About this program
American Studies (United States) BA
Our multidisciplinary course enables you to assess American contributions to our understanding of political, historical, social and cultural perspectives of the world. You combine studies of the US with a number of options in film studies offered by our Department of Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies, Department of History, and School of Philosophy and Art History.
Crucially, you also spend either a term or a full academic year studying in the United States, so you can explore and become immersed in American culture.
Admission requirements
Clearing entry requirements
Specific entry requirements for this course in Clearing are not published here but for most of our degree courses you will need to hold a Level 3 qualification. If you are interested in applying and have already received your results, use our Clearing application form to apply for 2022 entry and find out if you are eligible. You will be asked to provide details of your qualifications and grades.
English language requirements
English language requirements for applicants whose first language is not English: IELTS 6.0 overall. Different requirements apply for second year entry, and specified component grades are also required for applicants who require a Tier 4 visa to study in the UK.
For more information about admission requirements, please visit the university website.
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Program content
Year 1
- Modern Revolutions in Science, Politics, and Culture
- Introduction to United States Literature
- Approaches to Film and Media
- Introduction to United States Sociology
- Skills for University Studies
Year 2
- Crisis of the American Idea
Scholarships & funding
Several scholarship options are available, please visit the university website for more information.
Program delivery
American Studies (United States) BA: 3 years
American Studies (United States) BA (Including Year Abroad): 4 years
American Studies (United States) BA (Including Placement Year): 4 years
- Taught through lectures plus classes of about twenty students
- You take a one-hour lecture and a one-hour class for each of your modules every week
- Spend either a term or a full year experiencing the American education system
- Hands-on experience of camerawork and film production
- Explore film theory through use of film and literature
Tuition
- Home/UK fee: £9,250
- International fee: £17,700
Qualification
The degree is built to be extremely flexible and student-led, and as you progress through the course you can choose from an enormous range of options from across the humanities and social sciences including:
- Contemporary social issues, such as the struggles for racial justice
- The legacies of slavery and the civil rights movement
- Environmental protection of the ‘wilderness’ of the Far West
- Native American histories and rights
Career paths
As a graduate in American Studies, you’ll have gained a wide-ranging knowledge of many aspects of American life. You’ll acquire essential critical abilities as well as excellent communication skills.
This is excellent preparation for careers in media, education, politics, the Civil Service, international organisations such as UN and NATO or non-governmental organisations, and many other fields. Our recent graduates have gone on to work in various desirable roles including:
- Account executive for Bluesky PR
- Business provision manager for BT
- Events co-ordinator for Age UK
About this institute
University of Essex
We are Essex: home to the ambitious and the inquisitive. We are proud to be top 39 in the Complete University Guide (2022), a past University of the Year (THE) and internationally recognised for Social Sciences. We're committed to two...
