American Studies, BA - 2016/17

American Studies is a fascinating subject because the United States is one of the most diverse places in the world, with a rich history, a vibrant political culture, world-changing literature, film and arts, and, of course, global influence. Our programme allows students to study all of these aspects of American history and culture, and to explain the growth of the United States from thirteen small colonies to a superpower with President Barack Obama at its helm. American Studies is by its nature interdisciplinary, that is, we study history, politics, literature, film, and art all together in order to gain the fullest understanding of the United States. This range of subject material enables students to gain not only a good degree, but a wide variety of skills, knowledge and experiences which are essential for employment after graduation. American Studies has a very friendly environment in which all of the staff are concerned, above all, with making the subject both enjoyable to study and useful for the future. As such, staff have developed a range of assessment approaches based around coursework, and there are no exams in American Studies. The American Studies programme at Canterbury Christ Church University enjoys a very high reputation for quality. Our students, too, also rate the programme very highly, as the annual National Student Survey confirms. American Studies students have several opportunities to study in the USA or Canada, thus greatly adding to their self-confidence, CV, and employability. Students can spend anything from a few weeks to a year abroad, with options including a short annual field trip to a major US city such as New York, San Francisco or Chicago; a summer school; or a semester or full year studying at a university in North America in Year 3. Find out more about study in North America here.