The American Studies Department offers students three distinct but interconnected undergraduate majors -- American Studies, Black Studies, and Media & Communications -- along with a graduate degree in Liberal Studies. We also offer an accelerated BA in American Studies / MA in Liberal Studies option.
Our programs develop within students an enhanced understanding of the meanings of citizenship and foster a critical understanding of events and issues defining the nation in the past and present.
Undergraduate Offerings
Majors
- B.A. in American Studies
- B.A. in Black Studies
- B.A. in Media & Communications
- 5-Year B.A./M.A. in American Studies/Liberal Studies
- B.A. and J.D. 6 Year Program with University at Buffalo
Minors
- African American Studies
- Environmental Studies
- Media and Communications
- Media Design
- Pre-Law Studies
- Women & Gender Studies
Microcredential
Graduate Offerings
Renovated Media Innovation Center Debuts
A central hub of activity for students in the Media & Communications major is the Media Innovation Center, which in Fall 2023 re-opened after more than $1 million in renovations were conducted to create modern media laboratory committed to multimedia content instruction, production and distribution.
Faculty Spotlight
John Friedman served as a producer on a documentary, "Plunderer: The Life and Times of a Nazi Art Thief (Part One)," that aired on PBS nationwide and is showing at film festivals around the country.
Student Media
Students for more than 40 years have launched successful careers in national, regional and local media after gaining practical experience on staff at a SUNY Old Westbury student media outlet.