ChooseWhy Choose This Program?
Why Study American Studies at Goucher?
The American Studies Program is one of Goucher's most interdisciplinary majors. It balances a broad foundation with a specialized concentration that students design to meet their unique interests and plans for the future. Students study history, literature, religion, music, art, folklore, and material culture, and specialize in themes such as immigration and America's education system.
LearnWhat Will You Learn?
What Will You Learn?
Students delve into American history and society; American economic and political institutions; and the beliefs, values, codes of behavior, expressive arts, myths, and symbols that constitute American culture. Courses are distributed among at least five academic centers and examine the following key themes: power and responsibility, identity, the natural and human-made environment, and cultural and social expression. While gaining content-based knowledge, students develop analytical thinking and writing skills essential to many careers. Learn More
DoWhat Will You Do?
What Will You Do?
The program is rigorous preparation for graduate school and for professional careers in a variety of fields, including journalism, communications, law, public service, business, planning, social work, teaching, publishing, historic preservation, and museum work.
Additionally, no matter what you want to do with your major in American studies, you’re going to need an international perspective to thrive in the 21st century. Goucher students study abroad for a semester or a three-week intensive course in 65+ locations around the world.
Course Curriculum
Faculty
Program Contact
Seble Dawit, Department Chair, Professor, American Studies and Religion
Full-Time & Half-Time Faculty
Jessica Wilcox Cowing, Visiting Assistant Professor of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies: WGSS, Disability Studies, American Studies
James Dator, Assistant Professor of History: Early-Modern Caribbean, Comparative Slavery & Slave Resistance, African Diaspora
Ann Duncan, Associate Professor of Religion: American Religious History, Religion and Social Reform, Motherhood and American Christianity, Religion and Politics, New Religious Movements
Maxwell Greenberg, Assistant Professor of Judaic Studies: Ethnic, Jewish and Religious Studies, Western Empire and Settler Colonialism(s), Colonial Americas, and Modern US, Race, Religion and Public Memory
Matthew Rainbow Hale, Associate Professor of History: Early American History, Atlantic Revolutions, Print Culture
Ailish Hopper, Associate Professor, Peace Studies: Poetry writing and poetics, new narrative practices, Critical race theory, cultural rewriting, Liberation and critical pedagogy, futures and nonviolences
Nina Kasniunas, Associate Professor of Political Science and Arsht Professor in Ethics and Leadership: American politics
Mary Marchand, Professor of English: American Literature, American Studies
Jeanie Murphy, Associate Professor, Hispanic and Latinx Studies: Latin American literature and theater, Latin American cultural studies, Latin American history, gender studies
Jamie Mullaney, Professor of Sociology: Culture and cognition, qualitative methods, gender, time, identity, emotions
Angelo Robinson, Associate Professor of English: African American literature, American Literature, American studies, gender and sexuality
Carolyn Schwarz, Assistant Professor of Anthropology: Cultural anthropology, global Christianity, health and wellbeing, healthcare delivery, food, Aboriginal Australia, anthropology of the United States
Janet Shope, Professor of Sociology: Sociology of medicine, inequality, gender, and research methods
Daniel Swann, Visiting Assistant Professor of Sociology: race, atheism, CRT, social psychology, religion, rhetoric and public discourse, methods, political sociology
David Zurawik, Assistant Professor: Journalism, Media Criticism, and New Media
Professor Emeritus or Emerita or Emeriti
Jean Baker, Bennett-Hartwood Professor of History: U.S. History, 19th Century, Women’s History
Julie Roy Jeffrey, Professor of History: 19th-Century American Reform, especially Abolitionism, Religion, Gender
Opportunities & Internships
Internships
Internships help students explore possibilities, apply classroom learning, and gain experience. Explore internships and credit options.
Student Employment
Student employment connects students to both on and off-campus opportunities. The Career Education Office provides resources and support to students with or without Federal Work Study to find jobs, submit applications, and learn more about the job search process. Students have access to Handshake — a website for job postings, events, resumes/cover letters, and career management.
Major & Career Exploration
Exploring career options, choosing a major, and making career decisions is a multi-step process in which all students are encouraged to engage early and often. Goucher students have a variety of resources available through the Majors and Career page to assist them in this process.
Job Search
A Goucher education prepares students for today’s job market and beyond. Students can explore job opportunities and access job search resources through the CEO Job Search page.
Graduate & Professional School
Students access resources for searching and applying to graduate and professional school through the CEO Graduate and Professional School page, through faculty and staff members, or utilizing their own resources, network and tools.
Johns Hopkins Carey Business School 4+1 BA/MS Program
Goucher College and Johns Hopkins Carey Business School are offering Goucher students a combined bachelor’s and master’s degree program. This 4+1 program combines a bachelor’s degree from Goucher with a master of science degree from Johns Hopkins in business analytics and risk management, information systems, health care management, finance, or marketing. Students can apply during their junior year. GRE or GMAT tests have been waived but applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25 or better and have passed some quantitative reasoning courses with a grade of B or better.