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The University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NZ, T +44 (0)1227 764000
Postgraduate Research
American Studies MA, MPhil, PhD (all by research)
American Studies dates back to 1973 at the University of Kent. Since that time, we have built up an impressive range of materials at the University’s Templeman Library and forged strong research links with American research institutions and regional archives, especially in the US West. We offer an attractive postgraduate research bursary, in the form of the The Christine and Ian Bolt Scholarship that covers one year’s stay in the United States at costs up to £10,000. As one of the few UK institutions where staff actively research both traditional topics (such as slavery) and emerging fields of dominance (such as environmental problems and Native American writing), we offer an extremely good base for postgraduate study. Our work here is cutting edge and treats the American experience in a critical and reflective manner, with a welcome wide scope that includes Canada, Mexico and Central/South America.
Staff interests broadly fit within the parameters of US literature, film, history, and politics, and Latin American studies. Our breadth of coverage is truly impressive, with staff working on visual culture, immigration literature and politics, the Cuban Revolution, military culture in Peru and Bolivia, hunting cultures in the American West, and Native American literature today. We actively welcome interdisciplinary projects that probe several areas of study. We also have three active research clusters: (1) The American West (2) The Study of US Environmental Issues (3) The Study of Race, Ethnicity and Borders.
Centre Facilities
American Studies benefits from excellent library resources, and is especially strong in US literature and history. Specialist collections include slavery and anti-slavery, a large collection of works on photography and contemporary visual communications, and a slide library with well over 100,000 classified slides. The Library also houses the British Cartoon Archive. Kent is within easy reach of London and its major library resources.
Postgraduate students have access to the resources provided by the main parent departments: the School of English and the School of History. Both departments run regular research seminars for discussing postgraduate work in progress and other topics.
You can download the American Studies Postgraduate Handbook here.
There are University Wide Training Programmes for all Postgraduates, for further information please go to following link: http://www.kent.ac.uk/graduateschool/skills
Funding Opportunities
There are a variety of funding opportunities linked with studying for a research degree in American Studies at Kent:
[1] The The Christine and Ian Bolt Scholarship at the University of Kent covers tuition fees for one year’s stay in the United States and £10,000 towards research. It is aimed at postgraduate students whose area of research has an American element and/or where the centre of expertise or an important source of research material is located in the United States of America.
[2] An American Studies postgraduate studentship, granted through your dominant School of study at Kent - currently you apply to either History or English depending on your research project. The University of Kent has established a studentship fund of more £1.5M to support research students. This fund allows the University to provide support for more than 100 students in any one year.
[3] External funding, such as the AHRC or British Academy. Travel grants are also available through the British Association for American Studies (BAAS).
[4] Part-time teaching opportunities in American Studies, History or English - where available.
[5] International student funding - see the webpage.
[6]Centre Scholarship available in American Studies - further details please click here
Entry Requirements
A first or second class honours degree in an appropriate subject (for example, American Studies, History or English degrees with US study component).
Enquiries
Admissions enquiries:
T: 01227 827272
E: recruitment@kent.ac.uk
Centre enquiries:
Claire Taylor, Centre for American Studies
Rutherford College
University of Kent
Canterbury
Kent, CT2 7NX
T: +44 (0)1227 823140 E: C.L.Taylor@kent.ac.uk
W: www.kent.ac.uk/amst/