American Studies
Arts & Humanities Division
Courses in American Studies offer students a unique opportunity to examine change and continuity in American culture. The focus on American life and society provides an understanding of our own cultures as well as its impact on other countries in the world. American Studies uses a multi-disciplinary approach to draw upon the special interests of faculty from many departments in the college.
Student Alert: 356 BCC courses renumbered and/or renamed starting summer 2008. For example, Speech 200 is now Communication Studies 210. If you have taken courses at BCC prior to summer 2008, visit our Common Course Number Advisory website to learn more and view a list of changed courses.
- AMST 101 Introduction to American Myth . V1-5 CR
- Analyzes the myth of "America" as found in American life and thought, literature, the arts, and the mass media. Students get an overview of the field of American Studies as it relates to other disciplines. Students apply critical thinking skills to their own value systems.
- AMST 102 Introduction to American Culture . 2 CR
- Examines central themes of American Studies as they relate to other disciplines. Themes can include The American Dream, Comparative Culture, U.S. and Asia, Immigration in American Life, and others.
- AMST 103 American Art & Architecture . 5 CR
- Compares five regions of the U.S., emphasizing the cultural diversity that has influenced the art and architecture of each. Same as ART 103. Either AMST 103 or ART 103 may be taken for credit, not both.
- AMST 115 American Film as Literature . 5 CR
- Previously AMST 114
- Introduces the critical study of the motion picture as an expressive medium comparable to literary art. Students review the history and cultural traditions of American film, with focus on the feature-length film as a novelistic form. Students analyze film adaptations of American literary texts. Also includes documentaries and other genres.
- AMST 150 Introduction to Mass Media . 5 CR
- Examines the structure and operation of American mass media, including television, radio, newspapers, magazines, and film. Students analyze media influence on society and the relationships among media, audience, and government. Same as CMST&102 (prev COMM 150). Either AMST 150 or CMST& 102 (prev COMM 150) may be taken for credit, not both.
- AMST 160 Introduction to American Political Culture . 5 CR
- Examines the structures and systems of American politics using a multidisciplinary approach. Students analyze the development of political culture and its evolution through time. Same as POLS 160 (prev POLSC 160). Either AMST 160 or POLS 160 (prev POLSC 160) may be taken for credit, not both.
- AMST 180 Anthropology of American Life . 5 CR
- Examines American culture from a social science perspective. Topics include the historical origins of cultural and political values, the effects of economic changes, and the impact of mass culture on American consciousness. Same as ANTH 180. Either AMST 180 or ANTH 180 may be taken for credit, not both.
- AMST 200 Cultural Pluralism . 5 CR
- Explores the roles that race, gender, and class differences play in American society. Students examine the impact that racism, sexism, and class conflict has on our lives and our social, economic, and political structures.
- AMST 260 Economic Development of the U.S. . 5 CR
- Analyzes the industrialization and transformation of the U.S. economy from colonial times to the present. Students examine the rapid changes after the Civil War and the Great Depression, as well as the contributions of immigrants and native groups. Same as ECON 260. Either AMST 260 or ECON 260 may be taken for credit, not both. Recommended: 30 prior college credits.
- AMST 285 American Humor . 5 CR
- Surveys the history of American humor. Topics may include the Down East, Old Southwest, and Literary Comedian genres of the 19th century and the Purple Cow and Columnists humorists of the 20th century. Students may also analyze contemporary forms such as cartoons and stand-up comedy.
- AMST 286 Popular Culture . 5 CR
- Analyzes various forms of contemporary popular culture and its expression in mass media. Specific topics may include western and romance novels, consumerism, advertising, gender images, folklore, film, and music.
- AMST 287 American Heroes . 5 CR
- Investigates the American hero as part of the American dream. Students examine the different ideologies for men and women as well as ethnic minorities. Students take an interdisciplinary approach to analyzing changing heroic values in literature, history, film, art, and music.
- AMST 288 Frontiers--Land & Space . 5 CR
- Explores land (wilderness, frontier, city) and space as major symbols in the American myth. Students gain an interdisciplinary perspective on concepts from the "promised land" of Puritan New England to 20th-century space exploration.
- AMST 294/295/296/297 Special Topics in American Studies . V1-5 CR
- Allows focused study of a topic supplementing the American Studies curriculum. Student interest and instructor expertise help determine the topic, which is announced in the class schedule. Examples of topics are American Women Artists, Stages of American Life, Modernity in America, and Immigrant Women.
- AMST 299 Individual Studies in American Studies . V1-5 CR
- Covers directed reading, special projects, and independent study by an individual student. May be repeated for a maximum of 15 credits. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.