美国研究文学硕士

学生对文化体验的动态有广泛的了解，并探索美国生活的各个方面，包括：流行和美术，机构和社会过程，人工制品，价值，习俗和理想，美国人的日常经历，区域，种族，民族，阶级或性别认同，自然和文化以及体育和大众娱乐。美国研究的文学硕士课程要求至少36 sh的研究生学分。该学位通常是在没有论文的情况下提供的，学生必须向研究生院院长申请许可，才能继续学习论文。
The Master of Arts program in American studies requires a minimum of 36 s.h. of graduate credit. The Department of American Studies typically awards M.A.s under the Master's Portfolio option. The Master's Thesis option is available only under exceptional circumstances, and the student must petition the Director of Graduate Studies for permission to pursue this option. The Department of American Studies offers a 2-year M.A. degree program which is separate from the Ph.D. program but which can also provide an entree into the Ph.D. program at the conclusion of the M.A. degree. M.A. students are fully funded for both years. The requirements for the M.A. degree include four required American Studies courses, five elective courses and an M.A. portfolio. The portfolio includes a research paper (usually a redrafted seminar or course paper), faculty evaluations, and a statement of self-evaluation and reflection, or purpose. For M.A. students who wish to go on for a Ph.D. in the American Studies Department, the M.A. portfolio serves as their application to the Ph.D. program. Student admitted to Iowa's Ph.D. program with the M.A. are funded for an additional three years, graduating with a total of five years of funded graduate work (i.e. four semesters in the M.A. and six semesters in the Ph.D. program). M.A. students work closely with a graduate advisor to design their plan of study, and in the second year, to design and complete the portfolio.