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MA, PhD

American Studies

Members of the Centre for American Studies provide supervision in many aspects of American Studies. Supervision is team-based and reflects the active research interests of the Centre.

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Key information

Start
MA: September
PhD: September, January, April
Location
Canterbury
Study mode
MA 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time; PhD 3 to 4 years full-time, 5 to 6 years part-time
Typical offer
2.2 or above
All entry requirements

Overview

We treat the American experience in a critical and reflective manner, and offer an extremely good base for postgraduate study. While able to supervise a wide range of American topics, the Centre currently operates three specialist research clusters of particular interest to candidates; the American West; US Environmental Issues; Race, Ethnicity and Borders. 

About the Centre for American Studies

American Studies at Kent dates back to 1973 and, over the last few decades, has developed a strong research culture; this matches the commitment of the University to interdisciplinary study as well as the mandate of American Studies to explore the American experience in ground-breaking ways. 

Our team of scholars maintains close links with a number of North and South American research institutions and archives, and the University’s Templeman Library houses impressive collections on slavery, Native American culture, and photography/visual materials.

We treat the American experience in a critical and reflective manner, and offer an extremely good base for postgraduate study. While able to supervise a wide range of American topics, the Centre currently operates three specialist research clusters of particular interest to candidates:

  • The American West
  • The Study of US Environmental Issues
  • The Study of Race, Ethnicity and Borders.

The course

How you'll study

Postgraduate taught modules are designed to give you advanced study skills, a deeper knowledge of the subject, and the confidence to achieve your ambitions.

Entry requirements

2.2 or above

MA

A first or second class honours degree in a relevant subject (or equivalent).

PhD

A first or upper-second class honours degree in a relevant subject (or equivalent) and, normally, a taught MA qualification.

All applicants are considered on an individual basis and additional qualifications, professional qualifications and relevant experience may also be taken into account when considering applications.

Fees and funding

The 2026/27 annual tuition fees for this course are:

For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.

Tuition fees may be increased in the second and subsequent years of your course. Detailed information on possible future increases in tuition fees is contained in the Tuition Fees Increase Policy.

The 2026/27 annual tuition fees for UK postgraduate research courses have not yet been set by the Research Councils UK. This is ordinarily announced in March. As a guide only, the full-time tuition fee for new and returning UK postgraduate research courses for 2025/26 is £5,006.

Your fee status

The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.

Funding

You'll need regular access to a desktop computer/laptop with an internet connection to use the University of Kent’s online resources and systems. We've listed some guidelines for the technology and software you'll need for your studies.

General additional costs

Find out more about student accommodation and living costs, as well as general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent.

Search our scholarships finder for possible funding opportunities. You may find it helpful to look at both:

International scholarships

Unlock your potential with scholarships up to £5,000

Research

Kent is a leading research university, meaning that you will be informed about new discussions and developments by the people making them. This means your work will have real potential to make a difference.

Staff research interests

Kent’s world-class academics provide research students with excellent supervision. The academic staff in this school and their research interests are shown below. You are strongly encouraged to contact the school to discuss your proposed research and potential supervision prior to making an application. Please note, it is possible for students to be supervised by a member of academic staff from any of Kent’s schools, providing their expertise matches your research interests. Use our ‘find a supervisor’ search to search by staff member or keyword.

Full details of staff research interests can be found on the school websites:

Literature

History

Politics and International Relations

Film

Latin American Studies

Your future

Recent postgraduates now work in media, publishing and a variety of businesses in the UK, Europe and the USA. Teaching is also a popular option, as are marketing and public relations.

Postgraduates earn

£6,000
more per year than graduates (Graduate Labour Market Statistics, 2021).

A degree can boost average lifetime earnings by over

£300,000
Graduate employment outcomes - Universities UK

Ready to apply?

Learn more about the application process or begin your application by clicking on a link below.

You will be able to choose your preferred year of entry once you have started your application. You can also save and return to your application at any time.

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