AMERICAN STUDIES PROGRAM W356 Olmsted Building

PENN STATE HARRISBURG 777 WEST HARRISBURG PIKE

MIDDLETOWN, PA 17057-4898

Dr. John Haddad, Chair Hannah B. Murray, Administrative Support Assistant

(717) 948-6201

(717) 948-6724 FAX E-mail: amstd@psu.edu

Website: harrisburg.psu.edu/humanities/american-studies Facebook: facebook.com/AmericanStudies Twitter:

twitter.com/psuAMSTD (@psuAMSTD) Yammer: americanstudies+psu.edu@yammer.com

2017-2018

HANDBOOK FOR IUG

STUDENTS IN AMERICAN

STUDIES

2

PENN STATE HARRISBURG

INTEGRATED UNDERGRADUATE-

GRADUATE (IUG) HANDBOOK Integrated Undergraduate-Graduate Program: Bachelor of Arts in American

Studies and Master of Arts in American Studies

2017-2018

Table of Contents PENN STATE HARRISBURG ............................................................................................................................. 2

INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................. 3

ADMISSION PROCESS .................................................................................................................................... 3

TUITION AND ELIGIBILITY FOR A GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIP ....................................................................... 4

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS ............................................................................................................................... 4

FIRST-YEAR SEMINAR: ............................................................................................................................... 4

UNITED STATES CULTURES AND INTERNATIONAL CULTURES: .................................................................. 4

WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM: ....................................................................................................... 4

SAMPLE PLAN OF STUDY FOR STUDENT IN IUG PROGRAM .......................................................................... 5

The Semester Report ..................................................................................................................................... 6

GRADUATE WORK IN AMERICAN STUDIES .................................................................................................... 7

IUG IN AMERICAN STUDIES FOR STUDENTS IN THE HONORS PROGRAM .................................................... 7

Recommended Sequence of Coursework for Honors Students Admitted to AM ST IUG ......................... 7

Programmatic IUG Study for Honors Students at Penn State Harrisburg ................................................. 8

Eligibilities and Process ............................................................................................................................. 9

Honors Requirements for Juniors/Seniors ................................................................................................ 9

For an IUG in American Studies (AM ST) ................................................................................................. 10

CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS ............................................................................................................................. 11

Graduate Certificate in Folklore and Ethnography ................................................................................. 11

List of Courses Included in the Certificate........................................................................................... 11

Application Process ............................................................................................................................. 12

Graduate Certificate in Heritage and Museum Practice ......................................................................... 12

List of Courses for the Certificate ........................................................................................................ 12

Application Process ............................................................................................................................. 13

LionPath....................................................................................................................................................... 13

AMERICAN STUDIES FACULTY-ADVISERS .................................................................................................... 15

The Staff ...................................................................................................................................................... 17

3

INTRODUCTION

The American Studies Program offers an integrated B.A./M.A. program that is

designed to allow academically superior baccalaureate students enrolled in the

American Studies major to obtain both the B.A. and the M.A. degrees in American

Studies within five years of study. The first two years of undergraduate coursework

typically include the University General Education requirements and lower-level

courses. In the third year, students typically take upper-division coursework in

American Studies and define areas of interest. The fourth year involves graduate-level

American Studies coursework including required courses in American Studies Theory

and Methods (AM ST 500). The fifth and final year of the program typically consists of

graduate coursework in American Studies including Seminar (AM ST 591) and

identification of a research project that will culminate in the completion of a M.A.

project (AM ST 580) or thesis (AM ST 600). Most students, however, choose AM ST

580, and this is the culminating course option that the Program recommends.

By encouraging greater depth and focus in the course of study beginning in the third

undergraduate year, this program will help the student more clearly define his/her area

of interest and expertise in the broad field of American Studies. As a result, long-range

academic planning for exceptional students pursuing doctoral degrees or other

professional goals after leaving Penn State will be greatly enhanced. For most students,

the total time required to reach completion of the higher degree will be shortened by

about a year. The student will have earlier contact with the rigors of graduate study and

with graduate faculty. The resources of the Graduate School are accessible to students

accepted into the IUG program.

ADMISSION PROCESS

The number of openings in the integrated B.A./M.A. program is limited. Admission

will be selective based on specific criteria and the unqualified recommendation of

faculty. Applicants to the integrated program:

1. Must be enrolled in the American Studies B.A. program and meet the

admission requirements of the American Studies M.A. program.

2. Must apply and be admitted to the Graduate School.

3. Shall be admitted no earlier than the beginning of the third semester of

undergraduate study at Penn State (regardless of transfer or AP credits

accumulated prior to enrollment) and no later than the end of the second

week of the semester preceding the semester of expected conferral of the

undergraduate degree, as specified in the proposed IUG plan of study.

4. Must have completed at least one 400-level American Studies course (AM

ST prefix) with a grade of A.

5. Must submit transcript(s) of previous undergraduate work,

recommendations from two faculty members, writing sample, and statement

of goals.

6. Must have an overall GPA at or above 3.3 (on a 4.0 scale) in undergraduate

coursework and a GPA at or above 3.5 in all coursework completed for the

American Studies major.

7. Must present a plan of study approved by the student’s adviser in the

application process.

Assuming all undergraduate coursework has been completed, a student can still earn a

4

bachelor’s degree if for any reason he/she is unable to complete the MA degree.

TUITION AND ELIGIBILITY FOR A GRADUATE

ASSISTANTSHIP

Eligibility for a Graduate Assistantship: Students accepted into the IUG program will be

eligible for a graduate assistantship only upon completion of undergraduate requirements.

For more information on Financial Aid for Graduate Students, see

harrisburg.psu.edu/academics/gradaid.php.

Tuition charges: Undergraduate tuition rates will apply as long as the student is an

undergraduate, unless the student received financial support, for example, an assistantship

requiring the payment of graduate tuition (from “Information and Guidelines for Establishing

Integrated Undergraduate-Graduate Degree Programs” – approved by the Graduate Council,

May 8, 1996). See bursar.psu.edu/ for information on tuition rates.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

(See bulletins.psu.edu/bulletins/bluebook/baccalaureate_degree_programs.cfm?letter=A&program=am_st.htm#mnote01 for

more information)

University General Education requirements need to be met for the student in the IUG program:

GENERAL EDUCATION: 45 credits

(See description of General Education in this bulletin.)

FIRST-YEAR SEMINAR:

(Included in ELECTIVES or GENERAL EDUCATION course selection)

UNITED STATES CULTURES AND INTERNATIONAL CULTURES:

(Included in ELECTIVES, GENERAL EDUCATION course selection, or REQUIREMENTS

FOR THE MAJOR)

WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM:

(Included in REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR)

ELECTIVES: 21 credits

BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE REQUIREMENTS: 24 credits

(3 of these 24 credits are included in the REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR, GENERAL

EDUCATION, or ELECTIVES and 0-12 credits are included in ELECTIVES if foreign

language proficiency is demonstrated by examination.)

(See description of Bachelor of Arts Degree Requirements in this bulletin.)

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR: 33 credits[1]

PRESCRIBED COURSES (6 credits)

AM ST 491W(6) (Semesters: 5-8)

ADDITIONAL COURSES (3 credits)

AM ST 100 GH(3) or AM ST 100W GH(3) (Semesters: 1-4)

SUPPORTING COURSES AND RELATED AREAS (24 credits)

(Include 12 credits at the 400 level distributed in at least two of the areas.)

5

Select 9 credits in each of two of the following areas; select 6 credits in one other of the areas:

(Sem: 3-8)

a. American literature

b. American history

c. American art, philosophy, and religion (humanities)

d. American social sciences

[1] A student enrolled in this major must receive a grade of C or better, as specified in Senate Policy 82-44.

SAMPLE PLAN OF STUDY FOR STUDENT IN IUG PROGRAM As many as 12 of the credits required for the master’s degree may be applied to both

undergraduate and graduate degree programs. The courses to be double counted are:

AM ST 491W (two seminars on different topics)—6 credits during the student’s fourth

(senior) year

AM ST 500--3 credits during the student’s fourth (senior)

year AM ST 591--3 credits during the student’s fifth year

All 500-level courses must be taken at the Harrisburg campus.

A typical sequence of coursework for the IUG would appear as follows (AM ST 491W, AM

ST 500, and AM ST 591 are applied to both undergraduate and graduate degree programs):

YEAR FALL CREDITS SPRING CREDITS

3rd

(Junior)

AM ST 100 3 AM ST

Supporting

course

3

AM ST Supporting Course 3 400-level AM

ST course

3

BA Requirement: Other Cultures 3 400-level AM

ST course

3

BA Requirement: Knowledge

Domain

3 Elective 3

Elective 3 Elective 3

Total 15 Total 15

4th

(Senior) AM ST 491W* 3 AM ST 491W* 3

400-level AM ST course 3 400 level AM

ST course

3

400-level AM ST supporting course 3 AM ST 500* 3

Elective 3 500 level AM

ST course

3

Elective 3 Elective 3

Total 15 Total 15

5th

(Graduate)

500-level AM ST course 3 500-level AM

ST course

3

500-level AM ST course 3 AM ST 580 or

AM ST 600

3-6

500-level AM ST course 3 AM ST 591* 3

Total 9 Total 9-12

*Satisfies requirements for both the undergraduate and graduate program for a total of 12 credits

6

As stated in the Graduate Bulletin, a minimum grade-point average of 3.00 for work done at

the University is required for graduation and to maintain good academic standing. See

bulletins.psu.edu/bulletins/whitebook/degree_requirements.cfm?section=masters.

The Semester Report

IUG students must submit the “IUG SEMESTER REPORT” to their adviser every semester in

which they are registered indicating courses they are taking and designating those that will

count for both graduate and undergraduate credit. Obtain the form at

gradschool.psu.edu/forms-and-documents/ges-owned-forms-and-documents/integrated-

undergraduategraduate-semester-report/

7

GRADUATE WORK IN AMERICAN STUDIES With 12 credits of the IUG applied to the graduate program, the student has 18 credits to take

in graduate level courses to reach the minimum of 30–33 credits in American Studies to

graduate with a master’s degree (30 credits for non-thesis; 33 for thesis). Toward this 30-33

credit goal, 18 credits must be in the 500 series, including the required courses of AM ST 500,

591, and AM ST 580 (AM ST 600 can substitute for AM ST 580). Usually in the last semester

of study, students are required to complete their program with a major paper by either taking

AM ST 580 or writing a formal thesis according to University Park guidelines, in which case

AM ST 600 is taken. A student should take AM ST 580 to fulfill graduation requirements

when producing an original scholarly master's paper or project. For most students, the choice

of AM ST 580 is most appropriate, and it is the one that the Program recommends. One to 6

credits in AM ST 580 can be earned; the typical number of credits for the culminating project

is 3. The designation of 3 credits will be made unless special circumstances arise and the

alternate designation has the approval of the adviser and Program Chair. The choice of AM ST

600 is for a thesis and is taken for 6 credits. The thesis must follow the guidelines established

by the Office of Theses and Dissertations in University Park (see

gradsch.psu.edu/current/thesis.html).

Advanced undergraduate courses (400-level) that have not counted toward a student's

undergraduate degree from another regionally accredited institution may be considered for

transfer into the graduate student's requirement of 30 credits of American Studies with

permission of the program and approval of the Graduate School. For the IUG, all 500-level

courses must be taken at the Harrisburg location.

IUG IN AMERICAN STUDIES FOR STUDENTS IN THE

HONORS PROGRAM

Students in the Capital College Honors Program and Schreyer Honors College at Penn State

Harrisburg are eligible to apply for the IUG in American Studies. These students have special

requirements to qualify for honors and should consult Dr. Ronald Walker, the director of the

Honors Program, C114G Olmsted Building, 717-948-6062, hbghonors@psu.edu. See

harrisburg.psu.edu/programs/honors-program.

Recommended Sequence of Coursework for Honors Students Admitted to AM ST IUG

A typical sequence of coursework for the Integrated Undergraduate/Graduate (IUG) program

in AM ST would appear as follows (AM ST 491W, AM ST 500, and AM ST 591 are applied

to both undergraduate and graduate degree programs):

8

YEAR FALL SPRING

3rd (Junior) AM ST 100 3 AM ST Supporting course 3

HONOR 301H 3 400-level AM ST coursea 3

BA Requirement: Other

Cultures

3 400-level AM ST coursea 3

BA Requirement: Knowledge

Domain

3 Elective 3

Elective 3 Elective

HONOR 493H Service

Learningc

1

Total 15 Total 15-16

4th (Senior) AM ST 491W 3 AM ST 491W 3

400-level AM ST coursea 3 400 level AM ST coursea

3

400-level AM ST coursea 3 AM ST 500b

3

Elective 3 500 level AM ST courseb 3

Elective 3 AM ST 591d 3

Total 15 Total 15

5th (Graduate) 500-level AM ST courseb 3 500-level AM ST courseb

3

500-level AM ST courseb 3 Elective 3

AM ST 580d or 600 3-6 500-level AM ST courseb 3

Total 9 Total 9-12

Bold Face: Satisfies requirements for both the undergraduate and graduate program for a total of 12 credits. a If a course has an Honors designation, the course can count as honors credits towards a student’s Honors

requirements. b 500-level AM ST courses appearing on a student’s undergraduate transcript count as Honors credits. c If a student completes three credits of a service learning project that has an American theme, the credits can

count toward the student’s American Studies B.A. degree as a 400-level course, and fulfill the service requirement

of the Honors Programs. For such case, the student does not need to enroll in HONOR 493H. However, the

student is still required to obtain approval from the Honors Programs prior to the start of the project and to submit

a reflection paper at the end of the project. d AM ST 591 takes the place of HONOR 494M and HONOR 495H as the thesis preparation class, and it counts as

honors credits, given its appearance on the undergraduate transcript. AM ST 580 takes the place of HONOR 496H

as the thesis class; however AM ST 580 does not count as honors credits since it cannot appear on the student’s

undergraduate transcript.

As stated in this Bulletin, a minimum grade-point average of 3.00 for work done at the

University is required for graduation and to maintain good academic standing. See

bulletins.psu.edu/bulletins/whitebook/degree_requirements.cfm?section=masters.

Programmatic IUG Study for Honors Students at Penn State Harrisburg

Description: Integrated undergraduate/graduate study (IUG) is an opportunity for students

to complete both undergraduate and graduate degrees within a shorter time period

normally required to complete both degrees separately. An IUG may be a way to deepen

one’s undergraduate experience while accelerating the pursuit of a graduate degree.

Various IUG programs exist. Students should consult with an honors adviser before

applying to an IUG.

9

This document explains how the pursuit of a program defined IUG at Penn State

Harrisburg can be integrated with the requirements of the Honors Programs. (Note:

Schreyer Scholars may be able to seek a customized IUG involving their own combination

of undergraduate and graduate study through the Schreyer Honors College. Students

pursuing a customized IUG should refer to the Schreyer Honors College’s policy.)

Eligibilities and Process

1. Students must be in good standing with the Honors Programs.

2. Students need to apply and be admitted to an IUG program. Students should

apply during the semester prescribed by the IUG program (often the 4th

or 5th

semester and 7th

semester at the latest).

3. Students need to provide a copy of acceptance letter to the Honors Programs upon

admission to an IUG program. (Note: Schreyer scholars must follow a separate

policy with the SHC.)

4. Students are still required to submit their thesis proposal by the deadline (about one

year prior to graduation).

5. Students must graduate with their undergraduate and graduate degrees

conferred in the same semester.

6. Students must submit their thesis to the Honors Programs prior to graduation.

Honors Requirements for Juniors/Seniors

1. Students are required to complete a minimum of 14 honors credits to satisfy the

junior/senior honors requirements.

2. Honors credits will be counted based only on courses listed on the undergraduate

transcript. Whether in an IUG or not, graduate credits appearing on an

undergraduate transcript are counted towards the honors credit total. Note: IUG

programs are typically structured to have at least six credits of 500-level

coursework appearing on the undergraduate transcript. So these credits would

count toward honors credits.

3. Students are still required to take HONOR 301H and HONOR 493H.

4. A master thesis may be counted as an honors thesis if students complete both

undergraduate and graduate degrees from the same program, or when the

undergraduate program head and the Director of Honors Programs approves. Note:

This substitution, when approved, applies in one direction only, namely a master

thesis counting for an honors thesis. Graduate programs exercise their standards and

procedures as to what qualifies for a master thesis.

a. For programs having a thesis course, students are not required to

complete HONOR 496H(Honors Thesis) if they complete the thesis

course.

b. For programs having an appropriate thesis preparation course, students are

not required to complete HONOR 494M/495H (Honors Thesis Preparation)

if they complete the appropriate thesis preparation course.

Note: Items a and b depend on the IUG program in question.

10

Notes

• The requirements for good standing with the Honors Programs, such as attending

honors events, still apply.

• If students leave an IUG program, then standard honors requirements will be applied.

This table illustrates how the 14 honors credits for juniors/seniors could be satisfied

for students in an IUG (with or without a thesis option) in comparison to honors

students in the undergraduate program (but not an IUG):

Honors students IUG with thesis IUG without thesis

For thesis preparation Take HONOR

494M/495H

Take HONOR

494M/495H or an

approved master thesis

preparation course

(depending on program)

Take HONOR

494M/495H

For thesis course Take HONOR 496H Take a master thesis

course*

Take HONOR 496H

For honors service

learning

Take HONOR 493H Take HONOR 493H Take HONOR 493H

For HONOR 301H Take HONOR 301H Take HONOR 301H Take HONOR 301H

Total junior/senior honors courses, honors options, 500-

level courses**

14 (including six

credits of HONOR

494M/495H and

HONOR 496H)

14 (including three

credits of HONOR

494M/495H, if

applicable)

14 (including six

credits of HONOR

494M/495H and

HONOR 496H)

Honors thesis Yes Master thesis Yes

*A master thesis course cannot appear on a student’s undergraduate transcript. **

Only 500 level courses appearing in a student’s undergraduate transcript

For an IUG in American Studies (AM ST)

Honors students IUG in AM ST

For thesis preparation Take HONOR 494M/495H Take AM ST 591

For thesis course Take HONOR 496H Take AM ST 580

For honors service

learning

Take HONOR 493H Take HONOR 493H

For HONOR 301H Take HONOR 301H Take HONOR 301H

Total junior/senior honors courses, honors options,

500-level courses**

14 (including six credits of

HONOR 494M/495H and

HONOR 496H)

14*

Honors thesis Yes Master thesis

*AM ST 591 must appear in a student’s undergraduate transcript to count as honors credits. AM ST 580

cannot appear on a student’s undergraduate transcript. **

Only 500 level courses appearing in a student’s undergraduate transcript.

For an IUG in AM ST, only the thesis/creative project option is available. That is,

students must complete a master thesis or creative project.

11

CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS

The American Studies Program manages two 15-credit graduate certificate programs: (1)

folklore and ethnography and (2) heritage and museum practice. Students who are interested in

obtaining certificates while they are in the IUG program need to wait until they have

completed their undergraduate requirements. The courses for a certificate must be completed

BEFORE the student graduates with the degree. Students should consult the Program Chair on

a plan of coursework that will accommodate the certificate.

Graduate Certificate in Folklore and Ethnography

(https://harrisburg.psu.edu/humanities/american-studies/graduate-certificate-folklore-and-

ethnography/program-requirements-for-admission): This 15-credit graduate certificate program

offered at Penn State Harrisburg provides students with skills and practices used in projects

and institutions of folklore and ethnography, which include field/folk schools and other

educational settings, festivals and arts councils, historical and heritage societies, community

and cultural organizations and centers, archives and record management programs,

governmental agencies, cultural conservation/sustainability groups, and media production

companies. The Folklore and Ethnography certificate is awarded for successful completion of

9 credits of prescribed courses plus 6 credits of electives from an approved list of courses.

Students must earn a grade of B or above in each course that counts toward the certificate

program.

Applicants are expected to have 2.75 GPA or above in the last two years of undergraduate

work in folklore, anthropology, sociology, American Studies, ethnic studies, history,

communications, or other fields related to folklore and ethnography.

List of Courses Included in the Certificate

PRESCRIBED COURSES (AM ST)

• AM ST 530 TOPICS IN AMERICAN FOLKLORE (3) • AM ST 531 MATERIAL CULTURE AND FOLKLIFE (3)

• AM ST 540 ETHNOGRAPHY AND SOCIETY (3)

In addition to the 9 credits of prescribed coursework, students must select 6 credits

from the following list of elective courses.

• AM ST 422 (RL ST 422) RELIGION AND AMERICAN CULTURE (3 PER

SEMESTER, MAXIMUM OF 6) • AM ST 439 AMERICAN REGIONAL CULTURES (3-6)

• AM ST 448 (ANTH 448) ETHNOGRAPHY OF THE UNITED STATES (3)

• AM ST 480 MUSEUM STUDIES (3)

• AM ST 481 HISTORIC PRESERVATION (3)

• AM ST 482 PUBLIC HERITAGE (3)

• AM ST 483 ORAL HISTORY (3)

• AM ST 493 (ENGL 493) THE FOLKTALE IN AMERICAN LITERATURE (3)

• AM ST 550 SEMINAR IN PUBLIC HERITAGE (3)

• AM ST 551 SEMINAR IN LOCAL AND REGIONAL STUDIES (3)

12

• AM ST 592 FIELD EXPERIENCE IN AMERICAN STUDIES (3)

• AM ST 595 INTERNSHIP (1-12)

Substitution of topical courses and seminars with variable content related to folklore

and ethnography for elective credits is possible with approval in advance from the

certificate coordinator.

Application Process

• Complete the Graduate School online application (available at

http://www.gradschool.psu.edu/index.cfm/apply/), choosing "Certificate

Admission" for the application type. Next, select "Harrisburg" as the Campus,

"Folklore and Ethnography" as the Certificate, and the semester you choose to

begin.

• Submit copies of your undergraduate transcripts and cover letter describing goals

and background/interest in folklore and ethnography to:

Program Coordinator Graduate Certificate in Folklore and Ethnography

American Studies Program

777 West Harrisburg Pike

Middletown, PA 17057 – 4898

Graduate Certificate in Heritage and Museum Practice

(harrisburg.psu.edu/humanities/american-studies/graduate-certificate-heritage-and-museum-

practice). This 15-credit graduate certificate program provides students with knowledge of

practices in the heritage and museum sector, which includes historical and heritage societies,

art galleries, archives and record management programs, educational institutions, cultural and

governmental agencies, preservation and cultural resource management groups, and media

production companies. A goal of the program is to enable students to conceptualize, deliver,

and manage effective heritage and museum projects. The Heritage and Museum Practice

certificate is awarded for successful completion of 9 credits of prescribed courses plus 6 credits

of electives from an approved list of courses. Students must earn a grade of B or above in each

course that counts toward the certificate program.

List of Courses for the Certificate

Prescribed Courses (AM ST)

• AM ST 480 MUSEUM STUDIES (3)

• AM ST 481 HISTORIC PRESERVATION (3) or AM ST 482 PUBLIC HERITAGE (3)

• AM ST 550 SEMINAR IN PUBLIC HERITAGE (3)

Elective Courses

In addition to the 9 credits of prescribed coursework, students must select 6 credits

from the following list of 500-level elective courses.

• AM ST 530 TOPICS IN FOLKLORE (3)

• AM ST 531 MATERIAL CULTURE AND FOLKLIFE (3)

13

• AM ST 575 MUSEUM INTERNSHIP ( 3)

• AM ST 592 FIELD EXPERIENCE IN AMERICAN STUDIES (3)

• AM ST 551 SEMINAR IN LOCAL AND REGIONAL STUDIES (3)

• AM ST 570 TOPICS IN AMERICAN ART (1 - 6 per semester)

• P ADM 500 PUBLIC ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT (3)

• P ADM 505 HUMAN RESOURCES IN THE PUBLIC AND NONPROFIT SECTORS (3)

• P ADM 516 STRATEGIC PLANNING (3)

• P ADM 517 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS: HISTORY AND EVOLUTION (3)

• P ADM 518 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS: MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP

(3)

• P ADM 519 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS: RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND

MANAGEMENT (3)

• Substitution of topical courses and seminars with variable content related to

heritage and museum practice for elective credits is possible with approval in

advance from the certificate coordinator.

Application Process

• Complete the Graduate School online application (available at

http://www.gradschool.psu.edu/index.cfm/apply/), choosing "Certificate

Admission" for the application type. Next, select "Harrisburg" as the Campus,

"Heritage and Museum Practice" as the Certificate, and the semester you choose to

begin.

• Submit copies of your undergraduate transcripts and cover letter describing goals

and background/interest in folklore and ethnography to:

Program Coordinator Graduate Certificate in Folklore and Ethnography

American Studies Program

777 West Harrisburg Pike

Middletown, PA 17057 – 4898

LionPath

Beginning in Fall 2016, students will be required to use LionPath (lionpath.psu.edu) for course

registration, viewing textbooks, academic advising, financial aid, degree planning, and student

records. Tutorials are available at lionpathsupport.psu.edu/help/undergraduateparent/ . Before

you can use it, you need to sign the consent to do business electronically

(tutorials.lionpath.psu.edu/public/Docs/Consent.pdf ), sign the financial responsibility

agreement (tutorials.lionpath.psu.edu/public/Docs/FRA.pdf ) as part of the Pre-Registration

Activity Guide, fill out the Fall 2016 Pre-Registration Activity Guide and update your contact

and directory information. Then you can view the Schedule of Classes and access the Schedule

Builder to search for classes and compare possible scheduling combinations. It is more

extensive than the previous system of elion but don’t worry, you’ll get the hang of it, and there

is a lot of support available.

14

Screen shot of LionPath page for

registration. Note that you create a

“shopping cart” of classes. There is

a search function for the Schedule

of Classes.

To add or drop courses after the pre-registration period is over, enrolling with permission in

closed courses, or for enrolling in “controlled” courses (independent studies, internships), you

might need to fill out a drop-add form such as the following and submit it to the Enrollment

Services office. Electronic copies are available at registrar.psu.edu/student_forms/dropadd.pdf.

Remember that for controlled courses, the staff assistant needs to enroll you; you need to

submit a proposal for the course; see the forms page at harrisburg.psu.edu/hum/amst

Refer to the American Studies website for information: harrisburg.psu.edu/hum/amst

You can form your schedule before

you enroll with the “schedule

builder”

15

AMERICAN STUDIES FACULTY-ADVISERS

Students accepted into the IUG are assigned an adviser from the core American Studies faculty

who will guide them through the program. They are, in alphabetical order:

Anthony Bak Buccitelli, Assistant Professor of American Studies and Communications,

received his Ph.D. in American and New England Studies from Boston University in 2012. He

holds an M.A. in Folklore from the University of California, Berkeley. He joined the American

Studies faculty at Penn State Harrisburg in 2012. He is editor of the online journals, New

Errands and The Americanist and is on the editorial boards of Alternative Spirituality and

Religions Review and New Directions in Folklore. He has also served on the Council of the New

England American Studies Association and the Executive Committee of the Western States

Folklore Society. He was the recipient of an Angela J. and James J. Rallis Memorial Award and

the Alice M. Brennan Humanities Award in 2010, given by the Humanities Foundation at

Boston University, and the Oberlin College Fellowship for Alumni in 2009. He is the author of

Remembering Our Town: Social Memory, Folklore, and (Trans) Locality in Ethnic

Neighborhoods published by the University of Wisconsin Press (2016). It examines the

interrelationship of ethnicity and place identity in the vernacular memory practices of urban

ethnic neighborhoods. His other publications include “Performance 2.0: Observations Toward a

Theory of the Digital Performance of Folklore” in Folk Culture in the Digital Age (Utah State

University Press, 2012), journal articles on digital hyperlocality, and reference entries for

Multicultural America: A Multicultural Encyclopedia and Celebrating Latino Folklore: An

Encyclopedia of Cultural Traditions. His research and teaching areas include digital culture,

consumer culture, history of technology and mass media, folk narrative, festive culture, space

and place, ethnic and urban history and culture, and vernacular religion.

Charity Fox, Assistant Professor of American Studies and Gender Studies, received her Ph.D.

in American Studies from The George Washington University, M.L.A. in History and Literature

from the University of Pennsylvania, and B.A. in History and Political Science from the

University of Pennsylvania. Her research and teaching focus on intersections of gender, class,

race, and everyday cultures in 20th and 21st century American popular culture, particularly on

the construction of ideal and aspirational gender performances and cultural understandings of

the self and others through television, film, popular literature, and journalism. Her work is

informed by American Studies frameworks of gender, race, class, identity, and nationalism as

well as by theories of cultural ritual, narratology, and ideology in mass-media products. Fox’s

current book project, Before Blackwater: Mercenaries and Masculinities in the Popular Culture

of the Cold War, examines how cultural products from the Cold War categorize and glorify

mercenary and warrior masculinities. She teaches graduate seminars on gender and culture and

problems in American Studies, along with undergraduate courses in women’s studies and

American themes and eras.

John R. Haddad, is Undergraduate Program Coordinator and Professor of American Studies

and Popular Culture. He received his Ph.D. in American Studies from the University of Texas at

Austin in 2002. He received an M.A. in English from Yale in 1996 and an A.B. from Harvard

University. While teaching in China and Japan, Dr. Haddad developed an interest in Asia that is

reflected in his scholarly interests. His research has investigated ways Americans learned about

China in the nineteenth century: museum exhibits, trade objects, travel writing, missionary

literature, international expositions, magic lantern shows, and moving pictures. His first book,

The Romance of China: Excursions to China in U.S. Culture, 1776-1876, was published by

Columbia University Press in 2006. In 2010-2011, he held a Fulbright grant for research and

teaching at the University of Hong Kong. His second book, America’s First Adventure in

China: Trade, Treaties, Opium, and Salvation (2014) looks at contact between Americans and

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the Chinese in Hong Kong during the nineteenth century. He serves as newsletter editor for the

Eastern American Studies Association and has served as the national chair of the American

Studies Association's committee on regional chapters. His teaching and research interests

include popular culture, literature, nineteenth century America, and Asian American studies.

Charles Kupfer, Associate Professor of American Studies and History, received his Ph.D. in

American Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 1998. He has taught at Michigan

State University and the University of Texas and has experience as a professional journalist. He

has teaching and research specialties in twentieth-century American history and culture, sports

history, political history, and mass media. He has published the books We Felt the Flames:

Hitler’s Blitzkrieg, America’s Story and Indomitable Will: Turning Defeat into Victory from

Pearl Harbor to Midway. He also has book chapters in Cold War American West, 1945-1989

and Media in the Classroom. His academic articles have appeared in such journals as Prospects:

An Annual of American Cultural Studies, The International Journal of the History of Sports, and

Pennsylvania History. He is completing a book project examining the media coverage of the

Pacific campaign during WWII. He is on the editorial board of the journal Iron Game History:

The Journal of Physical Culture and a contributor to the Encyclopedia of American Folklife.

Kupfer is past president of the Eastern American Studies Association. He is active in various

Commonwealth Public Heritage initiatives, serving on the Pennsylvania Historical Marker

Commission, the Friends of Fort Hunter Board of Directors, and as Penn State Harrisburg

American Studies Program liaison to the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. He

teaches courses on twentieth century America, twenty-first century America, the history of

sports, and problems in American Studies.

Anne Verplanck, Associate Professor of American Studies and Heritage Studies, received her

Ph.D. in American Studies from the College of William and Mary in 1996 and joined the

American Studies faculty at Penn State Harrisburg in 2010. She has previously taught in the

Winterthur Program in American Material Culture, George Washington University, and George

Mason University. She has museum and public heritage experience as Curator of Prints and

Paintings at the Winterthur Museum, Marion and Dorothy Brewington Curator of Maritime

Collections at the Maryland Historical Society, Guest Curator at the National Portrait Gallery,

and Assistant Curator at Independence National Historical Park. She is the co-editor of the book

Quaker Aesthetics: Reflections on a Quaker Ethic in American Design and Consumption

published by the University of Pennsylvania Press and contributor to American Material

Culture: The Shape of the Field (edited by Ann Smart Martin and J. Ritchie Garrison) and

Winterthur Portfolio. Her research and teaching areas include museum and public heritage

studies, early America, material and visual culture, and urban studies.

David Witwer, Professor of American Studies and History, received the Ph.D. from Brown

University in History. He previously taught at Lycoming College. He is the author of

Corruption and Reform in the Teamsters Union, Corruption and Reform in the Teamsters

Union, and Shadow of the Racketeer: Scandal in Organized Labor, all published by the

University of Illinois Press. Witwer serves on the editorial board of the journal Labor History

and in addition to his three books, he has published articles in the Journal of American History,

Journal of Social History, Journal of Women's History, Social Science History, Journalism

History, Trends in Organized Crime, Criminal Justice Review, and International Labor and

Working Class History. In fall 2011 he held a resident fellowship from the Institute for Arts and

Humanistic Studies at Penn State. In 2012 he served as program chair for the Pennsylvania

Historical Association meeting in Harrisburg. He teaches courses on American labor and crime

for the American Studies Program.

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Simon J. Bronner (EMERITUS),Distinguished Professor of American Studies and Folklore,

received his Ph.D. in Folklore and American Studies from Indiana University in 1981. He has

been editor of the journals Material Culture and Folklore Historian and the book series

Material Worlds for the University Press of Kentucky, Pennsylvania German History and

Culture for Penn State Press, and Jewish Cultural Studies for Littman. He is the author of many

books, including Folklore: The Basics; Campus Traditions: Folklore from the Old-Time

College to the Modern Mega-University; Explaining Traditions: Folk Behavior in Modern

Culture; Killing Tradition: Inside Hunting and Animal Rights Controversies; Folk Nation:

Folklore in the Creation of American Tradition; Following Tradition: Folklore in the Discourse

of American Culture; Grasping Things: Folk Material Culture and Mass Society; Chain

Carvers: Old Men Crafting Meaning; American Folklore Studies: An Intellectual History;

American Children's Folklore (winner of the Opie Prize for best book on children's folklore);

Old-Time Music Makers of New York State (winner of the John Ben Snow Prize for best book

on upstate New York), and Popularizing Pennsylvania: Henry W. Shoemaker and the

Progressive Uses of Folklore and History. In addition, he has edited numerous books, including

a four-volume encyclopedia of American folklife, two- volume encyclopedia of American

youth cultures, encyclopedia of Pennsylvania German history and culture, a cultural history of

consumer society, folklife studies from the Gilded Age, the writing of Lafcadio Hearn, the

essays of Alan Dundes, and volumes on American folklore and nationalism, creativity and

tradition, and folk art and material culture. He has been invited all over the world to speak on

his research, and won Penn State Harrisburg's awards for research, teaching, and service. In

addition, he has received the Jordan Award for teaching from Penn State (1985), the Kenneth

Goldstein Lifetime Achievement Award for Academic Leadership from the American Folklore

Society (2015), and the Mary Turpie Prize from the American Studies Association for teaching,

advising, and program development (1999). Dr. Bronner served as visiting distinguished

professor of American Studies at the University of California at Davis in 1991, Fulbright

Professor of American Studies at Osaka University in Japan during the 1996-1997 academic

year, and Walt Whitman Distinguished Chair at Leiden University in the Netherlands in 2006.

In 1997-1998 he served as Visiting Professor of Folklore and American Civilization at Harvard

University, and in fall 2013 he was at Hong Kong University. His teaching and research

interests are in folk and popular culture; material and visual culture; gender, sports, and

masculinity studies; ethnic and religious studies; and American Studies theory and method.

The Staff

The School of Humanities provides administrative staff support for American Studies students and

faculty. The main suite for American Studies is W356 Olmsted Building. To the left as you walk in to

the suite is the desk of Cindy Leach (717-948-6189, CKL4@ps.edu) who is primarily responsible for

undergraduate students. The main contact person for managing files, scheduling, and forms related to the

American Studies graduate programs is Hannah Murray (717-948-6201, hbm5103@psu.edu). Her desk

is in W356 to the right as you walk in the suite. Taneile Fasnacht, part-time assistant, in W351 is the

staff person to whom assistants and wage-payroll students hand their time sheets. Also in that office is

Rachel Dean, the administrative assistant for the School Director; she handles appointments and budget

matters related to the School Director. Remember that the staff members do not provide advising. They

will help you with forms and procedures for changing your major, changing your adviser, resume study,

withdrawal, and independent studies, among other matters, but seek out your adviser for academic

questions and the Bursar’s Office and financial aid for tuition and financial questions. The staff will be

happy to refer you to the right person to get your questions answered. Don’t hesitate to ask!

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Staff Assistant Hannah Murray

who provides support for

American Studies students and

faculty. She is located In W356

Olmsted Building, 717-948-

6201, hbm5103@psu.edu.