American Studies, B.A.

Saint Louis University's American studies program uses film, food, fashion, buildings, sports, popular media, the environment, art, literature and historical texts in order to understand the diverse cultures of the United States and the nation's place in the world in the past and present.

• American studies at SLU is interdisciplinary, using a variety of sources and methods (literature, social science, film and community institutions) to understand American cultures.
• American studies is global and diverse, paying close attention to international and regional relations, as well as to the variety of racial, ethnic, religious and other communities within and around its borders.
• American studies is practical, which means the everyday is taken as seriously as the esoteric, and the lessons learned in the classroom are applied to work in communities and public institutions.

As a result, SLU's American studies degree trains students in critical thinking, complex problem-solving and clear written and oral communication. American studies graduates from SLU have experience working in diverse groups and applying their knowledge to the world around them.

These are sought-after skills transferable to a variety of fields. Graduates from SLU's American studies program have worked in higher and secondary education, media and communications, nonprofit organizations, government, political organizing, social work, law, museums and other cultural institutions.

Curriculum Overview

A major in American studies is 30 credits, including ASTD 1000 Intro to American Culture: Movements, Myths, and Methods (0,3 cr) ; a breadth requirement entailing one course in each of the three categories of “Contexts: Period and Place,” “Identities: Social Difference and Agency,” and “Practices: Cultural Forms and Interpretive Methods” (9 credits total); and ASTD 4960 Senior Workshop: Crafting the American Studies Thesis (3 cr) . The remaining 15 credits are elective courses selected from American studies courses. With the approval of a student’s faculty mentor, up to nine of these elective credits may be fulfilled by relevant courses offered outside of the Department of American Studies. At least one course taken for the major must have the department’s “community engagement” attribute.

Fieldwork and Research Opportunities

Internships completed through SLU's American studies program are student-designed in close collaboration with the department's internship supervisor and participating organizations and institutions. Internships count as a three-credit course, requiring 120 hours total, or about eight hours per week. Past students have partnered with the Saint Louis Art Museum, Saint Louis Zoo, Missouri Botanical Garden, International Institute, Missouri History Museum, Circuit Court Records Project, City Museum and Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts, among other sites.

Careers

Admission Requirements

Begin Your Application

Saint Louis University also accepts the Common Application.

Freshman

All applications are thoroughly reviewed with the highest degree of individual care and consideration to all credentials that are submitted. Solid academic performance in college preparatory coursework is a primary concern in reviewing a freshman applicant’s file.

To be considered for admission to any Saint Louis University undergraduate program, applicants must be graduating from an accredited high school, have an acceptable HiSET exam score or take the General Education Development (GED) test. 

Transfer

Applicants must be a graduate of an accredited high school or have an acceptable score on the GED or HiSET.

Students who have attempted fewer than 24 semester credits (or 30 quarter credits) of college credit must follow the above freshmen admission requirements. Students who have completed 24 or more semester credits (or 30 quarter credits) of college credit must submit transcripts from all previously attended college(s).

In reviewing a transfer applicant’s file, the Office of Admission holistically examines the student’s academic performance in college-level coursework as an indicator of the student’s ability to meet the academic rigors of Saint Louis University. Where applicable, transfer students will be evaluated on any courses outlined in the continuation standards of their preferred major.

International Applicants

All admission policies and requirements for domestic students apply to international students along with the following:

• Demonstrate English Language Proficiency
• All academic records must include an English translation. An official course-by-course transcript evaluation may be required and accepted.

Tuition

Additional charges may apply. Other resources are listed below:

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Scholarships and Financial Aid

There are two principal ways to help finance a Saint Louis University education:

• Scholarships: Scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement, service, leadership and financial need.
• Financial Aid: Financial aid is provided through grants and loans, some of which require repayment.

Saint Louis University makes every effort to keep our education affordable. In fiscal year 2023, 99% of first-time freshmen and 92% of all students received financial aid and students received more than $459 million in aid University-wide.

For priority consideration for merit-based scholarships, apply for admission by December 1 and complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by February 1.

For more information on scholarships and financial aid, visit the Office of Student Financial Services.

1. Graduates will explain the contexts, historical, political, geographic, literary, artistic, social, or intellectual, that shape American cultural practices, expressions or ideas.
2. Graduates will assess how American cultural practices, expressions, and ideas are constructed by or interpreted through frameworks of nation, class, race, gender, ability or sexuality.
3. Graduates will synthesize two or more disciplinary approaches in analyses of American cultural practices, expressions or ideas.
4. Graduates will effectively articulate arguments and information about American cultural practices, expressions and ideas. 
5. Graduates will demonstrate the ability to bridge academic concerns with American cultural practices, expressions and ideas and the concerns of broader public life.

Note: Many undergraduate courses at SLU fulfill requirements of multiple programs simultaneously. For details, click here. 

American Studies students must complete a minimum total of 30 credits for the major.

Continuation Standards

Students who pursue a major in American Studies must earn a 2.00 GPA in the courses approved for completion of the major. If a student's major GPA drops below 2.00, the student will be placed on academic program probation within the department. A student may remain on academic probation for no more than two consecutive semesters, or for three semesters total, before being dismissed from the major.

Graduation Requirements

• Complete a minimum of 120 credits (excluding pre-college level courses numbered below 1000).
• Complete the University Undergraduate Core curriculum requirements.
• Complete major requirements: minimum of 30 credits required.
• Complete remaining credits with a second major, minor, certificate or electives to reach the minimum of 120 credits required for graduation.
• Achieve at least a 2.00 cumulative grade point average, a 2.00 grade point average in the major(s), and a 2.00 grade point average in the minor/certificate or related elective credits.
• Complete department- and program-specific academic and performance requirements.
• Complete at least 50% of the coursework for the major and 75% for the minor/certificate through Saint Louis University or an approved study-abroad program.
• Complete 30 of the final 36 credits through Saint Louis University or an approved study-abroad program.
• Complete an online degree application by the required University deadline.

Roadmaps are recommended semester-by-semester plans of study for programs and assume full-time enrollment unless otherwise noted.  

Courses and milestones designated as critical (marked with !) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation. Transfer credit may change the roadmap.

This roadmap should not be used in the place of regular academic advising appointments. All students are encouraged to meet with their advisor/mentor each semester. Requirements, course availability and sequencing are subject to change.

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Fulfills University Undergraduate Core requirements in Ways of Thinking: History, Aesthetics, & Literature and in Equity and Global Identities: Identities in Context.
 

Program Notes

American studies is an interdisciplinary field. As a result, many ASTD courses satisfy requirements for the University Undergraduate Core (UUC). Various ASTD courses fulfill UUC requirements including the following:

• Ways of Thinking: Aesthetics, History, and Culture
• Ways of Thinking: Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Identities in Context
• Dignity, Ethics, and a Just Society

American studies majors may count courses for both their major requirements and core curriculum requirements, which would modify the roadmap above.

With the approval of a major’s faculty mentor, nine of the ASTD elective credits required for the major may be fulfilled by relevant courses offered outside the Department of American Studies.

2+SLU programs provide a guided pathway for students transferring from a partner institution. 

American Studies, B.A. (STLCC 2+SLU)

For additional information about this program, please contact american.studies@slu.edu or call 314-977-2911.