The Program in American Studies engages students in critical interdisciplinary inquiry of American society and cultures. We give students the opportunity to create their own majors based on their particular interests and provide them with a "toolkit" to help them develop as cultural studies scholars. As an American Studies student, you will learn to apply methods and theories drawn from the humanities and social sciences to a range of sources (digital, historical, literary, material, oral, textual, visual) and to cultivate skills in critical thinking, cultural analysis, clear writing, collaborative feedback, and public speaking. Our courses train students to situate their studies within historic contexts, to work within intersectional frameworks, and to reflect on the problems/issues raised in the classroom as they engage in the world outside.
American Studies courses at DePaul offer a particular focus on American Popular Culture and Media and U.S. cultural history. We are also closely affiliated with other interdisciplinary programs such as Women’s and Gender Studies, African and Black Diaspora Studies, and LGBTQ+ Studies.
The Program in American Studies prepares its students to be lifelong, independent learners. Most of our alumni pursue post-graduate degrees, especially in law and the humanities (including education, history, media, and creative/professional writing), as well as professional training in library and information science, non-profit management, social work, journalism, counseling, communications, museum curation, IT and business.