Main content start
Courses on the American West
Each year, Stanford University offers dozens of courses related to the study of the North American West across a wide range of departments and programs. In addition to offering classes like our interdisciplinary spring quarter course The American West, and a number of courses on local government, The Bill Lane Center for the American West curates a listing of courses related to the American West.
Title
Instructor
Quarter
Day, Time, Location
AMSTUD 68N
Preference to freshmen. Mark Twain defined the rhythms of our prose and the contours of our moral map. He recognized our extravagant promise and stunning failures, our comic foibles and tragic flaws. He is viewed as the most American of American...
Fishkin, S. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Autumn
Monday Wednesday
4:30 PM
5:50 PM
AMSTUD 124A
The American West is characterized by frontier mythology, vast distances, marked aridity, and unique political and economic characteristics. This course integrates several disciplinary perspectives into a comprehensive examination of Western North...
Kennedy, D. (PI)
Fishkin, S. (PI)
Brady, D. (PI)
Nemerov, A. (PI)
Freyberg, D. (PI)
Fishkin, S. (PI)
Brady, D. (PI)
Nemerov, A. (PI)
Freyberg, D. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Spring
Tuesday Thursday
10:30 AM
11:50 AM
AMSTUD 150X
This class will examine the history of San Francisco from Native American and colonial settlement through the present. Focus is on social, environmental, and political history, with the theme of power in the city. Topics include Native Americans, the...
Kahan, M. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Spring
Tuesday Thursday
10:30 AM
11:50 AM
ARCHLGY 125
This hands-on course introduces students to archaeological field methods through active participation in the excavation of the multi-layered Frenchman's Lake site on the Stanford campus. Students will gain practical experience while investigating a...
Reinhart, K. (PI)
Previto, M. (TA)
Williamson, M. (TA)
Previto, M. (TA)
Williamson, M. (TA)
2025 - 2026
Autumn
Friday
1:00 PM
5:00 PM
ARCHLGY 125
This hands-on course introduces students to archaeological field methods through active participation in the excavation of the multi-layered Frenchman's Lake site on the Stanford campus. Students will gain practical experience while investigating a...
Reinhart, K. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Autumn
ARCHLGY 125
This hands-on course introduces students to archaeological field methods through active participation in the excavation of the multi-layered Frenchman's Lake site on the Stanford campus. Students will gain practical experience while investigating a...
Reinhart, K. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Winter
Tuesday Thursday
3:00 PM
4:20 PM
ARCHLGY 125
This hands-on course introduces students to archaeological field methods through active participation in the excavation of the multi-layered Frenchman's Lake site on the Stanford campus. Students will gain practical experience while investigating a...
Reinhart, K. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Winter
ARTHIST 152
The American West is characterized by frontier mythology, vast distances, marked aridity, and unique political and economic characteristics. This course integrates several disciplinary perspectives into a comprehensive examination of Western North...
Kennedy, D. (PI)
Fishkin, S. (PI)
Brady, D. (PI)
Nemerov, A. (PI)
Freyberg, D. (PI)
Fishkin, S. (PI)
Brady, D. (PI)
Nemerov, A. (PI)
Freyberg, D. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Spring
Tuesday Thursday
10:30 AM
11:50 AM
CEE 141A
This course offers an overview of the development phase of large private and public infrastructure projects. Students will gain an understanding of the critical steps involved in bringing a project from early concept to a delivery phase including...
Khoshkbari, P. (PI)
Espriu, C. (TA)
Espriu, C. (TA)
2025 - 2026
Autumn
Monday
4:30 PM
6:20 PM
CEE 173
This course explores both quantitatively and qualitatively - technical, economic, institutional, social, policy, and legal aspects of urban water. The course will include lectures and discussions covering the following themes (1) history of urban...
2025 - 2026
Spring
CEE 175A
This interdisciplinary course integrates the legal, scientific, and policy dimensions of how we characterize and manage resource use and allocation along the California coast. We will use this geographic setting as the vehicle for exploring more...
Boehm, A. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Spring
Monday Wednesday
11:30 AM
12:50 PM
CEE 246B
Introduction to the Real Estate Development Process from conception, feasibility analysis, due diligence, entitlements, planning, financing, market analysis, contract negotiation, construction, marketing, asset management and disposition. Pro-forma...
2025 - 2026
Spring
Monday Wednesday
6:00 PM
7:20 PM
CEE 248
This course will offer students an introduction to Real Estate Development. Senior Principals from Sares Regis, a regional commercial and residential real estate development company, and from Google will cover topics on all aspects of the development...
2025 - 2026
Spring
Thursday
4:30 PM
6:20 PM
CEE 263G
This seminar provides an in-depth analysis of the role of California state agencies and Western energy organizations in driving energy policy development, technology innovation, and market structures, in California, the West and internationally. The...
Cain, B. (PI)
Marcus, F. (PI)
Marcus, F. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Spring
Wednesday
1:30 PM
2:50 PM
CEE 265F
Adaptation to climate change will not only require new infrastructure and policies, but it will also challenge our local, state and national governments to collaborate across jurisdictional lines in ways that include many different types of private...
Fong, D. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Winter
Monday Wednesday
10:30 AM
11:50 AM
CSRE 156
After decades of decline, U.S. cities today are undergoing major transformations. Young professionals are flocking to cities instead of fleeing to the suburbs. Massive increases in immigration have transformed the racial and ethnic diversity of...
2025 - 2026
Spring
EARTHSYS 46N
Preference to freshmen. Field trips to sites in the Elkhorn Slough, a small agriculturally impacted estuary that opens into Monterey Bay, a model ecosystem for understanding the complexity of estuaries, and one of California's last remaining coastal...
Francis, C. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Spring
Tuesday Thursday
10:30 AM
11:50 AM
EARTHSYS 131
Interactive, seminar-style sessions expose students to diverse career pathways in sustainability. Professionals from a variety of careers discuss their work, their career development and decision-points in their career pathways, as well as life style...
Saltzman, J. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Winter
Wednesday
1:30 PM
2:20 PM
EARTHSYS 131
Interactive, seminar-style sessions expose students to diverse career pathways in sustainability. Professionals from a variety of careers discuss their work, their career development and decision-points in their career pathways, as well as life style...
Bangert, F. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Spring
Friday
10:30 AM
11:50 AM
EARTHSYS 160
This course provides an overview of urban sustainability through the lens of urban planning, covering topics such as the origins of urban sustainability, tools for sustainability planning, global dimensions of sustainability (including different...
Kos, R. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Spring
Monday
9:30 AM
11:20 AM
EARTHSYS 168
Through case studies with a focus on the San Francisco Bay Area, guest speakers, selective readings and interactive assignments, this survey course seeks to demystify the concept of land use for the non-city planner. This introductory course will...
Rich, D. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Spring
Tuesday Thursday
10:30 AM
11:50 AM
EDUC 340
Western medicine's definition of health as the absence of sickness, disease, or pathology; Native American cultures' definition of health as the beauty of physical, spiritual, emotional, and social things, and sickness as something out of balance...
LaFromboise, T. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Spring
Wednesday
1:30 PM
4:20 PM
ENGLISH 68N
Preference to freshmen. Mark Twain defined the rhythms of our prose and the contours of our moral map. He recognized our extravagant promise and stunning failures, our comic foibles and tragic flaws. He is viewed as the most American of American...
Fishkin, S. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Autumn
Monday Wednesday
4:30 PM
5:50 PM
ENGLISH 93Q
From Whitman to Kerouac, Alec Soth to Georgia O'Keeffe, the lure of travel has inspired many American artists to pack up their bags and hit the open road. In this course we will be exploring the art and literature of the great American road trip. We...
Carlson-Wee, K. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Spring
Monday Wednesday
3:00 PM
4:20 PM
ENGLISH 124
The American West is characterized by frontier mythology, vast distances, marked aridity, and unique political and economic characteristics. This course integrates several disciplinary perspectives into a comprehensive examination of Western North...
Kennedy, D. (PI)
Fishkin, S. (PI)
Brady, D. (PI)
Nemerov, A. (PI)
Freyberg, D. (PI)
Fishkin, S. (PI)
Brady, D. (PI)
Nemerov, A. (PI)
Freyberg, D. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Spring
Tuesday Thursday
10:30 AM
11:50 AM
GEOPHYS 90
Is the "Big One" overdue in California? What kind of damage would that cause? What can we do to reduce the impact of such hazards in urban environments? Does "fracking" cause earthquakes and are we at risk? Is the United States vulnerable to a giant...
Beroza, G. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Spring
Monday Wednesday
3:00 PM
4:20 PM
HISTORY 151
The American West is characterized by frontier mythology, vast distances, marked aridity, and unique political and economic characteristics. This course integrates several disciplinary perspectives into a comprehensive examination of Western North...
2025 - 2026
Spring
HISTORY 151
The American West is characterized by frontier mythology, vast distances, marked aridity, and unique political and economic characteristics. This course integrates several disciplinary perspectives into a comprehensive examination of Western North...
Kennedy, D. (PI)
Fishkin, S. (PI)
Brady, D. (PI)
Nemerov, A. (PI)
Freyberg, D. (PI)
Fishkin, S. (PI)
Brady, D. (PI)
Nemerov, A. (PI)
Freyberg, D. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Spring
Tuesday Thursday
10:30 AM
11:50 AM
LAW 7051
This course will examine the source, scope and limits of local government power. It will consider the relationship of local governments to state and federal government and of the relationship of local governments to the individuals and communities...
Ford, R. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Autumn
Monday Wednesday
11:10 AM
12:40 PM
LAW 7051
This course will examine the source, scope and limits of local government power. It will consider the relationship of local governments to state and federal government and of the relationship of local governments to the individuals and communities...
Ford, R. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Autumn
Monday Wednesday
11:10 AM
12:40 PM
NATIVEAM 115
This course incorporates a Native American perspective in the assigned readings and is an introduction to Native American History from contact with Europeans to the present. History, from a Western perspective, is secular and objectively evaluative...
Red Shirt, D. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Winter
Tuesday Thursday
10:30 AM
11:50 AM
NATIVEAM 240
Western medicine's definition of health as the absence of sickness, disease, or pathology; Native American cultures' definition of health as the beauty of physical, spiritual, emotional, and social things, and sickness as something out of balance...
LaFromboise, T. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Spring
Wednesday
1:30 PM
4:20 PM
POLECON 680
This course provides an introduction to political economy with an emphasis on formal models of collective choice, public institutions, and political competition. Topics considered include voting theory, social choice, institutional equilibria, agenda...
Callander, S. (PI)
Long, M. (GP)
Long, M. (GP)
2025 - 2026
Autumn
Monday Thursday
3:30 PM
4:50 PM
POLISCI 74B
How do I translate my interests, skills and values into a career in public service and social impact? This course will introduce you to a wide range of roles that help shape public policy and civic life, including government (Legislative, Federal...
Weisler, T. (PI)
Sims, J. (PI)
Sims, J. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Autumn
Tuesday
4:30 PM
5:50 PM
POLISCI 74B
How do I translate my interests, skills and values into a career in public service and social impact? This course will introduce you to a wide range of roles that help shape public policy and civic life, including government (Legislative, Federal...
Weisler, T. (PI)
Sims, J. (PI)
Sims, J. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Autumn
Tuesday
4:30 PM
5:50 PM
POLISCI 124A
The American West is characterized by frontier mythology, vast distances, marked aridity, and unique political and economic characteristics. This course integrates several disciplinary perspectives into a comprehensive examination of Western North...
Kennedy, D. (PI)
Fishkin, S. (PI)
Brady, D. (PI)
Nemerov, A. (PI)
Freyberg, D. (PI)
Fishkin, S. (PI)
Brady, D. (PI)
Nemerov, A. (PI)
Freyberg, D. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Spring
Tuesday Thursday
10:30 AM
11:50 AM
PUBLPOL 73
This seminar provides an in-depth analysis of the role of California state agencies and Western energy organizations in driving energy policy development, technology innovation, and market structures, in California, the West and internationally. The...
2020 - 2021
Spring
Wednesday
10:00 AM
11:20 AM
PUBLPOL 73
This seminar provides an in-depth analysis of the role of California state agencies and Western energy organizations in driving energy policy development, technology innovation, and market structures, in California, the West and internationally. The...
Cain, B. (PI)
Marcus, F. (PI)
Marcus, F. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Spring
Wednesday
1:30 PM
2:50 PM
PUBLPOL 101
American democracy faces a series of unprecedented challenges. This course will identify the greatest areas of weakness in the American political system, make sense of the most pressing threats facing democracy, and contemplate how democracy can be...
Bonica, A. (PI)
Brown, R. (TA)
Sturdivant, M. (TA)
Ramaswamy, A. (TA)
Lendway, P. (TA)
Jefferson, H. (PI)
Brown, R. (TA)
Sturdivant, M. (TA)
Ramaswamy, A. (TA)
Lendway, P. (TA)
Jefferson, H. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Spring
Monday Wednesday
1:30 PM
2:50 PM
PUBLPOL 108H
This course will divided into three sections that when combined provide 1) the overall narrative of the precedents and adverse impacts of the worldwide, US west coast and California housing crises and the frameworks for California to create a...
LeSar, J. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Winter
Wednesday
1:30 PM
4:20 PM
PUBLPOL 154
State politics and policy making, including the roles of the legislature, legislative leadership, governor, special interests, campaign finance, advocacy groups, ballot initiatives, state and federal laws, media, and research organizations. Case...
Nation, J. (PI)
Crane, D. (PI)
Crane, D. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Winter
Tuesday Thursday
9:30 AM
11:20 AM
PUBLPOL 163
Through case studies with a focus on the San Francisco Bay Area, guest speakers, selective readings and interactive assignments, this survey course seeks to demystify the concept of land use for the non-city planner. This introductory course will...
2025 - 2026
Spring
PUBLPOL 298
Graduate directed reading in Public Policy. By application only.
Rosston, G. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Autumn
PUBLPOL 308
Policymakers in the United States, whether elected or unelected, operate in a governmental system where politics pervades nearly every element of their daily activity. This course provides students with both the theory and real-world examples they...
Chen, L. (PI)
Cain, B. (PI)
Cain, B. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Winter
Tuesday Thursday
10:30 AM
11:50 AM
SOC 156A
After decades of decline, U.S. cities today are undergoing major transformations. Young professionals are flocking to cities instead of fleeing to the suburbs. Massive increases in immigration have transformed the racial and ethnic diversity of...
Hwang, J. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Spring
Tuesday Thursday
10:30 AM
11:50 AM
SOC 256A
After decades of decline, U.S. cities today are undergoing major transformations. Young professionals are flocking to cities instead of fleeing to the suburbs. Massive increases in immigration have transformed the racial and ethnic diversity of...
Hwang, J. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Spring
Tuesday Thursday
10:30 AM
11:50 AM
URBANST 108H
This course will divided into three sections that when combined provide 1) the overall narrative of the precedents and adverse impacts of the worldwide, US west coast and California housing crises and the frameworks for California to create a...
LeSar, J. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Winter
Wednesday
1:30 PM
4:20 PM
URBANST 110
Today, for the first time in history, a majority of people live in cities. By 2050, cities will hold two-thirds of the world's population. This transformation touches everyone, and raises critical questions. What draws people to live in cities? How...
Kahan, M. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Spring
Monday Wednesday
3:00 PM
4:20 PM
URBANST 113
Comparative studies in neighborhood conservation, inner city regeneration, and growth policies for metropolitan regions. Lect-disc and research focusing on case studies from North America and abroad, team urban design projects. Two Saturday class...
Glanz, D. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Winter
Tuesday Thursday
12:00 PM
2:50 PM
URBANST 126A
This course explores ethical questions that arise in public service work, as well as leadership theory and skills relevant to public service work. Through readings, discussions, in-class activities, assignments, and guest lectures, students will...
Lobo, K. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Spring
Monday Wednesday
4:30 PM
5:50 PM
URBANST 148
An intensive one-week hands-on introductory seminar designed to allow students to understand and interact with all aspects of the real estate investment process, including property development, local government interplay, value creation, [deal...
Thielke, C. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Spring
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
1:30 PM
3:20 PM
URBANST 156A
After decades of decline, U.S. cities today are undergoing major transformations. Young professionals are flocking to cities instead of fleeing to the suburbs. Massive increases in immigration have transformed the racial and ethnic diversity of...
Hwang, J. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Spring
Tuesday Thursday
10:30 AM
11:50 AM
URBANST 163
Through case studies with a focus on the San Francisco Bay Area, guest speakers, selective readings and interactive assignments, this survey course seeks to demystify the concept of land use for the non-city planner. This introductory course will...
Rich, D. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Spring
Tuesday Thursday
10:30 AM
11:50 AM
URBANST 164
This course provides an overview of urban sustainability through the lens of urban planning, covering topics such as the origins of urban sustainability, tools for sustainability planning, global dimensions of sustainability (including different...
Kos, R. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Spring
Monday
9:30 AM
11:20 AM
URBANST 172A
This course integrates professional planning approaches and tools with foundational and theoretical practices of recognizing and reading landscapes and working with diverse communities. Weekly modules introduce disciplines within the Urban and...
Raya, M. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Autumn
Friday
10:30 AM
11:50 AM
URBANST 194
For Urban Studies majors only. Students organize an internship in an office of a government agency, a community organization, or a private firm directly relevant to the major. Reading supplements internship. Paper summarizes internship experience and...
Kahan, M. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Autumn
URBANST 194
For Urban Studies majors only. Students organize an internship in an office of a government agency, a community organization, or a private firm directly relevant to the major. Reading supplements internship. Paper summarizes internship experience and...
Kahan, M. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Winter
URBANST 194
For Urban Studies majors only. Students organize an internship in an office of a government agency, a community organization, or a private firm directly relevant to the major. Reading supplements internship. Paper summarizes internship experience and...
Kahan, M. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Spring
URBANST 201A
Restricted to Urban Studies majors. Students work at least 80 hours with a supervisor, establish learning goals, and create products demonstrating progress. Reflection on service and integration of internship with senior research plans. Must be...
Stuart, F. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Autumn
URBANST 201A
Restricted to Urban Studies majors. Students work at least 80 hours with a supervisor, establish learning goals, and create products demonstrating progress. Reflection on service and integration of internship with senior research plans. Must be...
Kahan, M. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Autumn
URBANST 201A
Restricted to Urban Studies majors. Students work at least 80 hours with a supervisor, establish learning goals, and create products demonstrating progress. Reflection on service and integration of internship with senior research plans. Must be...
Kahan, M. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Winter
URBANST 201A
Restricted to Urban Studies majors. Students work at least 80 hours with a supervisor, establish learning goals, and create products demonstrating progress. Reflection on service and integration of internship with senior research plans. Must be...
Kahan, M. (PI)
2025 - 2026
Spring