American Studies

American studies is the interdisciplinary examination of the United States as a cultural, political, historical, and social phenomenon. It takes seriously the idea that the United States cannot be understood through any single disciplinary lens, and it brings together literary criticism, history, political science, film studies, sociology, and cultural theory to ask how the US has come to be what it is, what it means to its own people, and how it has shaped and been shaped by the world beyond its borders. It is a degree that takes one of the most powerful and contested societies in human history as its object, and approaches it with the rigour and critical distance that a serious academic discipline demands.

At the University of Manchester, this three-year full-time programme benefits from strong research expertise in American literature, history, politics, and culture, as well as from Manchester's broader humanities traditions. You will study American literature from the colonial period to the contemporary, American political history, the history of race and inequality, the culture of American cities, film and media, and the place of the United States in global history and politics. The degree develops close reading, historical analysis, and cultural interpretation alongside the broader analytical and writing skills that the humanities cultivate.

The critical perspective that American studies provides is particularly valuable precisely because of the ubiquity of American cultural influence: understanding the United States analytically rather than only experientially is a sophisticated intellectual achievement that equips graduates to think clearly about culture, power, and history in ways that are broadly applicable.

Graduates in American studies work in journalism, broadcasting, publishing, education, politics and policy, the civil service, law, and the cultural industries. The degree's transatlantic focus also opens opportunities in organisations with significant US connections. Postgraduate study in American studies, history, literature, international relations, or journalism is a common continuation for those who want to develop their specialism or pursue academic careers.