared public projects (or a combination of the two) that could be revised for conference presentation, journal publication, or inclusion in a dissertation.  Students should consider how these papers/projects contribute to their development as scholars.

• Two Advising Independent Studies (AMST 2920): (taken in Year 1, one in each semester)

  Taken with the DA, these courses represent the individual and group advising done by the DA with the first-year students, in which students receive guidance on course selection that will result in the preparation of at least three papers or projects; departmental expectations; professionalization; possible preliminary examination fields and advisors; preparation of summer reading to narrow exam fields; and ultimately choosing a dissertation topic and dissertation advisors.

• Nine Exam-Related Independent Studies (*AMST 292X)

  *each faculty member gets a different course number when signing up for multiple AMST 292Xs (three in Year 2, six in Year 3)

  Taken with preliminary exam and dissertation advisors, these courses each include a schedule of meetings, agreed on by the student and the faculty members, designed to prepare the student to take examinations and write a dissertation proposal. Exam preparation courses in the second year, when students are still taking seminars and T.A.ing for the first time, carry a lighter load focused on the development of reading lists and field essays. Courses in the third year taken with exam advisors entail intensive reading and other preparation for the exam and writing of the dissertation prospectus.

• Language study

  The department encourages students to gain or maintain expertise in more than one language.  Students may replace one seminar (and as many reading courses as practical given exam preparation requirements) with language courses at any level. Those beginning a new language necessary for their scholarly work will need to spend at least one summer studying that language. Students are encouraged to take advantage of funding opportunities available through the Graduate School in addition to external funding to support their language study.