Overview
The American Studies comps process takes place over Fall and Winter terms. It is done in groups of 4-5 students; hence we call it “colloquium comps.” In the fall, students take AMST 398 (3 credits). This course (Advanced Research in American Studies) provides readings and assignments that help students develop an understanding of how to do independent work in a field and what it takes to draft a syllabus on an American Studies topic. The course provides feedback and support as students put together an interdisciplinary syllabus (pitched at the level of a 300-level class) around an American Studies theme. This syllabus serves as their comps proposal.
Once the syllabus is approved, the group discusses and studies the materials in a self-directed reading group during winter term (AMST 400). Alongside AMST 400, American Studies offers AMST 399 (3 credits), which provides structure and support to students by fostering advanced skills in American Studies research, critical reading, writing, and presentation. Students get feedback on the crafting of substantiated and rigorous interdisciplinary arguments.
By the end of winter term, each individual student writes a 12-15 pp essay and all students together collaborate to produce a public-facing presentation that invites a larger audience to understand the connections, significance, and insights that they discovered through their reading and writing.
Calendar
Fall term:
- Students take AMST 398.
- As a group, they write a comps proposal: a syllabus on an American Studies theme, including an annotated bibliography, due at the beginning of 7th week.
Winter term:
- Students take AMST 399 and 400.
- Individually, they write a research paper. Each student writes a 12-15 pp essay that works from the syllabus to develop an argument. Essays must draw broadly from the syllabus, and follow American Studies standards of evidence and citation.
- As a group, they design a public-facing presentation that shares the connections, significance, and insights that they discovered through their reading and writing. The ideal project shares the knowledge reached through their class in a way appropriate for the theme, material, particular insights, and intended audience.
- As a group, they write a brief explanatory essay on the public-facing presentation. This brief (2 pp max) essay details why and how the format and content of this presentation was chosen.
Assessment
Assessment, including distinction, will be based on both the essay and the public-facing presentation. Essays will be read by the professor of AMST 399 and either the director or associate director.