The American Studies minor builds on the tradition of an interdisciplinary field of study that promotes a broad humanistic understanding of American culture, past and present. By incorporating economics, history, literature, sociology, art history, anthropology, ethnic studies and public policy (among other areas), this minor encourages students and faculty within those fields to exchange ideas on scholarship as it relates to the American experience. In addition, the American Studies minor seeks to move beyond traditional limitations of American Studies, by allowing students to take relevant courses in engineering or the natural sciences. Inclusion of these courses is based on the rationale that cultural practices often stem from our understanding of and research in those sciences.
For additional information on the American Studies minor at UC Merced, please visit the School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts main website.
For American Studies minor requirements, please consult your catalog.
American Studies Minor Breadth Courses
The following courses meet the breadth requirements for the American Studies minor at UC Merced.
Upper Division Non-History or Literature Course on American Topics
- ANTH 135: Archaeology of Native California
- ANTH 130: Archaeology of Colonialism
- ARTS 120: American Music of the 20th Century
- ECON 121: The Economics of Money, Banking, and Financial Institutions
- GASP 175: Race and Nationalism in American Art
- MGMT 121: The Economics of Money, Banking, and Financial Institutions
- NSED 120: Diversity in Education
- POLI 102: Judicial Politics
- POLI 106: Urban Politics
- POLI 110: Government Power and the Constitution
- POLI 160: U.S. Foreign Policy
- SOC 110: Social Movement, Protest and Collective Action
- SOC 131: Urban Inequality
- SOC 180: Topics in Sociology (Summer 2008 or Spring 2013 Only)
- SOC 185: Topics in Sociology (Fall 2008 Only)
Upper Division Course on American Ethnicity, Race or Gender
- ANTH 110: Anthropology of Transnationalism
- GASP 135: African American Music
- HIST 124: African American History from Slavery to Civil Rights
- HIST 133: Topics in the History of Migration and Immigration (if course is focused on US topics)
- HIST 139: Topics in United States History (Spring 2010 Only)
- LIT 120: Topics in the Literature of Difference
- LIT 161: Latinos/as in Children's Literature and Film
- LIT 169: U.S. Latino Literature
- SCS 145: Second Language Learning and Bilingualism
- SOC 180: Topics in Sociology (Summer 2008 Only)
- SPAN 114: Latinos/as in Children's Literature and Film
