American Studies
$250 | ONLINE | 36 Hours (equivalent to 3 credits)
Saturdays 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM ET / 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM PT
Sundays 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM ET / 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM PT
Check which Time Zone you are in!!
Offered in collaboration with Hudson County Community College
Instructor: Aycha Edwards
May 18-19, 2024
Zoom meetings will only take place ONE weekend, on Saturday May 18 & Sunday May 19 | CLASS END DATE: June 16, 2024
June 22-23, 2024
Zoom meetings will only take place ONE weekend, on Saturday June 22 & Sunday June 23 | CLASS END DATE: July 21, 2024
July 27-28, 2024
Zoom meetings will only take place ONE weekend, on Saturday July 27 & Sunday July 28 | CLASS END DATE: August 25, 2024
August 24-25, 2024
Zoom meetings will only take place ONE weekend, on Saturday August 24 & Sunday August 25 | CLASS END DATE: September 22, 2024
COURSE DESCRIPTION
American culture is much more than what you see on TV or in the movies. A lot of what you see or hear about America is based on popular culture. Are you curious about how and why Americans are the way that they are? The American Dream is still a persistent thought for many Americans, but a younger generation of Americans is trying to shift the perspective and become more globally aware. However, despite our differences, we have some uniquely American traits. This course will introduce you to the culture and customs of America in a fun and interactive way! You will learn about:
– Different regions of America: food, accents, weather
– American politics: the major political parties, voting rights, and issues
– American school system: elementary, middle, high school, university, graduate school; public vs. private
– American slang aka American English
– Dating in America/Dating an American
– Restaurants, bars, and tipping culture
– History of immigration to America
– Music, movies, and TV shows that shaped American culture
– Sports!: What is American Football?
– American law: suing, local/state/federal law
– Getting sick in America: healthcare, opioid epidemic
In this course you will learn a little bit of everything about American Culture and Society – including customs, sayings, traditions, holidays, music, history, politics and law. There will be opportunities to share your experience with and surprises of American Culture as well as to ask questions. You will read, watch, and listen to an assortment of views about what it means to be American and how this notion has evolved and continues to change.
ONLINE FORMAT
This class will consist of readings and assignments posted on Google Classroom and TWO scheduled zoom sessions (zoom is a video conference app.) You will only have two zoom meetings the first weekend of class, and then work independently on your assignments for the remaining 4 weeks. Please make sure you register for the course with a valid email address, since this is where you will receive an invitation notification to join Google Classroom. Both zoom and Google Classroom are free platforms and easy to use. You will be invited to join Google Classroom a week before class starts. Make sure you check your spam/junk folder, as invitations to join Google Classroom sometimes end up there. Your email must be Google compatible, so it’s best if you use gmail, hotmail or yahoo. If you don’t receive a notification before class starts, it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to contact us.
ASSIGNMENTS & COMPLETION CERTIFICATE
All assignments must be successfully completed in order to receive your course completion certificate. Course completion certificates will be emailed to you, to the email address you registered for the class with. If you have a deadline and need your certificate earlier, please indicate it during the registration process and upload proof (there is a question that asked about early certificate.) You may receive your certificate as early as ONE week after class has started, as long as you complete all assignments successfully and it is confirmed by your instructor.
ATTENDANCE
Attendance during the scheduled zoom sessions IS MANDATORY and we will be taking attendance! If you do not attend these, you will NOT receive a course completion certificate. Meetings are not recorded and there are no make-up sessions. It is not possible to sign up for a new class if you miss the zoom meetings – your will have to pay for a new class! Other than the zoom sessions, the class is self-paced and you will be free to work on your assignments whenever you can. You will have 4 weeks to complete all assignments and course requirements.
ZOOM SESSIONS
Please note that all zoom sessions are scheduled in Eastern Time (New York City). Please check which time zone you are in, and make sure you attend the zoom sessions on time!