American Studies (United States) with Film

American studies with film brings together two disciplines that illuminate each other in particularly productive ways. American studies is the interdisciplinary examination of the United States, its culture, history, politics, literature, society and identity, asking what America is and how it has understood itself across time and in relation to the rest of the world. Film is not just an art form but one of the most powerful means through which American culture has been produced and exported globally, and the history of American cinema is inextricable from the broader history of American culture, politics and social change.

At the University of Essex, this three-year full-time programme draws on the university's strengths in literature, history, film studies and American culture. You will explore the political and cultural history of the United States alongside film theory, film history and the critical analysis of moving image texts. The programme is likely to engage with questions of race, gender, class and national identity as they appear in both American cultural history and in American cinema, giving you a multi-perspective understanding of what the United States has been and continues to be.

The typical entry tariff for this programme is around 136 UCAS points.

You will study American literature, history and politics alongside the history of Hollywood and independent American cinema, genre theory, documentary, film movements and the relationship between film and other cultural forms. The programme develops close reading skills applicable to both written and visual texts, and you will learn to situate films within their historical and cultural contexts as well as analyse them aesthetically.

Graduates of American studies and film programmes work in education, media, journalism, cultural organisations, film programming, arts administration, broadcasting and digital media. Many also enter publishing, public affairs, marketing and research roles where the ability to think critically about culture and communication is valued. The analytical and writing skills developed through the degree make graduates attractive to a wide range of employers.

Postgraduate study in film studies, American studies, cultural studies or media is a natural continuation.