american studies - m.a.
The American Studies M.A. is an interdisciplinary professional development degree in a committed learning community that builds on students’ research interests, accomplishments, experiences, and career goals working with American cultural contexts past and present. After the M.A., our alums seek further professional specialization in law, education, writing, library and information science, and other fields; pursue PhDs in academic careers in American Studies and other scholarly areas including ethnic studies, cultural geography, literature, religious studies, anthropology, history, ethnomusicology, among others; and work professionally in public settings, including historic preservation organizations, historic sites, museums, collections, and other non-profit, community or governmental organizations.
The M.A. is a 2-year program for students enrolled full-time, culminating in a major research project, either a “Plan A” Thesis, or a “Plan B” Non-thesis portfolio of work. We work frequently with part-time M.A. students to accommodate other demands on students’ time. We encourage the development of emergent, innovative formats and project types as valuable contributions to contemporary American studies practice, relevant to a student’s professional development plans.
- International Perspectives
Because American Studies is an international field with scholars all over the world, and the U.S. has significant impacts transnationally, M.A. students from outside the U.S. are a regular part of our M.A. cohort, and we encourage our M.A. students to consider semester exchanges abroad. The Program also supports American Studies M.A. student and faculty participation in the annual Radboud University Duisburg Essen Spring Academy (RUDESA). RUDESA is a graduate student symposium shared by our Program and 2 others internationally, held every year in the Netherlands and Germany. Every two years, we welcome the winner of the British Association of American Studies’ Peter Boyle Award into the M.A. cohort.
Applicants to the M.A. program do not have to have prior majors in American Studies.
- Financial Aid
The American Studies M.A. is generously supported by endowment funds that allow us to award significant financial aid to M.A. students enrolled full time, through teaching, research, or community organization assistantship placements, as well as scholarship support as appropriate for students’ own M.A. research.
apply to the american studies m.a. program
Applying for admission to the M.A. Program in American Studies is an on-line process which includes payment of UW’s application fee. Click here to visit the Office of Admissions' application site.
Application materials for our Program review and admission decisions are uploaded in the on-line application process. There is no need to send hard copies of material to the American Studies program.
Application deadline is March 1, 2026.
Application materials include:
- Three letters of recommendation
All three letters of recommendation should ideally be sent by academic professionals who are capable of judging your academic work and your qualification to pursue graduate study. Other types of recommenders from professional work environments may be acceptable as well but be sure to request recommendations from at least two academic faculty who know you and your work best.
You provide email contact information for your recommenders on the application; they receive an email prompt from UW to upload their letters into your application. The on-line application keeps track of when your recommenders’ letters are complete.
Faculty members you ask for letters are typically very eager to help support your application process and understand recommendations as a part of their professional work-- don’t be afraid to ask them.
- Statement of purpose, 2-3 pages
Your statement of purpose is your opportunity to tell us your potential focus or areas of cultural study specifically in our program at the University of Wyoming. This is our opportunity to see how you are thinking about developing research interests, professional development directions, or embarking on brand new interests and enthusiasms. It is an appropriate place to let us know what your professional goals might be. It should be about 2 to 3 double-spaced pages.
- Writing sample, approximately 10 pages in length
The writing sample is typically academic writing from your undergraduate degree, or a collection of of writing you have published professionally. If you have significant formative service work experience between your undergraduate degree and your application to the M.A. (in the military, in the Peace Corps, or AmeriCorps, for example), your writing sample might be an account of your experience in relation to your graduate and professional plans. The writing sample demonstrates your capability of graduate-level writing.
- Unofficial copy of transcripts from all previous academic institutions
If formally admitted, you will need to provide official transcripts to the University of Wyoming.
- Applicants from outside the U.S. must provide TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) scores to UW.
For more information about sending TOEFL Scores and international transcripts, follow this link to the webpage for International Students Graduate Student Admissions Requirements.
The TOEFL requirement may be waived under some circumstances.
Beginning in the 2019-20 school year, the American Studies Program does not require the GRE (Graduate Record Exam) for admission.
For further information about graduate education at UW, see the following websites:
