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American Studies

Culture is a complex system. It is shaped by its history, its arts, its social, religious, economic and political structures, its environment and its technologies. The American Studies minor allows students to explore the many dimensions of the American experience by bringing together the tools from a variety of disciplines.

The program is designed to expose students to a variety of different disciplinary perspectives on American culture, yet allows them to select the tools and the questions about culture that are most compelling to them.

Along the way, they may just discover how other disciplines like Economics and Anthropology offer unexpectedly relevant and exciting insights into the questions that matter most to them.

Interested in …

… studying Popular culture?

⇒ Emphasize courses in Art, English and Communication

… exploring Social Justice?

⇒ Emphasize work in Sociology, Political Science and Economics

… examining Religion in American Culture?

⇒ Emphasize classes in Religion, English and History.

… pursuing graduate work in American Studies?

⇒ Combine your AMS minor with a major in History or English.


American Studies Student Projects


• Web site (Spring Term 2007)

• Video (Spring Term 2005)

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Alma College students report levels of educational experiences and faculty interaction that exceed the national norms by significant amounts, according to the findings of the 2007 National Survey of Student Engagement. In the 2006 study, Alma students reported a level of interaction with faculty that ranked among the top five percent in the nation.

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Graduate Profile

Katherine Persitz
Graduation: 2006
Major: English
Minor: American Studies

Katherine Persitz, 2006 Alma graduate, says her minor in American Studies is helping her find solutions to situations in both her personal and professional life.

“This minor helped me understand how to connect pieces of a puzzle that don’t always seem to fit together,” she says. “When you are looking at an issue, personally or professionally, you need to look at every angle. Working for a minor that required that kind of insight developed the instinct to dig deeper than a band-aid solution.”

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