These requirements are for students who matriculated in academic year 2024-2025. Students who matriculated prior to fall 2024 should refer to the Archives to view the requirements for their Bulletin year.

Summary of Degree Requirements

University Requirements

  • MATH 0701 (4 s.h.) and/or ENG 0701 (4 s.h.), if required by placement testing.
  • All Temple students must take a minimum of two writing-intensive courses as part of the major. The specific courses required for this major are: AMST 2098, and AMST 4097 (or AMST 4098 with permission).
  • Students must complete requirements of the General Education (GenEd) Program. See the General Education section of the Undergraduate Bulletin for more details.

College of Liberal Arts Requirements

  • Completion of a minimum of 123 credits, including:
    • 90 credits in CLA/CST courses;
    • 45 credits of which must be at the upper level (numbered 2000-4999).
      • For Social Science majors, 6 upper level credits (numbered 2000-4999) must be taken in Humanities Subject Areas: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Greek (Ancient), Greek and Roman Classics, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Philosophy, Religion, Russian, and Spanish in the College of Liberal Arts, Art History in the Tyler School of Art and Architecture, or any department in the College of Science and Technology.
    • A minimum GPA of 2.0, cumulatively, in CLA/CST coursework, and in the major.
    • Only courses in which a student receives a grade of at least C- can satisfy GenEd, major, minor, or CLA Foreign Language and Global Studies requirements.
    • Professional Development Requirement
      • All students in the College of Liberal Arts are required to take a 1 credit seminar in professional development. CLA 1002 Professional Development for Liberal Arts Majors is the appropriate course option for this major. Other courses that fulfill this requirement may be found on the CLA College Requirements page. Only one course in this category may count towards graduation.
    • Foreign Language/Global Studies Requirements:
      • All students must complete or test out of the first and second levels of a foreign language - these courses are numbered 1001 and 1002;
      • All students must complete at least one course from the GenEd Global/World Society category; and
      • All Bachelor of Arts students must complete one of the following options:
        • Third semester of a foreign language;
        • Demonstrated proficiency beyond the third semester in a foreign language (placement exam or certification from the language department);
        • Take one Global Studies course from the list on the CLA College Requirements page;
        • Study Abroad at an approved program; or
        • Take a second General Education Global/World Society course.
      • Notes on Foreign Language Study
        • The third level of language is numbered 1003 in French, Spanish, and Portuguese and numbered 2001 in all other foreign language subjects.
        • Students are strongly encouraged to take the third level of a foreign language as it is the minimum required for election to the prestigious honor society Phi Beta Kappa. (Taking the course does not guarantee admission but not taking it guarantees exclusion.)
        • See the College of Liberal Arts Policies section of this Bulletin for more information on the Foreign Language Placement, Regression in Coursework, and guidelines for students' other experiences with language.

General Electives are typically one-third of a student's program of study and can be focused on a second major, a minor, or towards some other personal enrichment or professional goals. See an academic advisor for assistance in developing an academic plan for these courses.

Major Requirements (39 credits)

Core Courses
Must complete five courses, one from each group below:
American Biography and Work3
AMST 1042
Work in America
American Culture3
AMST 2011
The Arts in America
AMST 2012
American Things: Introduction to Material Culture
AMST 2022
Museums and American Culture
AMST 2120/2900
Topics in American Culture 1
AMST 3011
Photography in America
AMST 3012
Film and American Society
Place in American Life3
AMST 2001
Tourism in America
AMST 2021
Philadelphia Neighborhoods
AMST 2051/2951
American Places: Home, City, Region
AMST 2120/2900
Topics in American Culture 1
AMST 3022
Architecture, Urban Design, and American Culture
AMST 3051
American Frontiers
AMST 3061
Media and American Popular Culture
Diversity in America3
Select one course in consultation with your advisor.
Change in America3
AMST 2031
Radicalism in the United States
AMST 2041
Technology and American Culture
AMST 2065
Global America
AMST 2120/2900
Topics in American Culture 1
AMST 3031/3931
Political Protest and Culture in the '60s
AMST 3032
Literature and Political Change
AMST 3033
Courtroom in American Society
AMST 3041
Contemporary Trends in the American Workplace
AMST 3075
Literature of American Slavery
Additional Courses
Select three American Studies 2000-4999 Electives 29
Three American-Focused Electives from Related Disciplines, numbered 1000+. 39
Writing Intensive Courses
AMST 2098Reading Culture3
AMST 4097Senior Seminar in American Studies 43
or AMST 4098 Senior Independent Study
Total Credit Hours39
1

Specific subjects change each semester. See class schedule for information on a particular offering. AMST 2120 may meet one or more of the above requirements with permission of the director.

2

These can include choices from the American Studies core courses as well as choices from all other American Studies courses. 

3

Students must take at least three courses outside of the major selected in consultation with the American Studies director and congruent with an American Studies focus. We recommend that at least 6 of these credits be in American history or literature.

4

Students must take the Senior Seminar in their final year of study (usually offered in Fall semester). Only in rare circumstances and with special permission can students satisfy the capstone by taking AMST 4098.