American Studies is a field that uses multiple disciplines and theories to critique a wide variety of subjects. The IU School of Liberal Arts in Indianapolis program has a deep history on campus and today offers a dynamic minor and a unique and robust doctorate. We are also committed at both the undergraduate and graduate levels to put the field’s tradition of critique into action. Through this combination of critique and action, the American public higher education can contribute to, and perhaps even advance, the public good and the popular demands for justice, equality, and freedom.
Our program offers:
With an American Studies minor, you will understand how to put the chaos of American life in context, generating constructive ways to discuss and work through the problems of your communities and workplaces.
With a doctorate from the American Studies program, you will gain diverse methodological skills, mastery of critical theories, and connections to communities, corporations, and public leaders. With this foundation, you can recreate your careers, advance knowledge for the public good, and reinvigorate your workplaces with the kind of original thought that can only come from a doctoral education.
“I feel very grateful for the opportunity to be in the program and have loved nearly every aspect of it. In particular, I have really enjoyed my classes, building relationships with my peers in my program, building a network of new colleagues, getting to know residents in the community where I am doing fieldwork, and contributing to important conversations about equity and inclusion. Pursuing a Ph.D. is a big undertaking, in and of itself, and it has been very rewarding.”
— Abbey Chambers, AMST Ph.D. ‘20
If you are considering PhD studies in American Studies, either as a new student or as a transfer student, please contact Ray Haberski, Director of American Studies. If you are considering a minor in American Studies, please contact laadvise@iu.edu for any questions or assistance.
