What Can I Do With A Major In American Studies

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Overview	Career Titles	Employers	Skills	Salary Information
Graduate Data	Alumni/Intern Profiles	Career Library Resources	Links of Interest	Additional Information

Overview | Return to top

St. Norbert College currently offers a minor only in American Studies. The American Studies minor is an interdisciplinary academic program whose central mission is the study of the multifaceted character of the United States from a variety of intellectual perspectives: cultural, political, religious, philosophical, sociological, literary and historical. Students examine key aspects of American experience—including the arts, work, leisure, family, gender, race and ethnicity. Drawing on various disciplines, students will come to understand and integrate the methodologies and questions of the field.

The American Studies minor allows students to take courses in several different disciplines, encouraging them to think broadly about American culture. These courses hone students’ critical thinking skills, helping them prepare for the rigors of post-undergraduate life. The minor can serve to further specify a major in another field—such as English, sociology or history, for example—by focusing specifically on America and its issues. On the other hand, the minor can complement students’ majors in other fields, such as the natural sciences, by offering American coursework in the humanities and social sciences.

Career Titles | Return to top

Account Coordinator
Activities Leader
Admissions Counselor
Advertising Specialist
Affirmative Action Officer
Archivist
Armorer Technician
Arts Council Director
Banker
Benefits Coordinator
Biography Creationist
Book Salesperson
Business Manager
Campaign Planner
CIA/FBI Agent
Circulation Manager
Civil Rights Investigator
Claims Representative
College Administrator
College Registrar
Columnist/Journalist
Communications Specialist
Community Action Specialist
Community Organization Worker
Community Outreach Worker
Community Planning Specialist
Community Relations Director
Community Service Worker
Conference Coordinator
Congressional/Legislative Aide
Conservation Technician
Conservator
Constituent Aide
Consultant
Consumer Advocate
Contract Administrator/Specialist
Convention Organizer
Copy Editor
Copywriter
Corporation Historian/Archivist

Corrections Officer
Counselor
Court Appointed Advocate
Cultural Affairs Officer
Curator
Customer Relations Rep.
Customs/Immigration Officer
Departmental Historian
Development Specialist
Editor
Editorial Assistant
Eligibility Specialist
Employment Counselor
Events Coordinator
Exhibit Designer
Family Services Specialist
Financial Aid Counselor
Foreign Service Officer
Foundation Administrator
Fundraiser
Grant Proposal Reviewer
Grant Writer
Grants Specialist
Health Administrator
Health Educator
Historian
Historic Site Administrator
Historical Preservationist
Historical Sites Supervisor
Historical Society Staff
History Teacher
Human Resources Manager
Insurance Agent
Investment Researcher
Lawyer
Legal Assistant
Legislative Correspondent
Legislative Research Assistant
Librarian
Literacy Program Coordinator
Lobbyist
Market Research Analyst
Marketing Coordinator
Media Buyer

Medical Admissions Staff
Museum Curator
Museum Educator
National Park Service Adviser
News Analyst
News Assistant
Nonprofit Administrator
Organizational Planner
Paralegal
Park Ranger
Patient Advocate
Pediatric Social Worker
Police Officer
Political Organizer
Politician
Population Studies Researcher
Preservationist
Press Secretary
Program Coordinator
Project Manager
Public Information Coordinator
Public Opinion Interviewer
Public Policy Analyst
Public Relations Specialist
Publishing Assistant
Quality Assurance Specialist
Race Relations Specialist
Reporter
Research Assistant
Researcher
Restorer
Sales Representative
Site Guide
Social Worker
Stockbroker
Survey Analyst
Teacher
Technical Writer
Underwriter
Urban/Regional Planner
Volunteer Coordinator
Welfare Investigator
Writer
Youth Counselor

Employers | Return to top

Advertising Agencies
Archives
Banks
Book Publishers
CIA/FBI
Civic Organizations
Civil Rights Commission
Collection Agencies
Colleges & Universities
Communications/Media Firms
Consulting Firms
Consumer Affairs Office
Cultural Organizations
Department of Commerce
Department of Justice
Department of State
Drug Enforcement Administration

Federal, State and Local Government
Foreign News Agencies
Foundations
Historic Sites / Historical Societies
Hospitals
Import/Export Firms
Insurance Companies
International Corporations and Investment Banks
Labor Unions
Law Firms
Libraries
Library of Congress
Manufacturing Companies
Museums
National Archives & Records Administration
National Endowment for the Humanities
National Park Service

National Security Agency
Newspapers/Magazines
Nonprofit Organizations
Peace Corps/AmeriCorps
Public Interest Groups
Public Relations Firms
Radio/TV/Film
Research Firms
Retail Stores
Smithsonian Institution
Social Service Agencies
Stock Companies
Travel Agencies
United Nations
US Customs Service
US Department of State

Skills | Return to top

Ability to work independently and with others
Analyze data
Compare ideas/translations
Compose/express thoughts
Computer literacy
Creativity
Critical analysis: the ability to analyze a situation and come up with creative and practical solutions
Cultural competency
Curiosity and inquisitiveness: desire to learn more and to continue learning, examine reasons beneath issues
Describe/evaluate issues/ problems/events
Develop/generate ideas

Effective writing: ability to successfully and precisely communication one's ideas in text
Flexibility/adaptability
Interdisciplinary thinking and training: ability to think about a problem in multiple ways
Interface with community areas
Interpret facts
Observe people
Oral communication
Organize ideas/materials
Plan/administer programs
Presentation of ideas
Problem solve

Read/understand ideas
Research skills
Review/evaluate projects or ideas
Rewrite/edit
Sensitivity to people & problems
Summarize
Synthesize
Test an idea/hypothesis
Track historical trends
Understand individual differences
Understand of relationships & social processes

Salary Information | Return to top

NACE (National Association of Colleges and Employers) Summer 2012 Average Starting Salary:

Currently no salary data from NACE on a Bachelor's Degree in American Studies

Average Salary of SNC American Studies Graduate:

2009: No salary data available
2010: No salary data available

For additional salary information, please visit salary.com

Graduate Data | Return to top

The job titles and employers listed below are a sample of the results from the annual St. Norbert College Career Services graduate follow-up survey for the Classes of 2003-2010.

Job Titles

No data available

Employers

No data available

Programs

No data available

Universities

No data available

Alumni/Intern Profiles | Return to top

Alumni Profiles
Nicole Bowman-Farrell
Olivia Dart
Mike Dauplaise
Stacy De Coster
George Ermert
Martin Fallon
Carrie Haverfield
Jennifer Jirschele
Lora Zimmer

Intern Profiles
Olivia Traczyk
Rachel Wollersheim

Career Library Resources | Return to top

The following career-related books are available for check-out in the Career Services Office (JMS 106):

A Guide to Careers in Community Development
At Home in the World, The Peace Corps Story
Career Opportunities in Politics, Government, and Activism
Career Solutions for Creative People
Careers for Born Leaders & Other Decisive Types
Careers for Culture Lovers & Other Artsy Types
Careers for Scholars and Other Deep Thinkers
Careers for Writers & Others Who Have a Way with Words
Careers in Communications
Careers in Government
Careers in Social and Rehabilitation Services
From Making a Profit to Making a Difference-How to Launch Your New Career in Nonprofits
Vault Career Guide to International Careers

Links of Interest | Return to top

Career Information
Graduate Programs in American Studies

Professional Associations
American Studies Association
International American Studies Associations
American Culture Association
Popular Culture Association
National Association for Ethnic Studies

Additional Information | Return to top

SNC American Studies Department
Minor Requirements
Academic Advising
Career Services Job Search Links

Disclaimer: The information included on this page is not all-inclusive. You are encouraged to utilize additional online and print resources when researching majors and careers. Some of the careers listed may require additional education, training, development, licenses and/or certifications. If you feel something should be added, changed, updated or removed, please contact Career Services. The content included on this page will be updated annually each summer. Please contact Career Services if you have any questions about the information on this page or to schedule an appointment.