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Subject Lists
Fourth year subjects
Convener: Dr David Goodman (History)
The American studies program is coordinated by the Department of History, one of the leading history departments in Australia. The importance of the United States in the contemporary world and the richness and diversity of American scholarship make American studies a stimulating and practical choice for many students. The program provides students with an interdisciplinary perspective on American society, culture, history and politics. Students have the opportunity to enrich their academic experience by studying on location in Boston and New York with the popular subject 131-018 Searching for the American Dream. Students of American studies are in an excellent position to explore a variety of career pathways that will draw on the analytical and research knowledge gained in American studies. Students interested in expanding their interests and knowledge in this area are provided with an articulated structure of higher degree options at Melbourne.
American studies focuses on the historical and contemporary frameworks within which American politics, society and culture has developed. American studies subjects are offered by the Departments of History, English, Art History, Cinema studies, political science and the Australian Centre.
The American studies program commences in second year. The general prerequisite for entry is the completion of 50 points of first year from any area of study within the Faculty of Arts.
Please note that you should choose your first year subjects carefully to ensure that you have the appropriate prerequisites for the areas of study that offer the subjects within the program.
A major in American studies usually consists of nine 12.5 point subjects, totalling 112.5 points. It comprises:
two first year subjects in any area of study (25 points) and;
seven second/third year subjects (totalling 87.5 points) which must include:
131-145 Contemporary American Society & Culture the program's compulsory subject offered in the History department and;
six subjects from the list of American studies subjects below.
The following subjects are part of the American studies program. Students must consult the relevant area of study entries in this Handbook to make sure that they meet the prerequisites, if any, for these subjects.
| Second/third year subjects | ||
|---|---|---|
| Compulsory subject | Semester | |
| 131-145 Contemporary American Society & Culture | 1 | |
| English | ||
| 106-022 City Cultures: Urban Stories | 1 | |
| 106-031 Modernist Fiction | Not Offered | |
| 106-033 Postcolonial Writing | Not Offered | |
| 106-049 American Liberals and Moderns | 2 | |
| 106-061 American Voices | 1 | |
| 106-068 Imagining Hollywood | 2 | |
| Cinema studies | ||
| 107-076 Contemporary Hollywood Cinema | Not Offered | |
| History | ||
| 131-053 The Irish Abroad: Australia, UK & USA | 1 | |
| 131-079 Slavery & Freedom in the USA: 1790-1900 | 1 | |
| 131-018 Searching for the American Dream | 2 | |
| 131-080 American Modern: USA 1890-1990 | 2 | |
| Political science | ||
| 166-016 American Politics and Society | 1 | |
| 166-040 Constitutional Design and Change | 1 | |
| 166-023 Issues in American Foreign Policy | Not Offered | |
| The Australian Centre | ||
| 100-003 Australia and America | 1 | |
The following subjects can be taken at fourth year as part of combined Honours in American studies.
| Third/fourth year and fourth year subjects | ||
|---|---|---|
| Art History | Semester | |
| 107-059 Art and Mass Culture in the 1960s | Not Offered | |
| 107-066 Postmodern Culture: Art in New York | Not Offered | |
| History | ||
| 131-018 Searching for the American Dream | 2 | |
| 131-103 American Nation | 2 | |
| 131-110 Reading African-American History | 1 | |
| 131-143 Current Themes in American History | Not Offered | |
| English | ||
| 106-080 Post-War American Fiction | Not Offered | |
| The following subjects contain significant American content. They may be taken as part of the combined honours program in American studies on the condition that; | ||
| a) students identify themselves to the coordinator of the unit as American studies Honours students | ||
| b) students undertake to write their major piece of assessment for the subject on American topics. | ||
| Art history | ||
| 107-072 Sound and Vision: Art & Popular Music | Not Offered | |
| Cinema studies | ||
| 107-090 Film Criticism and the Canon | Not Offered | |
| 107-092 Postmodernism and the Cinema | Not Offered | |
| Political science | ||
| 166-059 The Emerging World (Dis)Order | 1 | |
Currently, there is no pure honours program in American studies. This means that students must combine fourth year honours in American studies with another area of study.
The prerequisites for entry to combined honours in American studies are:
completion of all the requirements for the BA and;
completion of a major in American studies and;
an average grade of H2B or higher over the second/third year subjects within the major and;
admission to honours in another area of study within the Faculty of Arts.
Entry to fourth year honours must be approved by the convenor of American studies and the Faculty of Arts Honours course adviser.
Students undertaking combined honours in American studies and another area of study must complete:
131-538 American Studies Thesis or 131-537 American Studies Thesis (MYE) for students commencing in Semester 2 and;
131-103 American Nation, the program's compulsory honours subject (12.5 points) and;
one honours subject in American studies from the list above (12.5 points) and;
three honours subjects in the combined area of study (totalling 37.5 points).
or
an honours thesis in the combined area of study (37.5 points) and;
two honours subjects in the combined area of study (totalling 25 points) and;
131-103 American Nation, the program's compulsory honours subject (12.5 points) and;
two Honours subjects from the list above (totalling 25 points).
Dr David Goodman
Department of History
Third Floor, John Medley Building
The University of Melbourne
Victoria 3010
Tel: +61 3 8344 5963
Email: d.goodman@history.unimelb.edu.au
Web: http://www.history.unimelb.edu.au
131-538 American Studies Thesis
131-537 American Studies Thesis (MYE)
131-103 American Nation
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