Master of Arts in American Studies

American Studies at UT Austin offers dynamic classes with award-winning teachers and scholars who are dedicated to understanding the complexities of American culture. We ask questions about the history of the nation in a global context, the construction of borders, and the significance of representations in order to interrogate beliefs, policies, and structural inequalities. Our classes draw on interdisciplinary approaches in a variety of fields, including Anthropology, Art History, Ethnic Studies, Film and Media Studies, Gender/Queer Studies, Geography and Urban Studies, History, and Sociology. Classes incorporate a variety of texts, including novels, music, dance, film, comics, and memes, to interpret ideologies about race, class, gender, sexuality, and dis/ability.
The faculty of the Department of American Studies, in turn, seeks to formulate a curriculum that will prepare you for advanced work in a wide range of scholarly fields. It is the responsibility of individual faculty, and of the department as a whole, to provide clear objectives and responsive feedback to all areas of graduate work. Ultimately, the student is responsible for seeking adequate academic advice, for knowing and meeting degree requirements, and for enrolling in appropriate courses to ensure orderly and timely progress toward a degree. Frequent adviser contact provides students with current academic information and promotes progress toward educational goals.

Writing Sample
Personal Statement/Statement of Purpose
The Department of American Studies requires three letters of recommendation. All letters of recommendation should informatively address the applicant's academic achievement and potential for graduate study.
General GRE
An applicant must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited United States institution or proof of equivalent training at an institution outside the United States.
A grade-point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) or a comparable GPA in upper-division workjunior- and senior-level coursesand in any graduate work already completed is also required.

TOEFL: 79 on the Internet-based test (iBT)
IELTS: An overall band of 6.5 on the Academic Examination