American Studies Program | Brandeis University

The American Studies Program offers an interdisciplinary approach to the study of American identity and the influence the United States has had on the modern world.

Using a variety of texts — ranging from 18th-century sermons and 19th-century novels, to 20th-century films and 21st-century musicals — students explore the origins and evolution of the myths, values and institutions that have shaped our contemporary understanding of what it is to be an American.

As a sponsor of university programs in legal studies, journalism and environmental studies, the American Studies Program welcomes students who seek active engagement with the contemporary world through a firm grounding in the ideas, customs and debates that characterize the traditional liberal arts.