Plan Your Education
How to Apply
Applicants must meet general graduate admission requirements in addition to the following program-specific requirements:
- A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 in appropriate courses
- Two letters of recommendation
- A writing sample demonstrating analytic ability in fields relevant to American Studies
Deadlines & Cost
Deadlines: March 1 (priority deadline; applications received by this date will receive preference for admissions review and allocation of available funding) and June 1 (final deadline) for fall; November 1 (priority deadline) or December 1 (final deadline) for spring.
Application Fee: The nonrefundable application fee is $75. UMass Boston alumni and current students that plan to complete degree requirements prior to graduate enrollment can submit the application without paying the application fee.
Cost: For additional information regarding tuition and fees, please visit the Bursar’s Office or send an email to Bursar@umb.edu. Please refer to Graduate Student Financial Aid for more information on financial aid.
Curriculum
Core Courses (18 Credits)
- AMST 601 - Intro Amer Studies 3 Credit(s)
- AMST 602L - American Society and Political Culture: 1600-1865 3 Credit(s)
- AMST 603 - Modern Political, Social, and Cultural History 3 Credit(s)
- AMST 604 - Gender and Sexuality in US History and Culture 3 Credit(s)
- AMST 605 - Ethnicity, Race, and Nationality 3 Credit(s)
- AMST 606 - Studies in Popular Culture & Technology 3 Credit(s)
Electives (9 Credits)
Complete three graduate-level courses drawn from American studies, anthropology, English, women’s studies, Africana studies, politics, history, and public policy, with approval from the graduate program director.
Final Project Course (3 Credits)
- AMST 688 - Final Project 3-6 Credit(s)
Graduation Criteria
Complete 30 credits from ten courses including six core courses, three electives, and one final project course.
Capstone: Completion of a final project based on original research. Students may choose to do a curriculum unit, which entails doing research culminating in the presentation of a relevant and useful pedagogical document for secondary school teachers.
Statute of limitations: Five years.
Contact
Graduate Program Director Aaron Lecklider
aaron.lecklider [at] umb.edu
(617) 287-6771
Administrative Assistant Shauna Manning
shauna.manning [at] umb.edu
(617) 287-6776
American Studies Department
UMass Boston's Department of American Studies in the College of Liberal Arts cultivates an understanding of US social, political, and cultural movements; the place of empire within US history; the role of race, gender, class, sexuality, and empire in US culture and society; and the history, theories, and methods used to examine these areas.
Explore the Department of American StudiesMeet Our Faculty
The American Studies faculty is comprised of eight members. These nationally recognized faculty teach all core courses for the master’s program in American Studies. They each have a strong record of accomplishment that includes books published by top-tier academic publishers, articles published in scholarly journals and major publications, visibility as noted public intellectuals, and regular participation in national conferences. We welcome you to contact any of graduate faculty to find out more about their work and teaching or to discuss goals for the program.
American Studies faculty include:
- Holly Jackson, Interim Chair of American Studies, Associate Professor of English
- Aaron Lecklider, Graduate Program Director & Professor of American Studies
- Jeffrey Melnick, Professor of American Studies
- Marisol Negrón, Assistant Professor of American Studies & Latin@ Studies
- Rachel Rubin, Professor of American Studies
- Judith Smith, Professor Emerita of American Studies
- Lynnell Thomas, Associate Vice Provost for Inclusive Excellence & Professor of American Studies
College of Liberal Arts
Learn more about the faculty, research, and programs that make up our College of Liberal Arts.
Explore College of Liberal Arts