乔治华盛顿大学

Housed in the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, American studies at GW are one of the nation's most rigorous and innovative programs. With a core of 15 full-time and 20 affiliated faculty members, the program emphasizes interdisciplinary cultural analysis with approaches from anthropology, architectural history, art history, English, folk life, geography, media studies, history, performance studies and political theory. The department’s particular strengths are in cultural history and cultural studies, art and culture, race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality, transnational American studies, urban studies of space and place, political and public cultures and religion.

Students in the Ph.D. program construct a comprehensive plan of study in three related fields tailored to their interests. These interdisciplinary fields highlight major problems in American studies and in related disciplines, such as art history, English, history and political science. Students develop research agendas early in their studies through participation in seminars and workshops, often drawing on the rich resources of Washington-based archives and research institutes. The department strongly supports the acquisition of foreign language skills.

Students in the master’s program can pursue a general degree in American studies or can select from two concentrations: museums and material culture or historic preservation. The general M.A. is a strong cultural studies degree that prepares students for advanced work. The material culture and historic preservation, which draw on the department’s interdisciplinary strengths in the analysis of culture, provide pre-professional training with strong links to pertinent D.C. cultural resource management institutions, such as the Smithsonian Institution and the Department of Interior’s National Register. All degree programs stress professional-level research and writing skills.