Jul 22, 2025

2025-2026 Academic Catalog

Humanities, American Studies Concentration, BA

The American Studies concentration of the Humanities BA provides a San José State home for the study of U.S. cultures. Our courses, research, and events emphasize the cultural, political, and social aspects of the United States, past and present. In addition to our core faculty, we draw our instructors from departments throughout the university in order to integrate disciplines and themes.

Program Learning Outcomes

Program Roadmaps

The 4-Year Roadmap is available online. Roadmaps should be used in consultation with the catalog and your advisor to identify additional requirements for completing the major (for example, course grade minimums). Associate Degrees (ADT) Pathways are also available online.

Major-Specific Graduation Requirements

Students in this major should consult their advisor regarding the American Institutions requirement. Depending on sequence(s) a student chooses, 0-30 units of GE/AI can be met in the major.

1. Complete the Baccalaureate Degree Requirements

Students must satisfy the specific degree requirements for their undergraduate major and fulfill the following University degree requirements:

Academic (program total units with an average 2.0 GPA - “C” or better)
General Education (GE) (34 Lower Division + 9 Upper Division)
American Institutions (AI) (0-6 units) (may be satisfied in GE Areas 3B, 4, UD 3, UD 4)
Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) (3 units)
Physical Education (PE) (0-2 units)
Units in Residence (30 units, including 24 upper division and 12 in major)
Upper Division Units (40 units, including 12 upper div in major for BA, 18 upper div in major for BS)
Undergraduate Policies & Procedures
Apply for Graduation
Information about the Commencement Ceremony and Conferral of the Degree

Exceptions for University Graduation Requirements including exemptions and waivers, are approved for specific majors and on a case-by-case evaluation only.

Summary of Degree Units

Core Lower Division GE: 25 (3 units may be satisfied by major coursework: Area 1B)

6 required units of American Institutions/US123 may be satisfied by selecting applicable GE courses in Areas 3B and/or 4

Upper Division GE: 9

Physical Education: 2

GWAR / WID: 3 (Recommended: HUM 100W )

Lower Division Humanities & the Arts College Requirement: 3

Upper Division Humanities & the Arts College Requirement: 2-4

Recommeded Major Preparation: 0-12

Major Requirements: 45-49

University Electives: 7-25

Total: 120

2. Lower Division College of Humanities & the Arts Requirement (3 units):

Complete one course from:

ART 44HA Design Your Life, Design Your Semester, Design Your World 3 unit(s)
DSGN 44HA Design Your Life, Design Your Semester, Design Your World 3 unit(s)
ENGL 44HA Design Your Life, Design Your Semester, Design Your World 3 unit(s)
HUM 44HA Design Your Life, Design Your Semester, Design Your World 3 unit(s)
PHIL 44HA Design Your Life, Design Your Semester, Design Your World 3 unit(s)

3. Upper Division College of Humanities & the Arts Requirement (2-4 units):

Complete any one course offered by the College of Humanities & the Arts in a discipline other than your major.

4. Recommended Major Preparation (0-12 units)

Recommended that native students complete one of the sequences below, in consultation with Advisor. Any student who completes the American Institutions requirement will have met this area.

Complete One Sequence From:

Introduction to American Studies

AMS 10 - Stories that Make America 3 unit(s) (GE Area 3B /Formerly Area C2, and US1). When taken with AMS 11, completes the US1 + US2 + US3 (American Institutions) requirements.
AMS 11 - Visions of Democracy 3 unit(s) (GE Area 4 / Formerly Area D, and US23)
AMS 12 - Intro to US Popular Culture: Serious Fun! 3 unit(s) (GE Area 3A / Formerly Area C1)

Humanities Honors

HUM 10 - Honors Global Oral and Rhetorical Cultures 3 unit(s) (GE Area 1C / Formerly Area A1)
HUM 11 - Honors Critical Thinking across Global Cultures 3 unit(s) (GE Area 1B / Formerly Area A3)
HUM 20 - Honors Global Material Cultures 3 unit(s) GE Area 3A / Formerly Area C1)
HUM 21 - Honors Reading Difference across Global Cultures 3 unit(s) (GE Area 3B / Formerly Area C2)

Western Civilization

HIST 10A - Western Civilization 3 unit(s) (GE Area 4 / Formerly Area D)
HIST 10B - Western Civilization 3 unit(s) (GE Area 4 / Formerly Area D)

World History

HIST 1A - World History to 1500 3 unit(s) (GE Area 4 / Formerly Area D)
HIST 1B - World History from 1500 3 unit(s) (GE Area 4 / Formerly Area D)

5. Major Requirements (45-49 units)

Core Courses (15 units)

HUM 80 - Reading the World 3 unit(s) (GE Area 1B / Formerly Area A3)
HUM 95 - Introduction to Digital Humanities 3 unit(s)
HUM 101 - Introduction to Critical Humanities 3 unit(s)
HUM 160 - Special Topics in Humanities 3 unit(s)
HUM 190 - Senior Seminar in Humanities 3 unit(s)

Comparative Courses (9 units)

Complete three courses:

AMS 129 - The U.S. in a Global Context 3 unit(s)
AMS 159 - Nature and World Cultures 3 unit(s) (GE UD Area 3 / Formerly Area V)
CA 173 - Thinking About Contemporary World Arts 3 unit(s) (GE UD Area 3 / Formerly Area V)
HUM 119 - Myths, Heroes, and Global Cultures before 1500 CE 3 unit(s)
HUM 128 - Global Humanities in the Modern Era 3 unit(s) (GE UD Area 3 / Formerly Area V)
RELS 120 - Censors and Icons: Arts and Religion 3 unit(s)

Additional Major Courses (9 units)

Choose three in addition to any American Studies course chosen above.

AMS 129 - The U.S. in a Global Context 3 unit(s)
AMS 139 - Animals and Society 3 unit(s) (GE UD Area 2/5 / Formerly Area R)
AMS 160 - Special Topics in Humanities 3 unit(s)
AMS 169 - The American Dream 3 unit(s) (GE UD Area 4 / Formerly Area S)
AMS 179 - Issues in US Popular Culture 3 unit(s)
CA 172 - The Arts in U.S. Society 3 unit(s) (GE UD Area 4 / Formerly Area S)
RELS 162 - Religion and Political Controversy in the US 3 unit(s) (GE UD Area 4 / Formerly Area S)

Major Electives (12-16 units)

Choose Four Courses From The Following Lists In One Of Three Ways: Topical, Time Period, Or Courses Chosen Evenly Across Multiple Disciplines. Consult American Studies Advisor For More Information And Options.

6. University Electives (7-25 units)

The Department highly recommends majors complete the following:

One year of college level foreign language or equivalent related to chosen area 0-10 unit(s)