American Studies and History

American studies and history is a combination that places the United States, the most globally influential society of the modern era, within the broader sweep of historical inquiry. American studies is inherently interdisciplinary, drawing on history, literature, politics, culture, and sociology to understand a nation that has shaped global politics, economics, popular culture, and ideas about democracy and freedom in ways that continue to resonate. History provides the methods and frameworks for understanding change over time, asking not just what happened but how we know, whose stories have been told, and what the past means for the present.

At the University of Sussex, this four-year full-time programme combines your passion for American culture and politics with deep historical understanding. You will engage with American history across its full sweep, from colonial foundations and the revolutionary period through to the Civil Rights movement, the Cold War, and the transformations of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. You will study American literature, film, politics, race, gender, and culture alongside the broader historiographical debates that shape how we think about the past.

The programme is available with a study abroad year, meaning you will have the opportunity to study at a university in the United States or elsewhere, an experience that transforms your understanding of American society from within. An integrated foundation year is available for students who need additional preparation before entering the full degree.

You will develop strong research, analytical writing, and critical thinking skills that are highly valued across many careers.

Graduates go on to careers in journalism, policy, academia, heritage, cultural organisations, law, and the civil service. Postgraduate study in American studies, history, international relations, or journalism is a well-supported route for those wishing to deepen their expertise or pursue research.