Every national culture has characteristic patterns of diversity and homogeneity, stability and change, continuity and conflict. American Studies is the organized pursuit of knowledge about the national culture of the United States. The purpose of this effort is to gain a comprehensive understanding of the American people -- their ideals and values as well as their patterns of behavior -- over time. By the very nature of its subject, American Studies is broadly interdisciplinary. It is based upon insights and methodologies of such liberal arts as literature and history, as well as the arts, anthropology, geography, and religious studies.
American Studies is also receptive to new perspectives and methods of inquiry (gender studies, media studies, comparative culture, etc.) that challenge older explanations. Ultimately, the goal of American Studies is inclusive and synthetic; it is an unending inquiry. For Americans, the study of American culture also contributes to self-knowledge and self-understanding. American Studies students will acquire some knowledge of American institutional structures, collective and group behavior, creative expression, demographic composition, regional identity, and characteristic attitudes and values. Students may also focus their studies on a particular area of interest (the South, gender, popular culture, or artistic expression, for example). Graduates have pursued successful careers in the media, government service, business, non-profit organizations, museums, libraries and professions (law, journalism), as well as advanced academic work in American Studies or in any of the contributing disciplines. The University of Alabama Law School considers the four-year curriculum in American Studies excellent preparation for the study of law.
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