American Culture Studies, M.A.

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The interdisciplinary Master of Arts in American Culture Studies is designed around the concept of culture, which unifies study of many discrete aspects of American historical, social, intellectual, and artistic heritage. The program invites students to explore particular themes, issues, and periods from an interdisciplinary perspective.

The M.A. curriculum offers a foundation in the study of American culture for students with a variety of interests or goals. Primarily, we seek to communicate a sense of the complexity and diversity of the American national culture through systematic analysis of its elements. This approach is relevant equally to students who might pursue a career in education in some aspect of American culture; those who might engage in such professions as journalism, public relations, advertising, government, marketing, etc., where a knowledge of American culture is important; or those seeking enrichment of their understanding of American culture. While the American culture studies component of the curriculum assures a common experience in the study of culture, the remainder of the courses allows an individualized educational experience.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Master’s degree, students in the American Culture Studies program are expected to be able to:

Communicate clearly orally and in writing interpretation of the American experience, informed by relevant cultural theory
Evaluate and synthesize the scholarly conversations in Cultural and American Studies.
Design and produce rigorous, interdisciplinary research informed by relevant theories in the fields of cultural and American Studies.
Engage with profession through activities in professional societies, publication, and other scholarly and professional activities.

Admission Requirements

Additional Admissions materials and requirements for this program:

Submit scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
Three Letters of Recommendation
Professional Resume
Statement of Purpose
Writing Sample

Application Requirements

Admissions Categories and Grade Point Average Requirements

International Application Information

Degree Requirements

Curriculum Requirements

Required Courses (3 credits)

ACS 6300 - Methods and Theories

Electives (27 credits)

Select From: ACS, ARTH, COMM, ENG, ETHN, HIST, POPC, SOC, WS
Select courses in other related fields with the approval of the Graduate Program Coordinator

Other Requirements

No more than 15 credit hours should be taken in a single department or program other than American Culture Studies.

Culminating Experience (3 credits)

Plan I:
ACS 6990 - Thesis Research
Plan II:
ACS 6980 - Readings for Comprehensive Examination

Successful completion of the Comprehensive Examination

Minimum Total Credits (33 credits)

Additional Requirements

Minimum of 3 credits of 6990 required for Plan I master’s students. Maximum of 6 credits may be applied toward degree requirements.
Minimum 3.0 graduate cumulative grade point average
Minimum of 18 credits must be at the 6000-level or higher
Minimum of 24 credits must be earned at BGSU
All requirements must be completed within six years from the end of the earliest course used to fulfill degree requirements.