The American Studies Program at Saint Francis University is an interdisciplinary program that examines the special character of the American people as expressed in their diverse origins and shared experience, their ideals and aspirations, and the dynamic tension between tradition and innovation. The program includes required and elective courses representing a wide spectrum of academic disciplines that address such critical topics as American philosophical thought and religious institutions, the social and economic structures of our nation, artistic and literary expression, and the American political system and legal tradition.