YourPace American Studies

Discover our 100% online American Studies Degree

Looking for a graduate program that combines affordability, flexibility, and real-world relevance? At the University of Maine at Presque Isle (UMPI), we understand the challenges faced by working professionals, parents, and adult learners seeking to advance their careers without putting life on hold. That’s why we designed the Master of Arts in American Studies program as part of our innovative YourPace learning model. This fully online, competency-based program offers you the freedom to learn at your own pace, allowing you to leverage your existing knowledge and skills to complete your degree faster. With no set class times, no weekly deadlines, and tuition that’s budget-friendly, UMPI empowers you to achieve your academic goals on your terms. Whether you aim to pursue a career in education, public policy, media, museums, historical preservation, or other fields that require expertise in American culture and society, you will acquire the skills needed to critically analyze issues of region, identity, community, and cultural beliefs and practices through an interdisciplinary lens. Take control of your future and join a community of learners dedicated to achieving their full potential.

You could earn your Master’s degree in as soon as 1 year for $14,700 or less and there’s no fee to apply!

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What Is Competency-Based Education?

Designed to leverage your previous knowledge, college coursework, and work experience, competency-based education enables you to earn your degree at your pace as you demonstrate mastery of relevant academic content.

How our YourPace online programs save you time and money:

Prove your knowledge, move ahead—the faster you advance, the more you save
Flat tuition rate per 8-week session, no matter how many courses you complete
With no weekly deadlines, you control the speed of completion*

*Time to completion varies by student and is based on several factors including prior college coursework, relevant work experience, amount of time dedicated to studying, and the number of courses completed each session.

Upcoming Session Dates

The Dates YourPace Students need to know

There are six opportunities throughout the year to begin our YourPace online program. Find the start date below that works best for you and apply before the application deadline. Please note, application and document deadlines are the same. UMPI must receive all documents including official transcripts by the document deadline to be considered. Transcripts can often take 10 or more business days from the request date to be received by UMPI, please plan accordingly.

Term	START DATE	APP DEADLINE (4:00 PM ET)	DOCUMENT DEADLINE	CONFIRMATION DEADLINE (4:00 PM ET)	REGISTRATION DEADLINE	TUITION DEADLINE	CLASS END DATE	Term Length
Fall 2	10/27/25	09/26/25	10/07/25	10/14/25	10/21/25	10/23/25	12/19/25	8 weeks
Spring 1	01/27/26	12/15/25	12/23/25	12/30/25	01/06/26	01/08/26	03/06/26	8 weeks
Spring 2	03/09/26	02/09/26	02/17/26	02/24/26	03/03/26	03/05/26	05/01/26	8 weeks
Summer 1	05/11/26	04/13/26	04/21/26	04/28/26	05/05/26	05/07/26	07/03/26	8 weeks
Summer 2	07/26/26	06/08/26	06/16/26	06/23/26	06/30/26	07/02/26	08/28/26	8 weeks
Fall 1	08/31/26	08/03/26	08/11/26	08/18/26	08/25/26	08/27/26	10/23/26	8 weeks
Fall 2	10/26/26	09/28/26	10/06/26	10/13/26	10/20/26	10/22/26	12/18/26	8 weeks

YourPace American Studies Program Offerings

UMPI’s Master of Arts in American Studies program equips professionals with the ability to identify and describe how differences (ethnic, racial, class, gender, and regional, among others) have interacted to inform cultures that continue to shape our lives in the 21^st century, and to understand and address contemporary issues and problems. Open doors in numerous fields ranging from Education to Media to Historic Preservation and beyond.

Looking for a graduate degree program that’s both affordable and designed to meet the needs of working professionals like you? Then read on to learn more about UMPI’s Master of Arts in American Studies degree. Like all of our YourPace degree programs, our Master of Arts in American Studies is built around competency-based learning, so you work at your own pace to master competencies and advance through coursework–the faster you prove your knowledge, the faster you move ahead and the more you save. All coursework is online and asynchronous and there are six start dates per year.

As a graduate of the program, you will:

Investigate significant social and political problems in the American experience through an interdisciplinary approach using relevant primary and secondary sources, media, and methodologies.
Examine the ways in which differences of class, ethnicity, religion, gender, race and region are embedded in perspectives, practices, and histories of American culture, politics, practices, and society.
Examine the history of attitudes, practices, and definitions concerning “America” and “Americans,” and evaluate how these continue to create barriers for some and opportunities for others.
Analyze perspectives on violence and death and their impact on “America,” “Americans,” and American culture.
Articulate the relationship between material culture and American cultural identity while analyzing artifacts to draw conclusions about social values and historical contexts.
Explore and document personal experiences and narratives, analyzing how these stories reflect and influence American culture and collective memory.
Critically evaluate social, cultural, and institutional factors shaping identity and inequality in American society, with a focus on intersections of gender, sexuality, race, and class.
Examine the impact of media and technology on cultural norms, political movements, and social change, and evaluate their role in shaping modern American life.

Career Preparation

UMPI regularly meets with employers in each sector to learn what skills they are looking for in current and new hires to ensure what you learn is relevant to workforce needs.

YourPace Tuition

Learn more about our affordable tuition

The YourPace AMS Program offers an affordable flat tuition rate, ensuring you pay the same amount per session regardless of how many courses you complete. With no hidden fees or additional textbook costs, this flexible competency-based education program allows you to save more the faster you finish. Whether you’re looking to accelerate your degree or complete courses at your own pace, you’ll benefit from transparent pricing and a cost-effective learning experience through the University of Maine at Presque Isle.

Financial aid is available in the form of loans on the FAFSA website. UMPI school code 002033

Tuition breakdown:

$2,450 per session

Flat-Rate Tuition

More Information

YourPace is a personalized learning model developed by faculty who understand the challenges busy adults face when balancing work, family, and school. Delivered on a digital platform, our competency-based online courses are designed to leverage your previous knowledge and experience as you complete course modules aligned with a list of competencies. You advance to the next course module by demonstrating your mastery of the content—giving you the ability to earn your degree on your time, at your pace.

Six credits of appropriate graduate-level coursework may be transferred from an accredited institution, if the grades earned in such course work are “B” or better, and an official transcript is received.

Have questions or need more information about competency-based education?

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Ready to take the next step toward earning your degree online from UMPI?

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UMPI is ranked as one of the top 10 Regional Colleges in the North for graduates with least debt—UMPI is the top institution in Maine and all of New England to appear on this list. – U.S. News & World Report, 2024.

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YourPace Admissions

Requirements for these American Studies program offerings

We’ve made the admission process simple and streamlined so it’s easier for you to get started. Those interested in earning their competency-based education degree in American Studies should have the equivalent of a high school diploma and possess some prior college credit and/or work experience.

Admission Requirements:

No Application Fee

Minimum 3.00 GPA

We’ve streamlined the admission process so it’s easy for you to get started. Here is the information you need to apply:

Admission Requirements (Graduate)

The University requirement for admission to any master’s degree program is the demonstration of the completion of a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution or from a recognized foreign institution. Matriculation into the program will be granted upon receipt of their officially conferred degree. Once matriculated, students will be eligible to enroll in classes.
Applicants must submit an official transcript from the college or university from which their bachelor’s degree or equivalency was granted, excluding the University of Maine System (UMS) campuses. (UMS transcripts are accessible to UMPI.)
Official transcripts from any institution from which you have earned graduate credit are required for credit transfer evaluation. A maximum of six credits can be applied to graduate programs. Graduate-level credit may be evaluated provided the credits were earned from a regionally accredited U.S. university or a comparable international university.
Official transcripts must be sent by the institution directly to edocs@maine.edu or an institution-approved transcript service (Parchment and the National Student Clearing House).
Applicants whose GPAs are less than 3.0 are required to submit a personal statement. The personal statement (not to exceed 500 words) should reflect the applicant’s ability to write at the graduate level, with attention to appropriate grammar, spelling, form, and structure in preparing the statement. Applicants are asked to respond to the following:
- Explain how you will ensure your academic success in this graduate program and overcome challenges you may have experienced with your undergraduate program of studies.

International students are eligible to apply and enroll; however, an I-20 will NOT be provided as this is a fully online degree program. In addition to the standard admissions requirements, international students must also meet the additional requirements specific to international applicants.

Specific Requirements for International Students

Students from around the world are eligible and welcome to apply. Please note that additional requirements related to English Proficiency and international transcripts may be applicable. For full International Students YourPace Admissions requirments, please use the botton below.

International Requirements

YourPace American Studies Courses

The University of Maine at Presque Isle’s YourPace American Studies (AMS) Program offers an interdisciplinary exploration of the history, culture, and society of the United States. The program is designed to cultivate critical thinking, research, and analytical skills that prepare students to engage thoughtfully with the complexities of American life. Select the tab below to explore the degree option that best supports your academic and professional goals and begin building a foundation for future scholarly and career success.

Master of Arts in American Studies

UMPI’s YourPace Master of Arts in American Studies program offers a flexible, fully online pathway for professionals to enhance their skills, knowledge, and understanding and advance their careers. This program focuses on examining the notions of “America” and “Americans” connected to a range of social and political issues and problems which have characterized the broad sweep of the American experience, preparing students for roles in education, public policy, media, museums, or historic preservation.
With the YourPace model, students can complete the Master of Arts in American Studies program at their own speed, leveraging prior experience and professional expertise to accelerate their learning. Gain the tools, knowledge, and confidence to understand and address the complex cultural issues and problems of the 21^st century within your chosen career field with UMPI’s innovative online Master of Arts in American Studies program.

Program Learning Outcomes

YP MA AMS PLO1) Investigate significant social and political problems in the American experience through an interdisciplinary approach using relevant primary and secondary sources, media, and methodologies.

YP MA AMS PLO2) Examine the ways in which differences of class, ethnicity, religion, gender, race and region are embedded in perspectives, practices, and histories of American culture, politics, practices, and society.

YP MA AMS PLO3) Examine the history of attitudes, practices, and definitions concerning “America” and “Americans,” and evaluate how these continue to create barriers for some and opportunities for others.

YP MA AMS PLO4) Analyze perspectives on violence and death and their impact on “America,” “Americans,” and American culture.

YP MA AMS PLO5) Articulate the relationship between material culture and American cultural identity while analyzing artifacts to draw conclusions about social values and historical contexts.

YP MA AMS PLO6) Explore and document personal experiences and narratives, analyzing how these stories reflect and influence American culture and collective memory.

YP MA AMS PLO7) Critically evaluate social, cultural, and institutional factors shaping identity and inequality in American society, with a focus on intersections of gender, sexuality, race, and class.

YP MA AMS PLO8) Examine the impact of media and technology on cultural norms, political movements, and social change, and evaluate their role in shaping modern American life.

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NECHE

The University of Maine at Presque Isle is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).

University of Maine System

UMPI is a respected member of the University of Maine System.

C-BEN

UMPI is proud to be a member institution in the Competency-Based Education Network (C-BEN).

Next Step: Admissions

We’re so excited that you’re considering the University of Maine at Presque Isle! As a student at UMPI, we want your experience to be anything but ordinary! So what makes UMPI extraordinary? Our Learning Environment, Our Student Engagement and Our Location!

No matter what stage of life you are in, we can help you take the plunge into higher education and put you on YOUR PATH TO SUCCESS!

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YourPace American Studies