American Studies Degree
Is your idea of a good time making popcorn and throwing on the History Channel? Or perhaps it's cozying up to an old book that was written decades ago and is now considered an American classic? If you enjoy American history and culture, then you may want to look into majoring in American Studies.
UTSA’s American Studies Program
UTSA’s American Studies degree combines the subjects of history, literature, the arts and social sciences to understand the diverse perspectives on cultural traditions and material practices that have shaped the United States. In this program, you will study interdisciplinary topics like race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality, transnationalism, urban experience, social justice, culture and religion. A degree in American Studies will prepare you for a career in several fields including law, journalism, government, foreign service, social work, international business, education, nonprofit and public administration.
Academic Information:
College
College of Liberal & Fine ArtsDepartment
Department of HistoryDegrees Offered
Careers in American Studies
Top job titles for American Studies graduates include:
• College Professor
• Social Science Researcher
• Sales Representative
American Studies and its related career pathways are currently in higher than average demand in San Antonio for the 2018-19 financial year. US States/Regions with high demand for related jobs include San Francisco, CA, Tampa, FL and Washington D.C. More than 144,000 American studies-related job opportunities existed nationwide in 2018-19.
Career Resources
UTSA’s University Career Center offers several resources to help students identify and develop the global skills necessary to successfully pursue and achieve lifelong career goals.
Industries for American Studies Graduates
American Studies is a widely applicable major as businesses and organizations across several industries require staff and services related to this major. The industries that posted the largest number of American studies-related positions over 2018-19 included:
• Higher Education
• Advertising and Public Relations
• Scientific Research and Development
• Consulting
Salaries for American Studies Graduates
The salary range for open American studies-related positions in the US between November 2018 and October 2019 were:
| lowest 10% | $40,507 |
| median | $54,217 |
| top 10% | $107,046 |
Source: Burning Glass
Skills and Interests for American Studies Majors
While many skills and interests translate to potential careers as an American Studies graduate, some are more commonly sought after than others. American Studies may be a good fit for you if:
• You enjoy learning
• You enjoy working with others
• You enjoy teaching and mentoring
• You are a good planner
• You like being artistic and creative
Scholarships Offered:
- John S. Jockusch Endowed Scholarship in the Liberal Arts
- Declared major in a liberal arts discipline within COLFA at the undergraduate or graduate level. (Art and art history and music majors are not eligible for this scholarship)
- Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA
Student Life
UTSA’s American Studies degree combines the subjects of history, literature, the arts and social sciences to understand the diverse perspectives on cultural traditions and material practices that have shaped the United States. In this program, students will study interdisciplinary topics like race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality, transnationalism, urban experience, social justice, culture and religion. A degree in American Studies will prepare students for careers in law, journalism, government, foreign service, and many more. Students studying American Studies may consider becoming involved in:
- Mexican American Studies Student Organization
- UTSA Department of Bicultural-Bilingual Studies
- Eta Sigma Phi