American Studies

A major and a minor are offered in American Studies.

The Franklin Pierce Difference

The American Studies major can select courses offered by the Anthropology, Education, English, History, Marketing, Mass Communication, Music, Political Science, and Sociology Departments. In addition, University faculty offer several innovative courses of their own. These include: Breakaway: The Search for Utopia; Place, Community, and American Culture; Baseball and American Culture; and The American Studies Senior Seminar, where each student develops an individual project.

The American Studies program offers students opportunities to explore American life and culture through a wide variety of perspectives, including anthropology, education, history, literature, mass communication, sociology, and the fine and performing arts.

The program brings together faculty from many different academic departments and offers courses dealing with American history, literature, society, government, media, arts and music, thought and belief, education, the environment, business, issues and ideals. Providing a balance to this curricular diversity is a core of required introductory courses, a methods course, and an integrative Senior Project Seminar.

The program offers a great deal of flexibility in course choices and, upon graduation, a wide array of professional opportunities. Since American Studies includes content areas relevant to the K-8 classroom, it is an ideal complement to the Education major. Others pursue the American Studies degree, either by itself or in conjunction with another major or minor field, because they have a keen interest in things American and enjoy the freedom and the challenge of interdisciplinary study.

Course Details

Class sizes are small and students are encouraged to develop their own thematic concentrations, focusing on areas such as American communities, popular culture, politics and justice, the American family, gender, or the minority experience. As part of the Senior Seminar, each student develops an individual project within the overarching course theme. Past topics include The Frontier, The Wizard of Oz, America in World War II, and Just Looking: Visual Culture in American Life. Students are encouraged to do an internship connected to their intended career in order to further develop professional skills within the context of a supportive academic environment.

Want to know more?

Download an American Studies program sheet to view on screen or print, or view the College at Rindge Academic Catalog for specific degree requirements and course information.

Contact

Franklin Pierce University
College at Rindge
1.800.437.0048
admissions@franklinpierce.edu

FACULTY

Joni Doherty
Director, New England Center for Civic Life
B.F.A., University of New Hampshire
M.A., Simmons College
dohertyj@franklinpierce.edu

Affiliated Faculty

Gerald T. Burns
Professor of English
B.A., University of Notre Dame
Ph.D., Yale University
burnsgt@franklinpierce.edu

Douglas Challenger
Professor of Sociology
B.A., High Point College
M.A., Ph.D., Syracuse University
challedf@franklinpierce.edu

Frank Cohen
Associate Professor of Political Science
B.S., Bradley University
Ph.D., State University of New York at Binghamton
cohenf@franklinpierce.edu 

Sarah Dangelantonio
Professor of English
Chair, Division of Humanities
B.A., Spring Hill College
M.A., Saint Louis University
Ph.D., University of Georgia
dangelst@franklinpierce.edu

Donna Decker Reck
Associate Professor of English
B.A., State University of New York, Albany
M.A., Salem State College
Ph.D., Northeastern University
reckd@franklinpierce.edu

Joan Dion
Assistant Professor of English
B.Ed., M.A.T., Keene State College
dionjr@franklinpierce.edu

Robert Goodby
Associate Professor of Anthropology
B.A., University of New Hampshire
M.A., Ph.D., Brown University
goodbyr@franklinpierce.edu

John Harris
Lecturer of American Studies
B.A., M.A., Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
harrisjr@franklinpierce.edu

Melinda Marie Jette
Assistant Professor of History
B.A., Catholic University of America
M.A., Université Laval
Ph.D., University of British Columbia
jette@franklinpierce.edu

Mary Kelly
Associate Professor of History
B.A., M.A., University College Galway
Ph.D., Syracuse University
kellymc@franklinpierce.edu

Douglas Ley
Associate Professor of History
B.A., Gettysburg College
M.A., Ph.D., University of Wisconsin
leyda@franklinpierce.edu

Robin Marra
Professor of Political Science
B.S., St. Lawrence University
M.A., Ph.D., Michigan State University
marrarf@franklinpierce.edu

Alana Mosley
Professor of Elementary Education
B.A., M. Ed., University of New Hampshire
Ed.D., Boston University
mosleyaj@franklinpierce.edu

Debra Picchi
Professor of Anthropology
B.A., State University of New York at Buffalo
M.A., Ph.D., University of Florida
picchids@franklinpierce.edu

Alan Rachlin
Associate Professor of Sociology
B.A., State University of New York at Cortland
M.A., Arizona State University
Ph.D., State University of New York at Buffalo
rachlina@franklinpierce.edu

Paul Scharfenberger
Associate Professor of Music
B.Mus., University of Lowell
M.A., Keene State College
scharfpe@franklinpierce.edu

Phyllis Zrzavy
Professor of Mass Communication
B.S., B.Phil., M.Ed., Miami University
Ph.D., Bowling Green State University
zrzavyps@franklinpierce.edu