American Studies The University of Manchester

Overview

In the American Studies offered at The University of Manchester,  students are trained to be attentive to the counter-currents of US history and literature, and our course places a particular emphasis on the themes of race, capitalism, sexuality, the cultures of labour, and political protest.

You will master the approaches and tools found in several academic disciplines, including cultural theory, history, visual studies, literature and politics. You will also learn how to analyse and discuss a wide variety of materials.

Key Facts

Years 1 and 2 will give you a wide knowledge of US politics and history, and American literature and film, and will familiarise you with concepts such as:

• mass incarceration;
• inequality;
• racial stratification;
• poverty;
• the logics of policing;
• the changing nature of work and leisure;
• radical organising;
• military power;
• cultural imperialism;
• climate change;
• urban politics;
• conspiracy theories;
• gender and sexuality;
• literature and film analysis.

You will also have the option to study abroad for a period in Year 2.

In Year 3, you will be able to choose from one of the richest selections of American Studies units in the country while completing a substantial piece of independent research.

Career opportunities

A degree in American Studies from the University of Manchester provides you with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to embark on a successful, and rewarding career in the global workplace of the twenty-first century.

Over the past decade and far beyond our graduates have entered any number of fields, including the professions of teaching, law, accountancy, journalism, publishing, and even surveying. Many now occupy commanding roles in the 'creative industries', both in the UK and elsewhere.