Bachelor of Arts in American Studies

As noted American Studies scholar George Lipsitz explains, American Studies is an interdisciplinary field that examines American life and culture.The work of American Studies takes place both on campuses and in communities. American Studies scholars investigate where the ideals of American democracy are at their finest and where they remain incomplete.

We ask key questions like: What is an American How and why is culture important to our lives and identities How do we represent the past and what importanceand limitationsdo these representations have How and why does cultureincluding popular culture, the arts, and literature'serve as a site of social struggle How do diverse groups within the Americas imagine their identities and their relation to the United States What happens when we look at our world(s) from a variety of perspectives These are some of the questions that are addressed in American Studies, an interdisciplinary approach to American history, life, and culture.

Founded just over fifty years ago, American Studies is a vital, malleable, and growing academic enterprise, one known for the new questions it has posed, the new perspectives it has brought to the study of the cultures of the United States, and the new information it has introduced into scholarly and public conversations about national identity and experience. American Studies crosses disciplines of literature, history, art, music, psychology, political science, language, and environmental studies. It can be self-reflexive and focused, or offer a broader view of the world's geographical, historical, artistic, cultural, and social boundaries.

Have earned a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA or B' grade according to the CSULB GPA scale.
Fulfill CSULB's English Language Requirement
Have completed at least 1 year of high school mathematics. Applicants to STEM majors must have at least 3 years of high school mathematics.
CSULB has waived the SAT/ACT requirement for all first-time Freshmen applicants. However, if you have taken the test or are planning on doing so, you may have met our English language requirement if you scored at least 550 on the SAT Evidence based Reading & Writing section or ACT 22 or higher in the English section.
IELTS - 6.0
TOEFL IBT - 61
TOEFL PBT - 500