Why major in American Studies?
Students in the American Studies major study US culture and its local, regional, national, and global forms and effects. Our methods are interdisciplinary and creative—meaning we combine the best approaches from the traditional disciplines, often to ask unconventional questions of unconventional sources.
We are also an intellectual community committed to fostering interactions between undergraduates and faculty members.
How do I become an American Studies major?
To declare an American Studies major, students must have completed at least one university-level (i.e. UVA or college transfer) course in American history or culture, broadly defined (including literature, music, religion, art, anthropology, etc.), with a grade of C or better. AP and IB courses do not satisfy this prerequisite. Students are encouraged to declare the major in their 2nd or 3rd year of study.
Students interested in declaring the AMST major should:
- Contact the Director of Undergraduate Programs (Fiona Ngo) who will take you through the declaration process and assign an appropriate faculty advisor.
- Complete the declaration form via DocuSign.
- Submit the form before the fall or spring deadlines, which are listed in the Academic Calendar. (Declaration forms will be processed only in the Fall and Spring semesters.)
“The information contained on this website is for informational purposes only. The Undergraduate Record and Graduate Record represent the official repository for academic program requirements. These publications may be found at http://records.ureg.virginia.edu/index.php.”