9 Master Programs in American Studies in North America for 2024

The Master of Arts in History of Ideas degree program is designed both for individuals wishing to enhance their knowledge of the history of thought and culture and the skills for studying it and for those intending to pursue a doctorate in a related field. Students concentrate on the study of philosophy and intellectual and cultural history, with a focus on modern Europe and America.

The Florida Studies track of the Master of Liberal Arts Program allows students to sample a broad array of interdisciplinary classes. Students take Florida-based classes in the fields of History, English, Geography, Political Science, Journalism and Media Studies, and Anthropology.

The American Studies graduate program is an interdisciplinary program offering a Ph.D., two Master’s tracks (General and Public Humanities), and an undergraduate minor. Our award-winning faculty, drawn from departments across the humanities and social sciences, are actively engaged in research, writing, and community-based public projects. For graduate students, American Studies offers rigorous training that can prepare students for academic or alt-ac positions or jobs in public history, public humanities, or with cultural or community institutions.

William & Mary's Graduate Program in American Studies provides a flexible plan for interdisciplinary study of the United States and the Americas. Our areas of strength include: Africana Studies, Art and Visual Culture, Critical Race Studies, Environmental Studies, Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies, Material Culture, Native/Indigenous Studies, Popular Culture, Postcolonial Studies, Religious Studies, Southern Studies, and Technology and Media Studies.

A Master of Arts (MA) in Chicano and Chicana Studies is a graduate program that focuses on providing an in-depth understanding of the histories, politics, cultures, languages, and education of the Chicano and Chicana communities. Here are some key aspects you might expect in such a program

The American Studies graduate program at UMass Boston has earned a national reputation as one of the top master’s programs in the field. With tools adapted from cultural and social history, film and popular music studies, critical race and ethnic studies, and queer theory, this program encourages students to immerse in one year of core courses and one year of guided study and research.

Trinity’s longstanding Master’s program in American Studies provides an advanced interdisciplinary understanding of the field and its research methods. Built on its distinguished faculty's interests, the program engages students in hands-on archival, spatial, public humanities, and transnational approaches.

The Master of Arts Degree in Hawaiian Studies builds on the BA program’s areas of concentration and features an interdisciplinary curriculum that draws from faculty strengths in indigenous knowledge as well as other academic fields.

The Master of Arts in American Studies provides students with an interdisciplinary study of U.S. culture including political science, history, literature, moral traditions, and elective courses. Courses are scheduled to accommodate a full-time employment while completing the degree.