A major in American studies and minors in film and women?s studies are among those added to the College of Liberal Arts? catalogue this fall.
Three new majors will be added to the College of Liberal Arts ? American studies, music and telecommunication and media studies.
?American studies is a vibrant field of study, long available as a major at some of the finest private and public schools in the country, including Yale, the University of Texas and the University of California at Berkeley,? said Program Director Larry Reynolds. ?This major provides students with the integrated knowledge of the diversity and unity of American life: Its peoples, myths, conflicts and institutions.?
The bachelor of arts degree requires 33 hours, including 18 hours of directed electives from different areas of interest.
?Student reaction has been enthusiastic, at least among those students who have discovered the existence of the program,? Reynolds said. ?At the moment we have six majors enrolled. Students who enroll in American studies can expect a rigorous but flexible curriculum designed to develop historical understanding of the United States and its role in the world.?
Graduates can pursue careers in a broad variety of fields such as teaching, business, government, broadcasting and museum administration, he said.
?The degree also prepares students for careers in non-profit organizations and the U.S. Departments of State and the [Department of the] Interior,? Reynolds said.
Students can also choose to continue in graduate programs such as law, English, history, philosophy, public affairs, sociology and political science, he said.
Other recent additions to the liberal arts curriculum include minors in film and women studies.
?The student?s reaction has been impressive,? said Terence Hoagwood, professor of English and coordinator for film studies. ?Two years ago, we began with 185 students in our (film) courses, and that number has grown now to 600 this semester and more, we expect, as our program continues to grow.?
Students involved also actively participate in World Fest International Film Festival and the Texas Film Festival.
Barbara Finley, director of women?s studies, says the purpose of the program is often lost because some cannot look past the feminist image that the name evokes.
?There are many stereotypes about women?s studies and the topics we cover,? Finlay said. ?It deals with many of the contemporary issues in business settings to problems of violence against women and discussions of gender-related discrimination and prejudice. In general, students who take our courses are often surprised by how much they learn and often learn a new appreciation and understanding for issues they did not understand before.?
Other Interdisciplinary minors include Hispanic studies, religious studies, comparative cultures and classical studies.