BA in American Studies (Barnard) in New York United States | Columbia University

American Studies is an academic discipline shaped by both its probing inquiries and the cross-disciplinary approaches employed to explore them. By analyzing the United States as a cultural, ideological, geographic, and historical entity, scholars in this field investigate how national and subnational cultural frameworks function as societal influences, dynamic records of transformation, arenas of authority and opposition, and repositories of historical significance. The field tackles these issues by scrutinizing how perceptions and beliefs about America have emerged through diverse, often conflicting narratives.

At Barnard, American Studies majors pursue rigorous interdisciplinary exploration of race, gender, class, sexuality, Indigenous perspectives, political economy, imperialism, and activism across contemporary, historical, regional, and global frameworks. They refine their grasp of American Studies theories and methodologies through an immersive junior seminar. The curriculum features three historically-grounded Foundations courses alongside a five-course specialization, culminating in a two-part senior thesis project. This major equips students to identify, challenge, and evaluate power structures—both within the U.S. and global institutions—through an international lens.