AMST - American Studies

AMST418 Cultural Themes in America (3 Credits)

Examination of structure and development of American culture through themes such as "growing up American," "culture and mental disorders," "race," "ethnicity," "regionalism," "landscape," and "humor."

Repeatable to: 6 credits if content differs.

AMST418N Asian American Public Policy (3 Credits)

Using Asian Pacific Americans as a case study, this course will analyze the development of public policy in America. Each week, topics such as community development, voting rights, and the movement to redress the wartime internment of Japanese Americans will serve as backdrops for discussion. We will explore the policy-making roles of legislators, judges, local and national political leaders, journalists, writers, unions, social movements, and community organizations.

Cross-listed with: AAST421.

Credit Only Granted for: AAST421, AAST498M or AMST418N.

Formerly: AAST498M.

AMST425 Film and American Landscape (3 Credits)

Explores how representations of various geographic spaces in American film impact our understanding of community, identity, and place. In particular, we will think about how these spaces are culturally produced and changeable rather than static. The same space can hold diverse meanings for various groups of people and how such a space is represented in film is often wrapped up with issues of power, the reinforcement of stereotypes, and the creation of self/other dichotomies. By analyzing a variety of narrative, documentary, major studio, and independent films, we will seek to understand how American films' representations of rural, urban, and suburban spaces both reflect, contradict, and often influence our lived experiences of these spaces; in other words, this course will examine how the "reel" intersects with the "real".

Credit Only Granted for: AMST418K or AMST425.

Formerly: AMST418K.

AMST428 American Cultural Eras (3 Credits)

Investigation of a decade, period, or generation as a case study in significant social change within an American context. Case studies include "Antebellum America, 1840-1860" and "American culture in the Great Depression."

Repeatable to: 6 credits if content differs.

AMST429 Perspectives on Popular Culture (3 Credits)

Topics in popular culture studies, including the examination of particular genres, themes, and issues.

Repeatable to: 6 credits if content differs.

AMST450 Seminar in American Studies (3 Credits)

Developments in theories and methods of American Studies scholarship, with emphasis upon interaction between the humanities and the social sciences in the process of cultural analysis and evaluation.

Prerequisite: AMST201 and AMST340; and 1 course in AMST.

Restriction: Senior standing; and must be in American Studies program.

AMST498 Special Topics in American Studies (3 Credits)

Topics of special interest.

Repeatable to: 9 credits if content differs.

AMST498J Asian American Politics (3 Credits)

Students will gain a greater understanding of 1) the role of Asian Americans in US politics, 2) the political attitudes and behaviors of Asian Americans and 3) how to conduct research on Asian American politics. Though the class will concentrate on Asian Americans, issues related to Asian American politics will be examined within the larger context of America's multicultural political landscape.

Cross-listed with: AAST443, GVPT368C.

Credit Only Granted for: AAST498T, AAST443, GVPT368C or AMST 498J.

Formerly: AAST498T.

AMST499 Independent Studies (1-3 Credits)

Provides the student with the opportunity to pursue independent, interdisciplinary research and reading in specific areas of American culture studies.

Restriction: Permission of ARHU-American Studies department; and must be in American Studies program.

Repeatable to: 6 credits if content differs.

AMST601 Introductory Theories and History in American Studies (3 Credits)

Explores the formative literature, theories, research approaches, and history of American Studies.

Restriction: Must not be a Graduate Advanced Special Student.

AMST602 Interdisciplinary Research Methods and Bibliographic Instruction (3 Credits)

Advanced instruction interdisciplinary research strategies, bibliography, and the structure of systems of scholarly communication in the fields and subfields of American Studies.

AMST603 Current Approaches to American Studies (3 Credits)

Builds on AMST601 and explores contemporary literature, theory, and intellectual issues in American Studies.

Restriction: Must be in one of the following programs (American Studies (Master's); American Studies (Doctoral)) . Or permission of ARHU-American Studies department; and permission of instructor.

AMST628 Seminar in American Studies (3 Credits)

AMST629 Seminar in American Studies (3 Credits)

AMST638 Orientation Seminar: Material Aspects of American Civilization (3 Credits)

Class meets at the Smithsonian.

AMST639 Reading Course in Selected Aspects of American Civilization (3 Credits)

Class meets at the Smithsonian.

AMST650 Material Culture Studies Theory (3 Credits)

Readings and analysis of canonical and current scholarly approaches to the study of material culture. Covers a wide range of material culture genres and subfields, and focuses on artifacts and the built environment.

AMST655 Introduction to Museum Scholarship (3 Credits)

Provides students a basic understanding of museums as cultural and intellectual institutions. Topics include the historical development of museums, museums as resources for scholarly study, and the museum exhibition as medium for presentation of scholarship.

Cross-listed with: ANTH655, HIST610, INST653.

Credit Only Granted for: AMST655, ANTH655, HIST610, INST728T or INST653.

AMST659 Special Topics: Collaborative Curation (3 Credits)

This seminar considers the history of curation and curators within the institutional setting of museums and offers participants the opportunity, and challenge, to engage in curatorial practice by planning an exhibition that focuses on a critical aspect of life at and around the University of Maryland over the years.

Prerequisite: AMST655, ANTH655 or HIST610.

Recommended: AMST856, ANTH856, or HIST810; and AMST857, ANTH857 or HIST811.

Cross-listed with: ANTH659, HIST688, INST788.

Restriction: Must have permission of the Museum Studies and Material Culture program.

Repeatable to: 6 credits if content differs.

Additional Information: Students enrolled in the MSMC (Museum Studies and Material Culture) certificate program will be given priority for enrollment.

AMST698 Directed Readings in American Studies (3 Credits)

This course is designed to provide students with the opportunity to pursue independent, interdisciplinary research and reading in specific aspects of American culture under the supervision of a faculty member.

Repeatable to: 6 credits if content differs.

AMST789 Professional Development in Dance and Theatre (1 Credit)

This course will introduce graduate students to the academic job market, competitive fellowships, and ALT-AC (alternative academic) careers. Topics will include the interdisciplinary job market, cover letters, cv's, teaching and research statements, the teaching/artist portfolio, the diversity statement, interfolio, letters of recommendation, writing samples, websites, interviewing, and careers beyond academia.

Cross-listed with: TDPS789.

Repeatable to: 4 credits.

Formerly: THET669K, DANC689F.

AMST798 Non-Thesis Research (1-3 Credits)

AMST799 Master's Thesis Research (1-6 Credits)

AMST851 Interpretation of Cultural Landscapes (3 Credits)

A research seminar that provides students an opportunity to survey the principal approaches to studying a cultural landscape, learn how to apply and adapt a field research method, and produce a primary research report on a cultural landscape of their choice.

AMST856 Museum Research Seminar (3 Credits)

A research seminar focusing on the practice and presentation of cultural and historical scholarship in museums and historical sites. Students will complete an original research project on the challenges and opportunities of public exhibition and interpretation of cultural and historical research.

Prerequisite: AMST655, ANTH655, or HIST610.

Cross-listed with: ANTH856, HIST810, INST786.

Credit Only Granted for: AMST856, ANTH856, HIST810, INST728U or INST786.

AMST857 Museum Scholarship Practicum (3-6 Credits)

Students devise and carry out a research program using the collections at the Smithsonian Institution or some other cooperating museum, working under joint supervision of a museum professional and a university faculty member.

Prerequisite: AMST856, ANTH856, or HIST810.

Cross-listed with: ANTH857, HIST811, INST787.

Restriction: Permission of Museum Scholarship Program required.

Credit Only Granted for: AMST857, ANTH857, HIST811, INST728I or INST787.

AMST878 American Studies Pedagogy Mentoring (1-3 Credits)

This course provides graduate teaching assistants with a structured approach to pedagogical content, techniques, and collaborative practices that they learn and then can use throughout their careers. It also commits a core faculty member to teaching pedagogy and makes it possible for the course to become a formal part of one's load.

Restriction: Must be an AMST graduate assistant.

Repeatable to: 12 credits.

AMST898 Pre-Candidacy Research (1-8 Credits)

AMST899 Doctoral Dissertation Research (1-8 Credits)