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American Studies

Industry Areas

Here are examples of industry areas students enter with this major, jobs/internships, typical employers that hire students, skills employers look for, and examples of where alumni work.  To find more information make an appointment with your career counselor/advisor.

Industry Areas for American Studies
Industry|Employers
Job|Roles
Skills
Alumni
Education

• Universities and colleges
• Campus cultural centers
• Support programs, e.g. Educational Advancement Program, Upward Bound School and • community libraries
• Community organizations

• Teaching
• Research
• Student Support Services
• Student Affairs
• Multicultural Programming
• Administration
• Information/Library Science

K-12:  
  • Coordination
  • public speaking
  • critical thinking
  • writing
  • social perceptiveness
  • complex problem solving

Higher Ed:
  • Research
  • Writing
  • Critical thinking
  • Judgment and decision making presentations

• Teach for America Corps, Member
• Blue Engine, CEO & Founder
• University of New Mexico, Professor
• Educational Testing Service, Assessment Specialist
• University of Montana, Professor of Native American Studies
• Berea College, Assistant Professor of History, Chair in American History
• University of California, Program Coordinator
• Fountain Middle School, Teacher, Special Education
• Univ of Dayton School of Law, Associate Dean
• The New Teacher Project, President
• Northwestern University - Undergraduate Admission, Asst Dir Admissions

Museums and Galleries
(Museums &Archives)

Museums

  • University
  • Public
  • Private
  • Archives

Historical homes
Special collections
Historical societies
Natural history museums
Living history museums
Art galleries
State and local government
Federal government, particularly the National
Archives and Records Administration
Non-profit organizations
Research institutions
Corporations

• Administration
• Curatorial
• Preservation and Conservation
• Restoration
• Registrarial
• Collections Management
• Exhibit Design/Preparation
• Archive Management
• Art Authentication
• Education
• Publications
• Development
• Docent Coordination
• Public Relations
• Reproductions and Retailing

• strong interpersonal skills
• attention to detail
• ability to multitask
• organizational skills
• time management
• verbal and written communication
• ability to work collaboratively in a team environment

• United State Holocaust Memorial Museum, Exhibition Researcher
• San Jose Museum of Art, Grants Officer
• Washington University, Curator of Visual Resources
• Digital Learning at American Museum of Natural History, Associate Director

Nonprofit

• Museums and historical sites
• Historical associations and societies
• Cultural heritage organizations
• Historical projects
• Research and service institutions
• Libraries
• Educational institutions
• Local and national nonprofit agencies
• Trade or professional associations
• Special interest groups
• Foundations

• Administration
• Management
• Public Relations
• Program Coordination
• Fund Raising/Development
• Policy Analysis
• Grant Writing
• Research
• Volunteer Coordination
• Community Education
• Direct Service

• Creativity
• Multi-tasking
• Interpersonal
• Time Management
• Service Orientation
• Writing
• Social

•Perceptiveness •Enthusiasm & knowledge for the cause


• Femina Hip, Publications Manager
• Circle of Blue, Managing Director
• Neighbor housing services of Chicago, Director Innovation and Public Policy
• North Shore Congregation Israel, Education Director

Business

• Product and service organizations
• Retail stores
• Hotels
• Restaurants
• Manufacturers
• Banks and financial institutions
• Insurance companies
• Hospitals and other healthcare organizations
• Print and electronic media
• Real estate agencies
• Consulting firms

Sales
Customer Service
Management
Insurance:

  • Underwriting
  • Claims Management
  • Sales

Real Estate:

  • Property Management
  • Sales

Human Resources
Training and Development
Labor Relations
Writing/Editing
Corporate Communication
Office Management

• Problem-Solving Skills
• Analytical Thinking Skills
• Leadership & Team Based Skills
• Business Judgment
• Communication Skills
• Project Management
• Professionalism

• Herman Hiss & Company, Retailer & Jeweler
• The Hershey Company, Senior Associate Brand Manager
• McMaster-Carr Supply Comany, Vice President of Merchandising
• The Bunker Incubator, Founder
• Donne Insurance, Insurance Professional
• J C Penney Company Inc, Director Area Research
• Bacardi USA, Assist. Brand Manager - Grey Goose
• The Interview Coach, President and Senior Consultant
• Walt Disney World, Director, Organizational Dev.

Government
(Politics, Public Policy & Activism)

• There are over 170 departments and agencies in the federal government. Conduct research to determine which are a good fit for you.
• Local and state government
• Political parties
• Political action committees
• Legislatures and other elected public officials
• School districts
• Court systems

• City or Town Management
• Translation/Interpretation
• Regional Planning
• Public Policy
• Intelligence
• Community Affairs
• Campaigning
• Legislative Assistance
• Public Information
• Research
• Lobbying
• Conflict Negotiation
• Program Administration
• General Services
• Social Services
• Foreign Service
• Legislative, Executive, or Judicial Services

• Administrative
• Communication
• Foreign Language
• Multitasking
• Leadership
• Prioritizing

• Hillary for America, Email Director
• U.S. Department of the Treasury, Special Assistant
• Office of Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Education Policy Associate
• U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, Paralegal Specialist
• Colorado Governor's Office / Denver Department of Finance, Government Innovations Fellow
• Dept. of Veteran Affairs, Consultant

Communication
(Journalism)
(Publishing)

• Newspapers
• Magazines
• Broadcast media companies including television and movie industry
• Trade, professional, or consumer publications
• Internet sites
• Advertising agencies
• Publishing houses
• Large corporations
• Self-employment/freelance

• Journalism
• Creative Writing
• Freelance Writing
• Copy Writing
• Editing
• Research and Analysis
• Advertising

• advanced verbal and written communication
• detailed oriented
• technology and social media skills
• time management
• analytical skills
• interpersonal skills
• negotiation skills
• project management skills

• Random House, Author
• The Onion, Advertising Operations
• Dallas Morning News, Theater Critic
• Office of the Vice President, Speechwriter

Law

• Law firms
• Federal, state, and local government
• Private practice
• Corporations
• Special interest groups
• Universities and colleges
• Legal aid societies
• Nonprofit and public interest organizations
• Corporation
• Legal clinics
• Other private legal services

• Prosecution
• Defense
• Contractual
• Corporate
• Nonprofit or Public Interest
• Government
• Mediation
• Other Specialties
• Law Assistance

• Administrative
• Analytical Thinking
• Attention to Detail
• Time Management
• Writing Skills
• Active Learning

• Self-Employed, Attorney
• Futterman & Howard, Attorney
• Will, Keith, Gallagher, Law Clerk
• AutoNation, Inc., Senior Employment Counsel
• U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Illinois, Assistant U.S. Attorney
• GrubHub Inc., Associate General Counsel
• Fredrikson & Byron, Trusts & Estates Attorney
• U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division, Trial Attorney
• Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Senior Litigation Counsel

·        

Social Work

• Community centers
• Youth organizations and camps
• Shelters
• Migrant service providers
• Immigrant and refugee service providers
• Nonprofit and social services organizations
• Mental health institutions
• Hospitals and clinics
• Residential treatment facilities
• Private and group practice
• Correctional institutions
• Federal, state, or local government, including:

  • Department of Human Services
  • Veterans Administration

• Counseling/Therapy
• Mental Health Services
• Case Management
• Rehabilitation
• Vocational Training
• Crisis Services
• Programming
• Community Relations and Outreach
• Fundraising/Development
• Administration

• strong interpersonal skills
• attention to detail
• ability to multitask
• organizational skills
• time management
• verbal and written communication
• ability to work collaboratively in a team environment

• Cook County, Acting Director of Juvenile Probation

Urban Planning

• Federal, state, and local government
• Architecture firms
• Engineering firms
• Local planning agencies
• Real estate and development contractors
• Investment companies
• Transportation agencies
• Zoning administration
• Utility companies
• Non-profit organizations
• Historical restoration or preservation agencies
• Neighborhood revitalization initiatives
• International development organizations

• Transportation
• Demography
• Housing
• Community Development
• Historic Preservation
• Urban Design
• Architecture
• Urban Renewal
• Environmental/Regulatory Issues
• Economic Development
• Land Use
• Research Design
• Program Development

• communication
• complex problem solving
• monitoring
• judgment and decision making
• coordination
• critical thinking
• analysis

• Fairfax County, Director of Zoning Evaluation
• County of Cook, Comm. Devel. Planner
• Denver Public Works Department, Senior City Planner
• Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, Project Architect (Designer) and Planner

Popular Industries (According to LinkedIn)

  • Media and Communication (22%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Legal (9%)
  • Marketing (7%)
  • Research (7%)
  • Entrepreneurship (6%)
  • Consulting (5%)

Professional Associations