American Studies, MA
American Culture, American Studies, Western Civilization, american
What is America? What is the American experience? How do the answers to these questions vary depending on who is asked? Learn to think deeply and critically about these questions and about the role of the U.S. in matters near and far.
The Master of Arts program in American studies trains you in interdisciplinary approaches aimed at understanding the American experience in local and global contexts.
The array of disciplines spans the arts, humanities and social sciences, and faculty expertise covers a wide variety of ethnographic, historical, literary and media studies as well as interdisciplinary and community-based approaches. Given its geographical location in the American Southwest, the program values an exploration of diasporic and transnational influences in U.S. cultures and social and political history.
The American studies faculty have strengths and expertise in the areas of critical ethnic studies, Indigenous studies, gender studies, Black studies, immigration studies, justice studies, disability studies, queer studies, Latino studies, transborder studies, Asian American studies, cultural studies, environmental humanities and sports studies, enabling you to focus your education around these areas.
You gain expertise from working in a community of scholars dedicated to addressing critical questions of what America means, what American studies uncovers and how to expand the boundaries of the new American conversation. You are immersed in conversations about how one develops, conducts and engages in research on the American experience in academia and beyond. Additionally, you explore the field of American studies as the interdisciplinary analysis of American culture from multiple critical perspectives within transnational dynamics and exchanges.
- College/school:
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Location: Tempe
- STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
This program allows students to obtain both a bachelor's and a master's degree in as little as five years. Accelerated bachelor's plus master's degree programs are designed for high-achieving students who want the opportunity to share undergraduate coursework with graduate coursework to accelerate completion of their master's degree. These programs feature the same high quality curriculum taught by ASU's world-renowned faculty.
This program is offered as an accelerated bachelor's plus master's degree with:
Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
30 credit hours and a thesis, or
30 credit hours including the required applied project course (AMS 593)
Required Core (3 credit hours) Other Requirement (3 credit hours) Electives or Research (18 or 21 credit hours) Culminating Experience (3 or 6 credit hours) Additional Curriculum Information For electives or research, students should see the academic unit for the approved course list. Students choose 18 credit hours for the thesis option or 21 for the applied project option.
AMS 502 American Studies: Theory and Method (3)
Methods course (3)
AMS 593 Applied Project (3) or
AMS 599 Thesis (6)
Students must complete one methods course for the degree, with academic advisor approval; AMS 502 cannot be used to meet this requirement. These courses can be drawn from a wide array of units across the various ASU campuses, but students should take advantage of the SST graduate methods courses. The academic unit sends lists of SST methods courses once per semester; students should consult with their faculty advisor or chairperson and get approval from the graduate chairperson in American studies to determine the best courses to take.
General university admission requirements:
All students are required to meet general
university admission requirements.
U.S.
applicants | International
applicants | English
proficiency
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Applicants must have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in any field from a regionally accredited institution.
Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.
All applicants must submit:
- graduate admission application and application fee
- official transcripts
- statement of purpose
- writing sample
- curriculum vitae
- two letters of recommendation
- proof of English proficiency
Additional Application Information
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency. This program requires a TOEFL iBT® score of 4.5, or 90 (taken at a testing center) if taken before January 21, 2026.
The writing sample may be an article, published or unpublished; a research paper; a seminar paper; or any other extended sample of expository skill. A minimum of 4,000 words is required. The document should not be password protected.
The statement of purpose must be about 500 words and should be addressed to the American Studies Graduate Studies Committee. It must explain the applicant's scholarly background and training, career goals, the area of study they wish to pursue, and why they want to pursue graduate study at ASU.
Two references are required. Applicants should contact the faculty or professional supervisors they intend to use for references before listing them on the application and inform the intended recommenders that they will receive an email from the ASU American studies program asking them to complete a questionnaire and provide comments on the applicant's suitability for graduate study. Applicants should confirm recommenders' email addresses before submitting them on the application. References from family members or relations are not recommended.
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | In Person | 04/01 | Final |
| Session A/C | In Person | 01/15 | Priority |
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | In Person | 12/01 | Final |
| Session A/C | In Person | 09/15 | Priority |
Program learning outcomes identify what a student will learn or be able to do upon completion of their program. This program’s learning outcomes include the following:
- Articulate key theories and concepts in the field of American Studies.
- Evaluate how the field of American Studies has developed locally and globally since its inception.
- Write a final proposal that details what specific methods and critical approaches they plan to explore on a given topic.
American studies graduates are able to bridge a strong theoretical foundation with applied research, making them well-equipped to enter national and international dialogues.
Graduates may go on to law school, graduate school or other professional degree programs. They find success in a number of areas in local and international contexts, including:
- business
- communications
- education
- government
- journalism
- law and medical fields
- nonprofits
- political consulting
- professional writing
- public engagement and community relations
School of Social Transformation
|
WLSN 5th floor
SSTgraduate@asu.edu
480-965-7682
Program term definitions
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
The Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) provides a reduced tuition rate to non-resident graduate students who qualify. Visit the WRGP/WICHE webpage for more information: https://graduate.asu.edu/wiche.
