Cultural Studies (Minor)

Overview

Cultural Studies is an interdisciplinary field that examines how “culture” creates and transforms individuals, social relations, and power. The field appropriates from literary studies, environmental studies, sociology, cultural anthropology, communications, economics, philosophy, history, psychology, and political science to understand how cultural meaning is produced, disseminated, politicized, and contested. A minor in Cultural Studies offers to students a curriculum that includes, but is not limited to, the following: the history of cultural studies, culture and literary theory, gender, nationhood and national identity, colonialism and post colonialism, social construction, race and ethnicity, popular cultures, literary and media genres, the environment, identity and global cultures, film, and media theory and practice.

A minor in Cultural Studies at USAO will provide excellent opportunities for students to gain essential knowledge and skills from complementary disciplines. This knowledge should empower students to fulfill whatever civic role in public life they wish to pursue and will be an asset for further specialization at the graduate level. Students electing this academic minor will be equipped with communication and writing skills, problem-solving and decision-making skills, critical and analytical thinking, and research skills.

Minor Requirements

Required Cultural Studies Core (3 hours)

HIST 2113

Introduction to Cultural Studies

Cultural Studies Electives (choose 15 hours)

DFED 1202	Interaction with Deaf Culture	2
ECON 3553	Economics of Race, Class, and Gender	3
ENGL 4503	Critical Approaches to Literature	3
HIST 4503	Ideology and Mass Culture in the Modern World	3
INST 3233	Tribal Government and the Law	3
PRLG 3013	19th and 20th Century Philosophy	3
PRLG 3203	The Idea of God from an Inter-Religious Perspective	3
PRLG 3433	Social and Political Philosophy	3
PSCI 3233	Introduction to Political Theory	3
PSCI 3433	Contemporary Political Thought	3
PSCI 4113	Civil Rights and Liberties	3
PSYC 1803	Human Sexuality	3
PSYC 2123	Social Psychology	3
PSYC 3223	Sex and Gender	3
SOC 3203	Anthropology	3
SOC 3543	Social Stratifications	3
SOC 4103	Race and Ethnic Relations	3
SOC 4773	Social Theory	3
THTR 1113	Introduction to Film	3
THTR 3003	Film Studies	3
THTR 4493	Seminar in Dramatic Literature	3

Note: At least 9 hours of electives must be at the 3000-level or above. Elective courses must be from at least two areas within the minor (they cannot all be from one field). Not all versions of THTR-4493 Seminar in Dramatic Literature will qualify as cultural studies electives.