Higher Education

Some American Studies students may seek to complete a PhD and teach and conduct research as a professor at the university level. The American Studies undergraduate degree, sometimes combined with a strategically chosen Master’s degree in a related field, may be excellent preparation for the competitive process of entering and completing a PhD program in American Studies, History, English, Sociology, Political Science, and other disciplines. Because successfully applying to PhD programs involves a process that is quite different from applying to undergraduate programs and professional degree programs such as law or medical school, students interested in pursuing a PhD and becoming a professor are encouraged to enroll in the Humanities College’s Future Scholars Program, which is a 1-credit course that is taught once per academic year.