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:

1. Review the requirements for the major. You can use the checklist below to guide your meetings with faculty. If you have questions, contact the Director of Undergraduate Programs (David Singerman) at amst-dup@virginia.edu. 
2. Complete the declaration form via DocuSign. “NOTE: You only need to fill out your own name. This link will auto-fill the form with the correct contacts for the Department of American Studies.”
3. The Director of Undergraduate Programs will assign a Faculty Advisor within a week of receiving the form.
4. Once your Faculty Advisor is assigned, reach out to set up a meeting to discuss course options.

“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.”