Career Opportunities

American Studies typically employs graduates in a wide range of fields. The American Studies Association, our parent organization, includes information about careers with American Studies degrees at its website: http://www.theasa.net/resources/. 

American Studies graduates are employed across a wide spectrum, from academia to non-profit work, from media and journalism to public politics. The Purdue American Studies program boasts a high placement rate for students in a range of professions.

The majority of graduates hold tenure-track faculty positions at a wide range of universities, including Harvard, SUNY-Buffalo, University of New Orleans, Sam Houston State University and University of Wisconsin-Platteville. One distinguished Purdue alumni, Dorothy Leland, is currently President of Georgia State University. 

Other American Studies alumni have followed careers in media and broadcasting. Scott Hoffman, Ph.D. 2005, currently works in documentary films for PBS television in Austin, Texas.