Mission Statement

The mission of the Department of American Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is to offer a full, interdisciplinary program in the humanities and the social sciences for the study of the culture of the United States. By "culture" is meant not only the "high" culture one finds in such areas as literature, art, music, drama, and the like, but also the "popular" culture which one finds in every aspect of daily life. To complete a major, a student takes a series of interdisciplinary American Studies seminars as well as a selection of courses in a number of areas such as American history, literature, political science, art, and other fields which enable the student to achieve a rounded, in-depth understanding of the nation's culture.