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Discover America – its past, its present and what its future may hold. Study its history, examine its politics and discuss the influence of American culture. If the 20th century was ‘the American century’, what will America bring to the 21st?
Overview
American Studies at Kent dates back to 1973. You are based in the Centre for American Studies and taught by internationally recognised academics, whose research interests combine to offer diverse programmes in American history, literature, politics and film.
American Studies is an interdisciplinary degree, which means that you learn by making connections between ideas and concepts across different disciplinary boundaries, such as history, politics, literature and the arts. This enriches your learning and gives you a wider perspective on your subject.
Our degree programme
In your first year, you take an introductory module and can then choose from a selection of modules on American History, literature and politics.
In your second year, you examine key themes in American culture and can then choose further modules from a wide selection available covering areas such as, environmental issues in the US, American cinema, 19th-century American literature, and the American Civil War.
In your final year, you complete an extended essay taking an interdisciplinary approach to your topic. Other modules can be chosen from a wide range in politics, (contemporary US government and US foreign policy); history, (the rise and fall of slavery, and the American revolution); literature (American crime fiction and Native American Literature) or Hispanic Studies (studying the work of Cuban writers and artists since the revolution).
A term abroad
In your final year, it is possible to spend a term studying at one of our partner institutions in the US. We have links with top universities in the US, Canada and Latin America.
Year abroad
We also offer four-year programmes where you spend a year between your second and final years at one of our partner universities in the US or Canada. For details, see American Studies (History) and American Studies (Literature). It is also possible to spend a year studying in Latin America on our American Studies (Latin America) option.
Independent rankings
American Studies at Kent was ranked 6th in The Complete University Guide 2017.
For graduate prospects, American Studies at Kent was ranked 2nd in The Complete University Guide 2017. American Studies students who graduated from Kent in 2015 were the most successful in the UK at finding work or further study opportunities (DLHE).
In the most recent research rankings, English at Kent was 10th in the UK for research intensity and 15th for research power; history at Kent was 8th in the UK for research intensity and in the top 20 for research power (REF 2014).
Course structure
The following modules are indicative of those offered on this programme. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.
On most programmes, you study a combination of compulsory and optional modules. You may also be able to take ‘wild’ modules from other programmes so you can customise your programme and explore other subjects that interest you.
Teaching and assessment
Stage 1 modules are usually taught by lectures and seminars. Stage 2/3 modules are taught either by lectures and seminars, or by seminars alone. You usually have around ten hours of contact with staff each week.
Depending on the modules you select, assessment varies from 100% coursework (extended essays or dissertation), to a combination of examination and coursework, usually in the ratio 50:50, 60:40 or 80:20.
Programme aims
Our aims are to provide students with:
- an understanding of the culture and history of the United States
- a multi- and interdisciplinary understanding of American culture and history
- a flexible, structured degree, with the opportunity to study abroad
- teaching informed by research and scholarship to inculcate specialised regional knowledge
- key skills to develop the capacity to learn and be prepared for employment or further study
- the knowledge to develop students' own interests and expertise in the humanities with the possibility of continuing their studies at postgraduate level
- the ability to develop independent critical thinking and judgement
- the skills to operate across various disciplines, to use a variety of approaches in formulating and solving problems using diverse materials and information sources.
Learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
You gain knowledge and understanding of:
- the culture of the US from colonial times to the 20th century
- methodical research and study practices
- the study of the subject in relation to other disciplines
- the terminology used in the field of American Studies
- the similarities and differences between areas, fostering cross-cultural and international perspectives
- texts and other source materials, addressing questions of genre, content, perspective and purpose
- the problems inherent in the cultural record, and the limits within which interpretation is possible.
Intellectual skills
You gain the following intellectual abilities:
- the application of the skills needed for academic study and inquiry
- to evaluate research findings
- the ability to synthesise information from a number of sources to gain a coherent understanding of critical theory and general methodology
- to discriminate between and select from relevant information sourced from a wide and large body of knowledge
- to exercise problem-solving skills
Subject-specific skills
You gain specific skills in the following:
- an enhanced ability to conduct the close critical analysis of documents of American culture, politics and society
- an informed understanding of the variety of critical and theoretical approaches to the subject
- the ability to articulate knowledge and understanding of texts, concepts and theories relating to American Studies
- develop an appropriate scholarly practice in the presentation of formal written work
- the ability to understand and combine a multidisciplinary academic subject, with its array of literature, history and other discourses
- the ability to construct an independent, research-led argument
Transferable skills
You gain transferable skills in the following:
- the ability to organise information clearly; respond to written sources and present information orally; adapt style for different audiences; use images as a communication tool
- to assimilate and organise substantial quantities of complex information
- IT, including producing written documents, conducting online research, communicating via email and processing information using databases
- working with others, defining and reviewing the work of others; work co-operatively on group tasks and understand how groups function
- develop learning skills, including autonomy, explore personal strengths and weaknesses; time management; review the working environment (especially the student-staff relationship).
Careers
Graduate destinations
Our graduates have gone on to work in Britain, Europe and the US in a range of areas including:
- business and management
- broadcasting and media
- teaching.
Many also choose to undertake further professional training.
Help finding a job
The University’s friendly Careers and Employability Service offers advice on how to:
- apply for jobs
- write a good CV
- perform well in interviews.
Career-enhancing skills
Many employers view a graduate with overseas study experience as more employable. Alongside specialist skills, you also develop the transferable skills graduate employers look for, including the ability to:
- think critically
- communicate your ideas and opinions
- work independently and as part of a team.
You can also gain extra skills by signing up for one of our Kent Extra activities, such as learning a language or volunteering.
Independent rankings
For graduate prospects, American Studies at Kent was ranked 2nd in The Complete University Guide 2017. American Studies students who graduated from Kent in 2015 were the most successful in the UK at finding work or further study opportunities (DLHE).
According to Which? University (2017), the average starting salary for graduates of this degree is £18,000.
Entry requirements
Home/EU students
The University will consider applications from students offering a wide range of qualifications. Students offering alternative qualifications should contact us for further advice.
It is not possible to offer places to all students who meet this typical offer/minimum requirement.
New GCSE grades
If you’ve taken exams under the new GCSE grading system, please see our conversion table to convert your GCSE grades.
| Qualification | Typical offer/minimum requirement |
|---|---|
| A level | ABB |
| Access to HE Diploma | The University will not necessarily make conditional offers to all Access candidates but will continue to assess them on an individual basis. If we make you an offer, you will need to obtain/pass the overall Access to Higher Education Diploma and may also be required to obtain a proportion of the total level 3 credits and/or credits in particular subjects at merit grade or above |
| BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (formerly BTEC National Diploma) | The University will consider applicants holding BTEC National Diploma and Extended National Diploma Qualifications (QCF; NQF; OCR) on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us for further advice on your individual circumstances. |
| International Baccalaureate | 34 points overall or 16 points at HL |
International students
The University welcomes applications from international students. Our international recruitment team can guide you on entry requirements. See our International Student website for further information about entry requirements for your country.
If you need to increase your level of qualification ready for undergraduate study, we offer a number of International Foundation Programmes.
Meet our staff in your country
For more advise about applying to Kent, you can meet our staff at a range of international events.
English Language Requirements
Please see our English language entry requirements web page.
Please note that if you are required to meet an English language condition, we offer a number of 'pre-sessional' courses in English for Academic Purposes. You attend these courses before starting your degree programme.
General entry requirements
Please also see our general entry requirements.
Fees
The 2017/18 tuition fees for this programme are:
| UK/EU | Overseas | |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time |
For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.
UK/EU fee paying students
The Government has announced changes to allow undergraduate tuition fees to rise in line with inflation from 2017/18.
In accordance with changes announced by the UK Government, we are increasing our 2017/18 regulated full-time tuition fees for new and returning UK/EU fee paying undergraduates from £9,000 to £9,250. The equivalent part-time fees for these courses will also rise from £4,500 to £4,625. This was subject to us satisfying the Government's Teaching Excellence Framework and the access regulator's requirements. This fee will ensure the continued provision of high-quality education.
For students continuing on this programme, fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.*
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.
General additional costs
Find out more about accommodation and living costs, plus general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent.
Funding
University funding
Kent offers generous financial support schemes to assist eligible undergraduate students during their studies. See our funding page for more details.
Government funding
You may be eligible for government finance to help pay for the costs of studying. See the Government's student finance website.
The Government has confirmed that EU students applying for university places in the 2017 to 2018 academic year will still have access to student funding support for the duration of their course.
Scholarships
General scholarships
Scholarships are available for excellence in academic performance, sport and music and are awarded on merit. For further information on the range of awards available and to make an application see our scholarships website.
The Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence
At Kent we recognise, encourage and reward excellence. We have created the Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence. The scholarship will be awarded to any applicant who achieves a minimum of AAA over three A levels, or the equivalent qualifications (including BTEC and IB) as specified on our scholarships pages.
The scholarship is also extended to those who achieve AAB at A level (or specified equivalents) where one of the subjects is either Mathematics or a Modern Foreign Language. Please review the eligibility criteria.