MA vs MS? (American Studies/Lit)

[wintergirl]

I realize this may be a dumb question to ask here, but I'd rather ask it on this forum than ask the director of the program I just got accepted to and reveal my total ignorance...

It's an American Studies program within the English dept at a state university. I knew that the program offered both an MA and MS in AmStud, but since my focus is going to be in literature, I assumed that I'd be working towards an MA. (I have already been awarded a fellowship that is related to the specific field in American lit that I want to study.) Therefore I was puzzled when I received my official acceptance letter from the GS today with a notation that I would be working towards an MS.

Have you ever heard of an MS for a humanities degree -- much less literature? I tried to research it online and came up blank, other than reiterations of what I'd always thought: MA for humanities; MS for sciences & social sciences. I read something else that said the distinction of MS vs. MA is dependent on where you go to school, not the contents of the degree itself. (Again, my program offers BOTH.) Then a friend of mine told me that in her undergrad at UVA, a BS was given as a mark of distinction -- meaning a thesis was written, or something extra had been done. At my undergrad, it was as I said: BA for humanities and the arts; BS for science, math, social sciences.

Can anyone shed any light on this? Have you ever heard of an MS for American Studies/Literature? While I will still attend the program, due to my fellowship/funding and specialization they offer in my area of interest, I am nervous that an MS will not look as legit to future PhD programs as the traditional MA.

Thanks for any info! : )