Explore the interplay of material practices and the realm of ideas.
The Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies offers undergraduates an interdisciplinary approach to American history, identity, culture, politics, media, and the built environment. The major provides intensive, individualized faculty advising and mentorship, helping students tap UC Berkeley’s enormous and varied resources to explore what is “American” about America. Courses draw on subjects, methods, and materials from across campus, including the humanities, social sciences, and professional schools.
Highlights
- Gain a foundation with AMERSTD 10 (or 10AC) Introduction to American Studies.
- Customize your studies with an area of concentration.
- Challenge yourself with an American Studies honors seminar.
Curriculum
American Studies majors develop individual concentrations that focus on specific issues relating to US culture, politics, economy, environment, and media. Students are able to draw on a broad spectrum of fields of knowledge, including law, business, ecology, geography, political economy, public policy, architecture, performance, and ethnic, gender, and urban studies. Designed around the axes of “time,” “place,” and material culture, we teach students how to ask and answer scholarly questions and how to design and execute a capstone senior thesis project.
Learn more at as.ugis.berkeley.edu
Study Options
Undergraduate and Interdisciplinary Studies in the College of Letters & Science offers majors in American Studies, Interdisciplinary Studies, and Media Studies, as well as minors in American Studies, Applied Language Studies, Creative Writing, Disability Studies, and Politics, Philosophy, and Law. Our major and minor programs attract undergraduates who wish to explore the most intellectually engaging and promising interdisciplinary fields under the direction of scholars who are pioneers in charting these new areas and methods of inquiry.
Declaring the Major
First-year students who are accepted to UC Berkeley are admitted to the College of Letters & Science as an undeclared student. To declare the American Studies major, you must:
- Complete AMERSTD 10 or equivalent
- Have a minimum 2.0 GPA in lower division courses
- Submit the American Studies major declaration form to a Faculty Advisor for approval
Transfer students who are accepted to UC Berkeley and have selected American Studies on their undergraduate admissions application will be admitted directly into the major (no declaration required).
American Studies majors develop strong skills in writing, critical analysis, and interdisciplinary thinking, learning to recognize meaningful connections across complex materials and diverse social, cultural, and political phenomena. Graduates pursue careers in fields such as business, communications, government service, law, social services, and education. The major also provides an excellent foundation for graduate study in the humanities and social sciences, as well as for professional degrees and certificates.
UC Berkeley offers a number of career resources for students majoring in American Studies. The College of Letters & Science offers advising for undergraduates pursuing medical or health professions programs, law school, or Master’s and PhD programs. Berkeley Career Engagement provides career counseling, professional and graduate school advising, job and internship listings, and events such as career and graduate school fairs.
Employment
Alumni find employment in a variety of fields and industries after graduation. Examples include:
- Attorney
- Business Development Coordinator
- Case Worker
- Data Analyst
- Design Researcher
- Emergency Physician
- Grant Writer
- Graphic Designer
- Marketing Coordinator
- Mitigation Investigator
- Personal Financial Planner
- Professor
- Real Estate Broker
- Software Consultant
- Teacher
Graduate Study
Alumni pursue graduate education to gain more depth of knowledge in their field as well as prepare for jobs that require advanced degrees. Examples include:
- American Studies
- Anthropology
- Business Administration
- Education
- English Language and Literature
- Fine Arts
- History
- Information Management
- Journalism
- Law
- Public Health
- Urban Governance, Policy, and Planning
Phuong, class of 2022
Phuong Le graduated with a BA in American Studies and works as a full-time Data Analyst and a part-time Senior Business Analytics Instructor. Her professional goal is to develop expertise in data-driven decision-making across various niche industries.
“The experiences I have had during, outside of, and beyond my time at UC Berkeley have instilled in me a deep sense of purpose that I continue to refine each day that I’m alive. I’m thankful for the challenges I’ve encountered. Those challenges guided me to my current career path, nurtured my personal growth and self-love within myself, and fueled my passion for making a positive impact in the communities that I serve and hold dear.”
First Year
Plan Your Studies
- Start exploring with L&S 1 and the L&S New Freshman Student Guide.
- Visit L&S Advising for help with major exploration and degree requirements.
- Familiarize yourself with the American Studies major; review the American Studies Student Handbook and begin lower division requirements such as AMERSTD 10 or 10AC.
- Join Berkeley Connect for 1:1 mentoring and to meet peers with shared interests.
- Discover new interests in a Freshman Seminar, Berkeley Changemaker, or DeCal course.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Get involved with a student organization.
- Visit Berkeley Discovery to get started with research, entrepreneurship, public service, and creative projects.
- Get academic help from the Student Learning Center.
- Learn how to prepare for office hours and build relationships with faculty.
- Check out Oddyard, campus' interdisciplinary student journal.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Visit UHS Career Counseling and Berkeley Career Engagement.
- Start exploring career paths for the major; check out graduate profiles on the American Studies website.
- Begin making a plan to get career ready.
- Create or update your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- Use Handshake to start connecting with career events and opportunities.
Second Year
Plan Your Studies
- Complete lower division requirements, including three lower division social sciences or humanities courses that focus on the United States.
- Meet with your major and college advisor to discuss your academic plans; think about an area of concentration.
- Look into study abroad and learning a foreign language.
- Enrich your studies with a certificate or minor such as Politics, Philosophy, and Law.
- Verify you have completed all major prerequisites and declare the major.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Attend American Studies events such as the Spring Symposium.
- Develop your skills in the Berkeley Student Leadership Academy.
- Explore research opportunities on the OURS website; apply to URAP to work on a faculty research project.
- Browse grants from the Center for Race and Gender and Institute for the Study of Societal Issues.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Meet with a BCE career educator to discuss career options and goals.
- Build your network and explore career fields via job shadowing and informational interviews.
- Pursue an internship to build skills and explore fields.
- Browse graduate school resources from the Graduate Division, L&S Advising, and BCE; look into the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship.
Third Year
Plan Your Studies
- Begin taking upper division requirements in the major, including core methods courses and courses for your area of concentration.
- Review your degree progress with your major and college advisor.
- Develop your writing and critical thinking in an Art of Writing seminar.
- Spend a term off-campus through UCDC or the Intercampus Visitor Program.
- Consider pursuing an Honors Seminar or Honors Thesis; look into the Haas Scholars and SURF programs.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Interested in teaching? Give it a try by facilitating your own DeCal course.
- Check out the Public Service Internship, College Corps, and Haas Public Service Leaders Program.
- Welcome new students to Berkeley as a Golden Bear Orientation Leader.
- Volunteer at the American Studies table at Cal Day.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Speak with faculty, advisors, and career educators about post-graduate options.
- Join a professional association such as the American Studies Association.
- Interested in public service careers? Consider applying to the John Gardner Fellowship, Huntington Award, or Truman Scholarship.
Fourth Year
Plan Your Studies
- Consider applying for an American Studies Senior Thesis Research Grant.
- Finish all upper division requirements and electives.
- Satisfy your senior thesis requirement; join a thesis writing workshop at the Student Learning Center.
- Complete any remaining degree requirements and prepare for graduation.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Submit a course research project for the Library Prize, American Cultures Student Prize, or other awards.
- Get published! Submit your work to the Berkeley Undergraduate Journal.
- Pursue a special project after graduation with the Stronach Prize.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Check in with a BCE career educator.
- Connect with alumni groups such as American Studies Alumni.
- Apply to graduate school or post-graduate programs.
- Meet employers at info sessions, on-campus recruiting, and career fairs.
- Utilize job search tools from BCE and apply for job opportunities.
- Learn about alumni career services.
Summer
- Make progress on degree requirements with a Summer Sessions course like AMERSTD 10.
- Go abroad through Berkeley Study Abroad or UCEAP.
- Look into a summer internship with Cal in the Capital, Cal in Sacramento, or Berkeley Global Internships.
- Pursue a summer minor or certificate—check out programs in Digital Humanities and Race and the Law.
- Apply to the GiGS program to learn about graduate school.
First Semester
Plan Your Studies
- Get your bearings with L&S 198 Transitioning to Cal and the L&S New Transfer Student Guide.
- Meet with your major and college advisor to discuss your academic plans; review the American Studies Student Handbook and think about an area of concentration.
- Complete AMERSTD 10 or 10AC; begin taking upper division requirements.
- Join Berkeley Connect for 1:1 mentoring and to meet peers with shared interests.
- Declare the major if you were not admitted directly to American Studies.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Get involved with a student organization.
- Connect with the Transfer Student Center or Re-entry Student Program.
- Get academic help from the Student Learning Center.
- Visit Berkeley Discovery to get started with research, entrepreneurship, public service, and creative projects.
- Learn how to prepare for office hours and build relationships with faculty.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Visit UHS Career Counseling and Berkeley Career Engagement.
- Start exploring career paths for the major; check out graduate profiles on the American Studies website.
- Create or update your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- Use Handshake to start connecting with career events and opportunities.
- Meet with a BCE career educator to discuss career options and goals.
Second Semester
Plan Your Studies
- Focus on upper division requirements, including core methods courses and courses for your area of concentration.
- Look into study abroad and learning a foreign language.
- Explore new interests in a Berkeley Changemaker or DeCal course.
- Enrich your studies with a certificate or minor such as Politics, Philosophy, and Law.
- Consider pursuing an Honors Seminar or Honors Thesis; look into the Haas Scholars and SURF programs.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Attend American Studies events such as the Spring Symposium.
- Check out the Public Service Internship, College Corps, and Haas Public Service Leaders Program.
- Explore research opportunities on the OURS website; apply to URAP to work on a faculty research project.
- Browse grants from the Center for Race and Gender and Institute for the Study of Societal Issues.
- Check out Oddyard, campus' interdisciplinary student journal.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Build your network and explore career fields via job shadowing and informational interviews.
- Pursue an internship to build skills and explore fields.
- Browse graduate school resources from the Graduate Division, L&S Advising, and BCE.
- Speak with faculty, advisors, and career educators about post-graduate options.
Third Semester
Plan Your Studies
- Continue with upper division requirements.
- Review your degree progress with your major and college advisor.Develop your writing and critical thinking in an Art of Writing seminar.
- Spend a term off-campus through UCDC or the Intercampus Visitor Program.
- Consider applying for an American Studies Senior Thesis Research Grant.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Help other students as a Transfer Peer Advocate.
- Develop your skills in the Berkeley Student Leadership Academy.
- Welcome new students to Berkeley as a Golden Bear Orientation Leader.
- Interested in teaching? Give it a try by facilitating your own DeCal course.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Check in with a BCE career educator.
- Join a professional association such as the American Studies Association.
- Interested in public service careers? Consider applying to the John Gardner Fellowship, Huntington Award, or Truman Scholarship.
- Apply to graduate school or post-graduate programs.
Fourth Semester
Plan Your Studies
- Finish all upper division requirements and electives.
- Satisfy your senior thesis requirement; join a thesis writing workshop at the Student Learning Center.
- Complete any remaining degree requirements and prepare for graduation.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Submit a course research project for the Library Prize, American Cultures Student Prize, or other awards.
- Get published! Submit your work to the Berkeley Undergraduate Journal.
- Pursue a special project after graduation with the Stronach Prize.
- Volunteer at the American Studies table at Cal Day.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Meet employers at info sessions, on-campus recruiting, and career fairs.
- Utilize job search tools from BCE and apply for job opportunities.
- Connect with alumni groups such as American Studies Alumni.
- Learn about alumni career services.
Summer
- Get ready for Berkeley with RHETOR 100 Writing at the University.
- Thinking about a PhD? Apply to the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship before your first semester.
- Make progress on degree requirements with a Summer Sessions course like AMERSTD 101.
- Go abroad through Berkeley Study Abroad or UCEAP.
- Look into a summer internship with Cal in the Capital, Cal in Sacramento, or Berkeley Global Internships.
- Pursue a summer minor or certificate—check out programs in Digital Humanities and Race and the Law.
- Apply to the GiGS program to learn about graduate school.
Undergraduate Advising
Have questions about American Studies or the College of Letters & Science?
The American Studies program offers undergraduate advising for students interested in the American Studies major or minor. The Student Academic Advisor is available for in-person and remote advising on major, double major, and minor planning and declaration; study abroad planning; and more. Faculty Advisors are available to discuss program planning, area of concentration courses, major declarations, graduate study, and other academic goals. For advising hours and contacts, visit as.ugis.berkeley.edu/people.
The College of Letters & Science helps students with non-major-specific academic topics, including major exploration, general program planning, finding campus resources, and pre-professional graduate programs. L&S College Advisors are available for in-person and virtual meetings. Visit lsadvising.berkeley.edu or email asklns@berkeley.edu.
Related Programs
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