Why study America?
Reasons why American Studies is a valuable, significant & satisfying degree.
- America is the world’s original and sole remaining ‘Superpower’. This term not only refers to the military and economic power of the United States but also to the huge influence it exerts upon contemporary global culture. It is crucial to see the United States as a national and a global phenomenon and understand the effects its power has on the world.
- By understanding the forces that have moulded and continue to shape America it help us to understand our contemporary world. The comparative study of the history and culture of the United States is concerned with themes such as immigration, democracy, slavery, imperialism, multiculturalism, religion, the economy and more recently terrorism. These issues do not just concern the past – they are relevant to the world we live in now.
- American society is ethnically diverse – the USA is home to more than 300 million people. The nation has been created by settlement, transatlantic slavery, mass migrations and the cultural traditions of multiple ethnic populations. The encounters between different ideas, beliefs and traditions have resulted in exciting blends of cultural expression. However, American cultures have also been shaped by oppression, violence and resistance. In American Studies you will be encouraged to look at both sides of the story.
- There are fascinating and influential cultural movements to examine – jazz, pop art, film noir and hip-hop to name but a few. Also dynamic and crucial periods of history to analyse – such as the American Revolution, the Civil War, the Great Depression, the Civil Rights movement, the Vietnam war and the post 9/11 response to international terrorism.
- There is the opportunity to study in the United States. Our American Studies programmes offer students the opportunity to study for a semester or a year abroad at one of our partner universities in the USA. This not only means that you will get to study at a different university and experience the United States first-hand but you also get the valuable experience of living in another country – a real eye catcher on any CV.
- American Studies is multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary which means that it combines a number of academic disciplines like Literature, History, Politics and Cultural Studies and explores the connections between them. Rather than a single discipline, like History, for example, American Studies integrates a range of subjects, given students the opportunity to explore a wide variety of new and diverse topics they may never have considered previously. This teaches you academic skills in a broad variety of disciplines and gives you the confidence to cope with an array of different tasks.
- “It’s constantly interesting. There’s never a dull moment when you think ‘oh, I’ve got to do this’ because it’s so open you can follow any path you want.” American Studies Undergraduate
- American Studies is an Area Studies course. Area Studies courses enable you to learn about the history, geography and cultures of a national or geographical region through a range of subjects you gain insight into the complexity and diversity of cultures and how they interact. You will develop an awareness of different cultures – increasingly demanded by employers in the international job market.
- American Studies will give you a solid academic foundation as it is rooted in traditional disciplines and focuses on developing a core set of skills: analysis, interpretation, critical awareness, research, and writing.
- America’s multi-faceted cultures offer a huge number of topics to study – literature, film, architecture, photography, newspapers, art history, geography, elections, the judicial system …
- Students who take American Studies have a variety of opinions and perspectives on the US. Whether you are critical of the USA or admire it, your viewpoint will be welcomed and challenged.
- “You learn to take a more holistic approach to things, and to realise that there may be things that are outside your own immediate area of expertise that are still relevant and useful to you. You really are given the bricks to build whatever career you want because you are covering so much.” American Studies Graduate
- If you choose do American Studies in combination with another subject as a joint honours course the interdisciplinary nature of the subject can enrich and augment your study of another the other subject you choose.
- "If you are interested in pursuing further research, American Studies opens up new angles on fairly traditional topics. It also makes you pretty good on a pub quiz team!” American Studies Undergraduate
- The Intercalary year spent at an American University is often said to be the best year of a student’s life. The people they meet and the experiences they have will stay with them forever. Quite often graduates return to the US to ready made friends and careers contacts.
- For more info please visit : http://www.whystudyamerica.ac.uk/
- or email americanstudies@swansea.ac.uk for a free copy of this CD ROM
