American Studies, BA

Students should have a strong interest in American culture and history. This can include the visual arts, music, and popular culture, as well as social movements and politics in any time period of U.S. history. Many students also have great interest in how America fits into the larger global picture. Curiosity about different parts of American culture and a willingness to explore new areas are essential. A desire to communicate ideas in writing is important. This major helps develop skills in connecting information, writing strong arguments, and reading for both fine detail and the big picture.

Admission into the Major

Students are expected to formally declare a major no later than the fourth semester of full-time enrollment (or at 61 semester hours for transfer students). Students can declare a major by completing the Change of Major/Minor Application online under the Student tab of myBama.

Special Opportunities

Students have the opportunity to complete internships in a variety of settings. Students should contact the department for more information.

• The undergraduate international admissions office will review the applicant’s transcripts within the context of the school, curriculum and country.
• GPA will be calculated on all coursework, not just core subjects. UA considers applicants with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for admission.
• UA will accept unofficial transcripts for admission purposes. These can be emailed or uploaded by the student. 
  • If a student applies with unofficial documents, we MUST receive the official documents directly from the school or testing authority by July 1 for Fall admission and November 1 for Spring admission. 
  • Any student who does not provide official copies will not be able to enroll for courses. 
  • If a student’s official documents are not available by that time, exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis. Students requesting an exception must email [email protected] before the deadline to be considered.
• For academic admission, students must meet the English proficiency requirement. For more information see UA’s English Language Proficiency page. 
• Students who meet the academic and financial qualifications, but do not meet the TOEFL, IELTS or PTE score requirement may apply for conditional admission.
  • Conditionally admitted students will begin their studies in the English Language Institute and then enter directly into their academic coursework once they have satisfied English proficiency. 
  • For more information see UA’s conditional admission page.
• Students requiring F-1 and J-1 visas must also send documentation in order to secure an I-20 or DS-2010.
• Successful candidates for UA will have completed a college preparatory curriculum.

• The undergraduate international admissions office will review the applicant’s transcripts within the context of the school, curriculum and country.
• GPA will be calculated on all coursework, not just core subjects. UA considers applicants with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for admission.
• UA will accept unofficial transcripts for admission purposes. These can be emailed or uploaded by the student. 
  • If a student applies with unofficial documents, we MUST receive the official documents directly from the school or testing authority by July 1 for Fall admission and November 1 for Spring admission. 
  • Any student who does not provide official copies will not be able to enroll for courses. 
  • If a student’s official documents are not available by that time, exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis. Students requesting an exception must email [email protected] before the deadline to be considered.
• For academic admission, students must meet the English proficiency requirement. For more information see UA’s English Language Proficiency page. 
• Students who meet the academic and financial qualifications, but do not meet the TOEFL, IELTS or PTE score requirement may apply for conditional admission.
  • Conditionally admitted students will begin their studies in the English Language Institute and then enter directly into their academic coursework once they have satisfied English proficiency. 
  • For more information see UA’s conditional admission page.
• Students requiring F-1 and J-1 visas must also send documentation in order to secure an I-20 or DS-2010.
• Successful candidates for UA will have completed a college preparatory curriculum.

Many career opportunities exist for American Studies majors. Many students attend law school, library school, or pursue advanced degrees. American Studies majors teach in secondary schools, junior colleges, and universities and work for historical commissions, arts alliances, museums, libraries, and the private sector.

Types of Jobs Accepted

Recent graduates have accepted jobs in libraries, museums, student services, tourism, secondary education, junior college teaching, advertising, public relations, journalism, and labor relations.

Jobs of Experienced Alumni

Jobs held by alumni include attorney; university  trustee; university external affairs and development director; school counselor; principal; museum sales manager; museum consultant; public relations specialist; library collection curator; special collections librarian; public television production manager; fiction and biography author; popular music critic; publishing account executive; arts alliance programs director; community celebration and documentation coordinator; educational programmer; Jessie Ball DuPont Fund executive director; advertising website developer; public health counselor; Department of Labor wage and hour investigator; architectural historian; congressional press secretary.

Learn more about opportunities in this field at the Career Center

• Copy of your passport
• Relevant visa and immigration documents (This includes PR card, current visa, or F-1/ J-1 visa request and supporting documents)
• Unofficial transcript copies from every secondary school you have attended. This includes academic transcripts, mark sheets, grade reports, diplomas or certificates, national standardized examination results, or other academic course work.
  • Include an English translation for all documents not written in English. If you need assistance translating your documents into English, we recommend using the American Translators Association to find a certified translator.
  • Students graduating high school in Nigeria, Liberia, Ghana, The Gambia or Sierra Leone must submit a copy of their WASSCE results and scratch card information (serial number and PIN) in order to complete their application.
• Students that graduated 6 or more months ago should also provide a brief statement listing any academic activities since graduation (including any post-secondary coursework at institutions inside or outside of the US, English language programs, study abroad programs, etc.) List name(s) of the institutions and dates of attendance. If you have no additional academic activities, please write a short statement that speaks to your activities during the gap period. In the statement, please include the following and send to International Admissions at [email protected]:
  • Full Name
  • Address
  • High School/Secondary School
  • Graduation Date