Masters Degrees (American Studies)

Visit our website for more information on fees, scholarships, postgraduate loans and other funding options to study Latin American Studies at Swansea University - 'Welsh University of the Year 2017' (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017).

Research in Latin American Studies at Swansea is interdisciplinary with strong links to American Studies through the Centre for the Comparative Study of the Americas (CECSAM). Our focus is twentieth-century Latin American fiction and testimonial writing with particular expertise in Argentinian Studies.

Key Features of MA by Research in Latin American Studies

An MA by Research in Latin American Studies gives you the chance to pursue a project based around your own passions and interests, leading to a qualification which can open the door to an academic career or boost employment prospects outside academia (typically in the private sector, the Civil Service, or education).

Latin American Studies research programme will give you the freedom to explore a topic of your own choosing and develop a methodology under the close supervision of two experienced academics but without attending regular classes as required in taught programmes.

As a student enrolled on the MA by Research in Latin American Studies, you will be supervised closely by two experienced academics in your field. Typically, you will meet them fortnightly in the first term and at regular intervals thereafter. Meetings are logged and goals agreed each time.

All research students in Latin American Studies are required to attend skills and training courses at College and Institutional level. They give presentations to other research students and staff at departmental seminars and the annual departmental postgraduate symposium in June and the College of Arts and Humanities conference in October. Advanced research students may have opportunities to teach undergraduate tutorials and seminars. You have a budget (currently £200 per year) to attend conferences outside Swansea.

MA by Research in Latin American Studies degree typically lasts from one year (full-time study) to two years (part-time study).

The MA by Research in Latin American Studies is ideal for those who want:

- an MA qualification in niche areas where taught programmes are not offered;

- the experience of a research degree without committing to a PhD, while retaining the option of upgrading to MPhil or PhD.

Research proposals are invited on any topic in Latin American Studies for which staff can provide supervision. It is advisable to email a member of academic staff in the appropriate area before applying.

Research Interests

Areas of special interest within Latin American Studies include:

• Twentieth century prose and poetry

• Women’s writing and feminist theory

• Contemporary Spanish American film

• Spanish American nation building

• Afro-Latin American Studies

• Twentieth century Argentine literature and culture

• Welsh Patagonia

• Twentieth century Colombian literature and culture

• Twentieth century Cuban literature and culture

• Wilderness and Eco Literature

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Visit our website for more information on fees, scholarships, postgraduate loans and other funding options to study American Studies at Swansea University - 'Welsh University of the Year 2017' (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017).

The MA by Research in American Studies helps to develop an understanding of the forces that have moulded and continue to shape America, and helps us to make sense of our contemporary world. The comparative study of the history and culture of the United States addresses 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 directly relevant to the world we live in.

MA by Research in American Studies

The MA by Research in American Studies is ideal for those who want:

- an MA qualification in areas where taught programmes are not offered;

- the experience of a research degree without committing to a PhD at the outset.

Research proposals are invited on any topic in American Studies for which staff in the Department of Political and Cultural Studies can provide supervision. It is a good idea to enter into discussions about your research project in American Studies with the Department's Director of Postgraduate Research, Professor Roland Axtmann ([email protected]), before drawing up an initial proposal and starting the application process.

Department of Political and Cultural Studies

The Department of Political and Cultural Studies (PCS) boasts a dynamic research environment with a committed staff all of whom are research-active. Academic members of staff have a very considerable range of research interests on which we offer supervision for research degrees in American Studies.

An MA by Research in American Studies gives you the chance to pursue a major research project based around your own passions and interests in American Studies, leading to a qualification which can open the door to an academic career or boost employment prospects outside academia. It will give you the freedom to explore a topic of your choosing and develop a methodology under the close supervision of two experienced academics but without attending regular classes as required in taught programmes.

Typically as a student of the MA by Research in American Studies programme you will work closely with your supervisors, meeting them regularly, in many instances fortnightly, in the first term and at regular intervals thereafter. Meetings are logged and goals agreed each time.

Students enrolled in the MA by Research American Studies are required to attend skills and training courses at College and University level. You may also be expected to give presentations to other research students and staff at departmental seminars and attend the postgraduate conference of the College of Arts and Humanities which is held in October.

Departmental Research Expertise

At any one time, the department has over forty research students who work together with their supervisors on their projects.

In the area of American Studies, staff have expertise in the American Civil War; US foreign policy; the US ‘War on Drugs’; US politics and government; surveillance and urban America; American conservatism; the Spanish Civil War; American military history; the American West; New South; 20th century American literature, film and popular culture.

Discover more about the Department of Political and Cultural Studies:

http://www.swansea.ac.uk/politics

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The MLitt in American Studies is the only Masters programme in Scotland that provides an interdisciplinary focus on how the United States developed. Why did American culture, politics, and business become so dominant in the 19th and 20th centuries, and in what directions might it be headed in the 21st century?

Why this programme

◾The programme is linked to the Andrew Hook Centre for American Studies, which hosts visiting speakers for seminars, conferences and other special events.
◾The Centre also welcomes applications for partial or full fees-only Gordon Scholarships in American Studies.
◾From early in the 17th century, Glasgow has been a gateway for economic, social, and cultural exchange between Scotland and North America. The University has been at the forefront of teaching and research in American history and literature since the late 19th century.
◾This programme draws upon a variety of academic fields such as literature, history, theology, music, history of art, politics, archaeology, anthropology and media studies.

Programme structure

You will take two core courses and choose three optional courses. The programme draws on a wide array of subject areas: literature, history, film and television studies, popular music, art history, religious studies, archaeology, and politics; to foster understanding of the overarching themes, as well as complexities, of American life.

The culmination of the MLitt in American Studies is your dissertation. You will choose a topic based on the breadth of perspectives that you have explored and conduct original primary source research. You will be supported in your research and writing by an assigned supervisor with expertise in your specific field of interest.

Core courses
◾Approaches to American studies
◾Topics and methods in American studies.

Core and optional courses

Core Courses


Approaches to American studies

An introduction to the different disciplinary approaches and methodologies for the study of North America, organized around a defining theme that is revised annually. Defining themes of the past have included American Identities, the Frontier and the American West, and Freedom. This core course also incorporates research training in American Studies, geared toward the requirements of the rest of the programme, especially the dissertation.

Topics and methods in American studies.

This course is based around the Hook Centre's series of visiting speakers - who are all leading national (and sometimes international) figures in American Studies. Students keep a notebook detailing their developing understanding of, and reflections upon, American Studies as an academic discipline throughout this series. They produce an essay at the end of the module, as well as participating fully in occasional seminars to discuss themes and issues raised by the series and to reflect upon these in light of readings of some 'classic' texts in American Studies.

Optional courses vary from year to year; they may include:
◾American counterculture
◾Thomas Paine as an enlightenment revolutionary
◾Media, war, and security
◾People of plenty: the politics of consumption in the US since 1890
◾History of critical writing on film and television
◾The American way of war
◾Poverty and inequality in the modern world
◾ American material culture
◾The Mind of the Contemporary American Novel


Courses available in recent years have included: American communities; The politics of race in America; Modernity and technology; American society and culture in the 1920s and 1930s; and, The Vietnam war in American history and culture; and F. Scott Fitzgerald, Edith Wharton and Dialogues of American Literary Modernism.

Career prospects

The skills you gain: critical, analytical, and written and oral communication skills, as well as the specific understanding of American history and culture; offer you a broad range of career choices.

The programme provides you with an excellent foundation to study for a PhD and to establish an academic career. Other graduates have used their specialist knowledge of America in their media, business and teaching careers.

Positions held by recent graduates include Teacher and Alumni and Development Officer.

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Interdisciplinary in Approach. Dynamic in Teaching. Relevant in Practice. American Studies at The University of Groningen.

Comprehensive and Challenging- Entirely taught in English by internationally-renowned faculty, the one-year Master's program offers engaging research seminars examining a wide range of theoretical, historical, social-political, and cultural approaches to the Americas.

Research-Focused and Flexible - Based on your interests, you will select a specialization among the Cultural-historical, Socio-political, or Media program tracks. Your program will culminate in a Master's Dissertation exploring a relevant American Studies topic of your choice.

Practical and Cross-Cultural - You can enhance your academic experience by studying abroad or interning in North or South America. Upon graduation, your subject-matter expertise combined with your research and proficient English skills will set you apart in your future career.

Why in Groningen?

- A supportive, challenging, and international learning environment
- A truly interdisciplinary approach to the Americas
- Entirely taught in English by experienced and highly trained international faculty
- Opportunity to study abroad or do an internship in the U.S.
- Career preparation with a wide range of transferable skills
- Program consistently ranks highly in national quality assurance assessments
- Groningen is an energetic, safe and affordable student city

Job perspectives

The program's interdisciplinary curriculum and specializations gives you ample opportunity to find out what topics interest you most and what areas of employment you wish to explore. Pursuing an internship while in the program is a great way to gain experience in the field prior to seeking full-time employment. As an American Studies graduate, you will gain competency in a broad range of transferable skills which will diversify your career prospects.

Your expertise in the US economic, political, cultural, commercial and social domains, coupled with your highly proficient English communication skills and cultural adaptability through your study abroad experience, will set you apart from other job candidates.

Job examples

- Education
Your highly proficient English skills will also prepare you to work at education institutions, in particular in the area of the internationalization of teaching and learning. A number of graduates also work in high schools and institutions of tertiary education, where they teach primarily English or History. Several American Studies graduates also wish to continue their studies by completing PhD degrees, either in The Netherlands, the UK or the US.

- Journalism
Depending on your areas of specialization, a job in journalism is a possibility. Students interested in journalism may consider using their proficiency in US political and cultural affairs to work as correspondents or reporters for international or US media outlets.

- Business
Interested in marketing or international business? Then utilize your knowledge of US economic and commercial policies and practices by assisting companies seeking to expand into the European and US markets.

- Culture and Arts
You might prefer to think about working in the cultural field, for example, a job in a museum or organizing a film festival. The American Studies program offers many possibilities for international contacts, which can be utilized for job options in a range of cultural industries. In addition, your cross-cultural experiences and English skills will also prepare you to work in the travel industry, especially organizing and leading guided trips.

- Public Sector
Your subject-matter expertise in U.S. socio-political affairs and proficient English skills are relevant transferable skills for work in the public sector. Consider working for an NGO or governmental entity, in positions ranging from Media and Communication Coordinators to Information Officers.

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The MRes in Latin American Studies is a specialised degree that provides a unique opportunity for students interested in Latin American history, anthropology, geography, and culture to broaden and deepen their knowledge of Latin America and to develop an independent research project on a topic of their choice.

Students gain an in-depth overview of key research problems and debates in the field of Latin American studies as well as an introduction to a range of research methods particularly useful for undertaking scholarly work on Latin America. Students are taught by leading scholars in the field of Latin American studies.

Students who successfully complete the programme receive a University of London Master of Research degree.

Degree Highlights

In their first term, students take Research Themes and Debates in Latin America, a 30-credit module that provides a historical introduction to key research problems and debates in the field of Latin American studies. Students learn how to recognise, problematise, and analyse themes and tropes within Latin American studies and identify where gaps in knowledge exist or where new approaches could enrich the field. In developing these skills, students become independent scholars. In their second term, students complete Research Methods in Latin American Studies, a 30-credit module that introduces the range of methods that can be applied in humanities and social science research in Latin American studies. Students are introduced to the practical issues that may be encountered in the field while conducting research in Latin America. Over the summer term, students complete a dissertation of 30,000 words based on their own independent research.

Resources

The Institute offers students a range of resources in Latin American studies that are unparalleled in the field. The ILAS Library collections, which have been integrated with the Senate House Latin American and Caribbean Studies collection, include more than
90,000 volumes. The holdings cover most aspects of Latin America and the Caribbean: the geographical spread covers all territories of Central and South America and the islands of the Caribbean, as well as the islands of the South Atlantic and Antarctic territories administered by Chile and Argentina. Most of the material is focused on the humanities and cognate social sciences. Through the ILAS collections, students also have access to primary materials that will be useful for their dissertations—for example, the material of the Political Archives, which includes pamphlets, posters, and reports from every country in the region. The ILAS Special Collections also contain many rare materials that are difficult to find elsewhere in the UK; some items are difficult to access even within Latin America itself, and are frequently in better condition than those in Latin American libraries and archives.

Why Study with Us?

The Institute of Latin American Studies is an internationally recognised centre of excellence for research. It has an extensive range of networks and contacts in the field of Latin American Studies as well as substantial library and digital resources. The Institute hosts hundreds of events every year and students will have the opportunity to work with leading visiting scholars and be part of a close-knit research community within ILAS.

Teaching is provided by core academic staff and features guest lectures from experts in the field for specific topics.

The ILAS Library collections are unparalleled and provide access to primary and secondary material related to most aspects of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Students also have access to Senate House Library, with its millions of books and journals, digital resources, special collections, beautiful study spaces and laptop loans.

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Our MRes programme provide a personalised and focused introduction to postgraduate research allowing you to develop as an independent researcher with the support of an expert in Latin American Studies. It provides a rigorous overview of the current state of scholarship in your selected field, guides you, through a programme of directed, individualised reading, to the selection of a feasible research project, and allows you to complete a substantial piece of research.

As an MRes student you will benefit from your membership of the university research community, both students and academic staff. You will also have access to facilities available to doctoral students e.g. free Interlibrary loans, a print allowance and a research allowance.

Key Facts

REF 2014
We're ranked in top 50% for 4* and 3* research with 90% of environment at 4* and 3* (world leading and internationally excellent).

French
Since 2001, the Department has housed three major AHRC-funded projects in French; it also continues to be one of the leading centres in French studies for innovation in the application of IT and new technology to text-based research and the creation of international research networks. A major new monograph series, Liverpool University Press’s ‘Contemporary French and Francophone Cultures’, is co-edited within Modern Languages and Cultures.

German
Research in German studies at Liverpool continues to develop its breadth and vitality, through new appointments, and through a strategy directed towards promoting cooperation among staff in different subject areas. Colleagues are actively involved in interdisciplinary research centres, namely the Research Centre in Eighteenth-Century Studies, the Centre for the Study of International Slavery, and CAVA (The Centre for Architecture and the Visual Arts). These research centres provide a dynamic context for the development of staff and postgraduate research, and underpin and vitalise interdisciplinary research within the section and department as a whole.

Hispanic Studies
We continue to extend research activity over a broad range of areas in Iberian and Latin American Studies. The School is now at the forefront of high profile research in literary, historical, linguistic and cultural studies. Our research emphasises our understanding of ‘Hispanic studies’ in the broadest sense, as relating to the multiple geographical and linguistic contexts that make up the Hispanic and Lusophone worlds.

Latin American Studies and Italian Studies
The section has recently made new appointments including a new post extending our expertise to North America and the Caribbean. We have consolidated research clusters in American, Brazilian, Hispanic and Caribbean Studies, enhancing the research environment by providing institutional support to colleagues with related and overlapping interests. A University-wide research centre Research Institute of Latin American Studies (RILAS) fosters a robust research environment based in the Department.
Research in Italian studies is a recent addition to the School’s portfolio. The focus is on the contemporary and staff are involved in interdisciplinary research projects which feature, amongst others, the Linguistic Landscape, Italian political cinema and European cinema.

Why Department of Modern Languages and Cultures?

Introduction to Modern Languages and Cultures

We are a smaller department than many, but manage at the same time to maintain a variety of very distinctive areas of strength in research. As a result we are uniquely placed to offer taught programmes which are tailored to the individual in a friendly, supportive atmosphere and, for research students, close contact with your supervisors from the outset.

There is a high degree of interdisciplinary activity, with students and staff from all disciplines interacting through institutional research centres, cross-School reading groups, research groups and seminars.

We offer an MA in Latin American Studies and an MA in Modern Languages (French / German / Hispanic Studies/Italian) and supervision on a wide range of topics for both MPhil and PhD study.

Applications are welcome for both full-time and part-time study. Postgraduate students form an integral part of our research culture, and are encouraged to become involved in conference, workshops and seminar series, in addition, we have postgraduate reading groups and a regular programme of postgraduate workshops involving leading scholars visiting the institution. We have an active and vibrant research community, with staff engaging in research covering eight language areas consisting of French, German, Italian, Spanish, Galician, Catalan, Portuguese and Corsican. Research interests range from medieval manuscripts to contemporary cyber literature, and cover a wide geographical remit, with staff working on American, Latin American, and Caribbean, African and Indian contexts as well as European ones.

We are home to three scholarly journals: Bulletin of Hispanic Studies, Bulletin of Latin American Research, and Migrations and Identities as well as a number of prominent book series.

Research Overview

Our research activities are broadly organised around four research groups in addition to the Research Institute of Latin American Studies. The groups are engaged in interdisciplinary work, taking in literary, visual and historical sources, and collaborating across the language areas.

Latin American Studies

Latin American Studies is one of Modern languages and Cultures' major research specialisms. The six permanent members of staff have research interests in the following domains of Latin American Studies: anthropology, cultural studies, history, literature, politics, and sociology and extend to Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Central America, the Caribbean and southern USA. The Sydney Jones Library is an acknowledged centre of excellence for collections in Latin American Studies. Additional facilities for all postgraduates include access to regular seminars and short conferences, language tuition, and use of the University’s networked computer facilities.

Career prospects

Former postgraduates in French, German and Hispanic Studies are currently employed in senior positions at the universities of: Aberdeen, Sussex, Leeds, Sheffield, Kings College London, Loughborough, Salford and Liverpool, as well as in a variety of careers.

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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.

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.

Visit the website https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/8/american-studies

National ratings

School of English
In the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014, research by the School of English was ranked 10th for research intensity and 15th for research power in the UK.

An impressive 100% of our research-active staff submitted to the REF and 95% of our research was judged to be of international quality. The School’s environment was judged to be conducive to supporting the development of world-leading research.

School of History
In the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014, research by the School of History was ranked 8th for research intensity and in the top 20 in the UK for research power.

An impressive 100% of our research-active staff submitted to the REF and 99% of our research was judged to be of international quality. The School’s environment was judged to be conducive to supporting the development of world-leading research.

Study support

Postgraduate resources
American Studies benefits from excellent library resources, and is especially strong in literature, film and history. Specialist collections include slavery and anti-slavery, a large collection of works on photography and contemporary images, 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’s major library resources.

Postgraduate students have access to the resources provided by the Centre for American Studies and its related departments. The Centre runs regular research events each year. Other schools and departments such as English, Film, Politics and International Relations, and History also host research seminars that students are welcome to attend.

Dynamic publishing culture
Staff publish regularly and widely in journals, conference proceedings and books. Among others, they have recently contributed to: Journal of American Studies; American Review of Canadian Studies; European Journal of American Culture; and American Indian Quarterly. Details of recently published books can be found within the staff research interests section.

Researcher Development Programme
Kent's Graduate School co-ordinates the Researcher Development Programme (http://www.kent.ac.uk/graduateschool/skills/programmes/tstindex.html) for research students, which includes workshops focused on research, specialist and transferable skills. The programme is mapped to the national Researcher Development Framework and covers a diverse range of topics, including subjectspecific research skills, research management, personal effectiveness, communication skills, networking and teamworking, and career management skills.

Careers

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. A Master’s in American Studies gives you an intellectual grounding suitable for graduate work at MPhil or PhD level.

Find out how to apply here - https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/apply/

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This interdisciplinary Master’s programme provides an opportunity for you to deconstruct the American experience at an advanced level.

It interrogates, challenges and moves beyond the Exceptionalist rhetoric and nation-states ideology of traditional American Studies to consider the USA, and its neighbours, in an insightful, challenging and relevant way.

You develop specialist knowledge and research skills in a range of disciplines by navigating complex historical, cultural, geo-political and environmental issues. A sophisticated awareness of the reach (and the limitations) of US hegemony, as well as issues of cultural collision, media penetration, region and identity, give our graduates an intellectual grounding well-suited to many careers, in addition to a solid foundation for graduate work at MPhil or PhD level.

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.

Course structure

You take a compulsory 30 credit module ‘Transnational American Studies: Research and Approaches’. This is a year-long module designed to introduce key modes of analysis in transnational and interdisciplinary study as well as consider different methodologies, themes and intellectual debates. Assessment includes an extended essay, seminar presentation and a critical review of an academic research paper.

You also select 90 credits from a range of optional modules, spread across at least two disciplines. Optional modules vary year to year and below is a selection of recent modules on offer:

- American Cold War Propaganda

- Geiger Counter at Ground Zero: Explorations of Nuclear America

- From Wounded Knee to the Little Bighorn Casino: The Vietnam War in American History

- American Narrative in the Age of Postmodernism

- American Modernism

- Boundary Busting and Border Crossing

- Myth, Image, Fashion and Propaganda in the Cuban Revolutionary Era

- History and Memory

- American Foreign Policy

The remaining 60 credits are made up with a Dissertation. Written over the summer term, this 12,000 word extended study allows students to work on their own research project based on primary research. You have the opportunity to present your ideas as part of workshop sessions on researching American Studies in the core course and receive supervision from an academic specialist.

Modules

The following modules are indicative of those offered on this programme. This list is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation. Most programmes will require you to study a combination of compulsory and optional modules. You may also have the option to take modules from other programmes so that you may customise your programme and explore other subject areas that interest you.

Assessment

Assessment for this course includes an extended essay, seminar presentation and a critical review of an academic research paper.

Programme aims

This programme aims to:

- provide you with a thorough grounding in the techniques and approaches necessary for advanced research in American Studies.

- promote interdisciplinarity as a conceptual mode of theory and analysis (encourage you to ‘operate across disciplines, learning how to integrate a variety of approaches in formulating and solving problems, and using diverse materials and information sources.’

- encourage critical reflection and engagement with public debates relating to aspects of American society.

- consolidate the strengths of our long-running undergraduate programmes whilst interrogating, challenging, and moving outside the exceptionalist rhetoric and nation-state ideology of conventional American Studies (develop a ‘synthesising impulse…which can work across, as well as interrogate traditional discipline boundaries in innovative ways’.

- promote a curriculum supported by scholarship, staff development and a research culture that provides breadth and depth of intellectual inquiry and debate.

- assist you to develop cognitive and transferable skills relevant to their vocational and personal development.

Research areas

Staff interests broadly fit within the parameters of American literature, American history, American film and American politics, although we actively welcome interdisciplinary projects that investigate several areas of study. Current strengths in American Studies at Kent are: Native American literature and culture; African-American history; slavery and the Atlantic world; the American West; US environmental issues; US visual culture; Disney and recreation; American realist fiction; modern American poetry; US immigration politics; American science fiction; Hollywood; US foreign policy.

The American West
Kent is the only UK institution to operate a research cluster on the American West, with five members of the Centre specialising in trans-Mississippi studies. The research cluster engages in pioneering work on Native American literature, Western films and video games, female frontiering and several other elements of the Western experience.

The Study of US Environmental Issues
US environmental history is a relatively new field of study, but of increasing importance. Our two environmental specialists work on wildlife management, animal studies, nuclear protest and concepts of ecological doomsday.

The Study of Race, Ethnicity and Borders
The Centre has a long history of studying race and ethnicity. Currently, six members of the team cover a range of topics that include African-American political, cultural and social history, Native American literature, Latin American relations and immigration writing and politics.

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Why American Studies in Nijmegen?

The world loves American culture, but is deeply distrustful of American power and politics. At Radboud University, we offer critical insights into what America means. Our Master's program gives students the opportunity to become experts in the concept of ‘America' in a variety of fields: US history, literature, culture (including popular culture, film, theatre, political history, foreign policy, constitutional law, religion and social science. Radboud University's programme distinguishes itself from other's by emphasizing the cultural and political relations between the United States, its neighbours and Europe.

The open classroom experience is what teachers and researches of the Master`s program “North American Studies” want to create for their students. For an example of the experience, in the project “Politics & Culture of Liberation” students and teachers worked closely with the National Liberation Museum in Groesbeek, the Regional Archive in Nijmegen and the National Archives in Washington, D.C. The project resulted in an exhibition on the impact of American culture on Europe and the Transatlantic World. This is only one example of the many creative seminar projects that students realize in the Master`s program.

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/americanstudies

Specializations

Specialisations in the Master's in North American Studies. The Master's programme in North American Studies offers two specialisations:

1. Literatures and Cultures of North America in International Perspective
2. Transnational America: Politics, Culture and Society

Literatures and Cultures of North America in International Perspective

America's cultural icons are the world's cultural icons. From Walt Disney to the Statue of Liberty, from Hollywood to Time magazine, and from Jack Kerouac to Philip Roth, the influence of American culture and literature around the world is huge. Our program allows students to critically explore the significance of American culture in countries around the globe. Aside from studying the variety of meanings assigned to American cultural products abroad, students will explore the diversity of the American cultural expressions themselves.

Transnational America: Politics, Culture and Society

With the so-called ‘transnational turn', American Studies increasingly looks beyond national borders. In this program you will explore the politics, culture and society of the United States within, outside and at its borders. Central themes are the exchange of cultural and political ideas between North America and Europe, and related issues in the field of Americanisation, globalisation, cultural mobility and political and cultural imperialism.

Study American issues with an interdisciplinary view

True to the tradition of American Studies, our program teaches students to approach issues from different angles and to think in multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary ways. We also offer excellent internships, thanks to our global network. Furthermore, we are the only university in the Netherlands to teach oral communication skills in the American language throughout our Bachelor's program, so that students who go on to study for a Master's degree have near-native language abilities.

High level of communication in American English

In Nijmegen, you will find yourself in a dynamic learning environment where the level of scholarship and communication in (American) English is extremely high. This is one of the reasons why our program is so popular. Another reason is the choice the University offers between two fascinating fields within which you can create your own custom-made program: ‘Literatures and Cultures of North America in International Perspective' and ‘Transnational America: Politics, Culture and Society.'

Program outline

Within the program in North America Studies, you can choose from the following two specialisations. Each specialisation comprises of a one-year, 60 EC program including a 20 EC Master's thesis project. For more information about program outline, structure, and courses, please click on the links below.

Literature and Cultures of North America in International Perspective
All students enrolled in this Master's specialisation take compulsory foundational courses. In addition, students take a compulsory Master's Thesis Colloquium and participate in Master's Thesis Workshops to help them structure their Master's Thesis research and support their writing process. There is an elective space in the specialisation to allow students to engage in an internship or engage in further courses. Options for elective courses include courses on Native Americans, African-American literature and the American borderlands.

Transnational America: Politics, Culture and Society
If you follow this specialisation, you will take several obligatory foundation courses. In addition, students take a compulsory Master's Thesis Colloquium and participate in Master's Thesis Workshops to help them structure their Master's Thesis research and support their writing process. There is a small elective space in the specialisation to allow students to engage in an internship or engage in further courses. Options for elective courses include a special course on the Beat Generation, one of America's most influential avant-garde movements; Native Americans; African-American Literature and Culture; American Borders: Contact Conflict and Exchange; or American Constitutional Law (taught in Dutch).

Career prospects

There is a wide range of opportunities for graduates from the Master's program in North American Studies. Your broad interdisciplinary education and excellent command of English will help you find a job in an international setting. You could work in school or university education, in research, in journalism or other media, in publishing, museums, international finance, government, business, international affairs or as a diplomat.

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/americanstudies

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The MA by Research in American Studies gives you an opportunity to develop your research interests in the history, politics, literature and/or culture of the United States in a supportive environment, with the guidance of a supervisor who is an expert in their field. At CCCU, we have a small team of experienced American Studies MA by Research supervisors who are committed to supporting research students to reach their potential.

Visit the website: https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/study-here/courses/postgraduate/american-studies-by-research.aspx

Course detail

You will study your own research area under the guidance of an experienced supervisor in your field. We recommend that you contact potential supervisors when you are developing your research proposal so that we can advise you on the feasibility of your project and provide support and guidance through the application process.

Suitability

The programme is aimed at both recent graduates and returners to education who are passionate about a research area related to the United States. If you enjoyed researching and writing your undergraduate dissertation, have a desire to expand your knowledge of a US topic that has sparked your interest, or you want to pursue an established interest through a formal degree, then an MA by Research in American Studies may be for you.

Students who complete an MA by Research often go on to MPhil or PhD study in American Studies or a related discipline, such as History, Political Science, or English Literature.

Format

The emphasis of this programme is on independent research. That said, you will have regular meetings with your supervisor, and you will have the opportunity to attend sessions with the Graduate School’s Researcher Development Programme.

All supervisory teams will include access to an experienced supervisor. For information on our supervisors’ fields of interest, please see our staff profiles: https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/arts-and-humanities/school-of-humanities/american-studies/our-team.aspx

You will also be invited to attend the regular American Studies Research Seminar—a guest speaker programme—which will allow you to network with academics in the field, and hear about some of the cutting edge research taking place in American Studies both in the UK and Internationally.

Assessment

The MA by Research is awarded by dissertation.

Supervised by a panel of experienced researchers, you'll meet regularly with your first supervisor and present your work in progress to the full panel halfway through your registration period. Following advice from this Review meeting you'll complete the writing up of your 25-30,000 word dissertation.

What can I do next?

On this programme you will gain research, written communication, time-management, and independent study skills that are invaluable to a range of careers.

You could also continue to further study, such as an MPhil or PhD.

How to apply

For information on how to apply, please follow this link: https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/study-here/how-to-apply/how-to-apply.aspx

Funding

-Masters Loans-

From 2016/17 government loans of up to £10,000 are available for postgraduate Masters study. The loans will be paid directly to students by the Student Loans Company and will be subject to both personal and course eligibility criteria.

For more information available here: https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/study-here/funding-your-degree/funding-your-postgraduate-degree.aspx

-2017/18 Entry Financial Support-

Information on alternative funding sources is available here: https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/study-here/funding-your-degree/2017-18-entry-financial-support.aspx

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The Master of Arts in Asian and Asian American Studies (AAAS) enhances intercultural understanding and promotes rigorous scholarly study of Asian societies, political economies, cultures, histories, linguistics, migrations, etc. The Department of Asian and Asian American studies is recognized for its multidisciplinary approach, language expertise and innovative collaborative curriculum spanning Asian and Asian American Studies.
The MA program consists of six fields: Chinese Studies, Japanese Studies, Korean Studies, South Asian Studies, Asian American and Diaspora Studies, and Global Asia Studies. Graduates from the program will be positioned to enter competitive PhD programs or pursue careers in education, business, government, public policy, non-profit government organizations, and arts & culture.

All applicants must submit the following:

- Online graduate degree application and application fee
- Transcripts from each college/university which you attended
- Three letters of recommendation
- Personal statement of no longer than two pages, single-spaced and standard font, describing your reasons for pursuing graduate study, your career aspirations, your special interests within your field, and any unusual features of your background that might need explanation or be of interest to your program's admissions committee.
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae (max. 2 pages)
- Official GRE scores
- Writing sample. The writing sample is an example of your written work, such as a paper submitted in an advanced undergraduate or graduate course.

And, for international applicants:
- International Student Financial Statement form
- Official bank statement/proof of support
- Official TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE Academic scores
* Asian and Asian American Studies applicant minimum TOEFL scores: 79-80 on the Internet-based exam; 550 on the paper exam
* Asian and Asian American Studies applicant minimum IELTS score: 6.5, with no band below 5.0
* Asian and Asian American Studies applicant minimum PTE Academic score: 53

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The United States remains the most powerful nation in the world, in terms of its economic, military and cultural influence. A glance around us will reveal the enduring appeal and enormous popularity of things American.

This degree will offer you an exciting as well as sophisticated programme which will encourage you to reflect critically upon the predominance of the United States over the last century or so in political, cultural, historical and literary terms and contexts. As a result, you will reflect on the unique status of American Studies as a truly inter-disciplinary subject area.

Course detail

This degree offers a tightly integrated programme with a selection of modules that will enrich your research methods and approaches in the American Studies subject-area. Whilst concentrating on the core aspects of American Studies you will be encouraged to pursue your research through avenues of related subjects (History, Literature and Film) forming a holistic, yet inter-disciplinary, approach. The modules offered emphasise a cross-fertilisation of subject areas, promoting an international perspective towards America, such as global concerns and transnational considerations, thus shifting from the original constructs of America, ‘American uniqueness’ and ‘exceptionalism’ (Brian Edwards, Globalising American Studies, 2010).

This programme is, therefore, well-suited to those students who prefer diversity to the narrower focus of a single-subject Master’s degree.

The suite of taught modules have been carefully constructed to take you on a series of journeys - from a discussion of American Studies itself as an approach, and then from the immediate localities, regions and borders of the United States, to the wider national and international settings. This will offer multi-perspective interpretations of the United States, internally, with its neighbours and with the rest of the world.

You will engage in an inter-connected sequence of debates which will lead you to a greater understanding of the complexity of the United States as a cultural construct as well as a geographical and political entity.

Format

American Studies has a historical, literary, cultural and evidence-based approach which requires wide, critical reading and intelligent synthesis of ideas and information. It requires you to construct arguments in writing. You will receive critical and constructive comments on your progress as an integral part of teaching and learning, through individual meetings with tutors, feedback on written work or specific coursework tutorials.

We place importance on presentations so, as a transferable skill, you will present seminar papers extensively throughout the course of your modules. These will be used as a basis for feedback and will then feed into your written work. These exercises will develop your critical abilities as well as widen your familiarity with, and confidence in handling, a range of sources, preparing you for the modules’ summative assessment stage, and the final dissertation.

This programme places a strong emphasis on the development of independent research and writing. The programme’s assessment strategies are designed to develop independent research skills; the ability to structure and write a sophisticated critical essay and longer academic monographs, and the opportunity to pursue your own intellectual interests within each module’s thematic scope.

How to apply

For information on how to apply, please see the following link:
https://www.yorksj.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/how-to-apply/

Other sources of funding

Information on alternative sources of funding can be found here:
https://www.yorksj.ac.uk/student-services/money/funding-my-course/postgraduate-/postgraduate-funding-/

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A master’s degree in American studies from The University of Alabama gives students an opportunity to explore their interests and develop writing and thinking skills that expand career options.

Visit the website: http://ams.ua.edu/graduate/

Course detail

The flexibility of this two-year program gives you the freedom to take an interdisciplinary approach to intriguing questions, in a department that’s small enough to allow close interaction with faculty and fellow students, yet large enough to encompass a wide range of research interests.

Pursue your interests

This program allows graduate students to build on their academic backgrounds and interests through sustained study in a particular area. Our diverse faculty teaches a broad range of topics, and the program allows students to take courses in other departments, broadening their educational opportunities.

Format and assessment

Students may select of one two options: Plan I (consisting of 24 semester hours and a thesis) or Plan II (consisting of 30 semester hours).

All students take four required courses: American Experience I and II and American Studies Colloquium I and II. Students generally take these courses in their first year of the program. The American Experience courses survey American cultural history and introduce students to some of the prevalent texts, scholars, and ideas in the field of American Studies. The American Studies Colloquium, a sustained study that takes place over the course of two semesters, gives students the opportunity to develop a publishable paper on a topic of their choosing. In the course of this project, students do independent research, undergo peer review, and revise various drafts to produce a polished final paper.

In addition to the required courses, students can select from a range of elective courses. Student need at least six hours in seminar-style courses. Although the American Studies Department offers an array of courses each semester, students may choose to take up to nine hours outside of the department.

At the end of the program, students take comprehensive exams, which test their knowledge of the material that they encountered in their particular program of study. Many students find that comprehensive exams provide an exceptional way to review the things that they have learned in the program, and these exams also provide students who want to pursue a PhD with valuable experience doing this kind of exercise.

One of the unique aspects of the program is the opportunity to design and teach a course in your second year — to develop course ideas, design the syllabus, assign readings, and actually teach a subject you’re passionate about. In recent years students have taught courses on Woodstock, Walt Disney, Ronald Reagan, and modern gay America.

Work closely with faculty

The moderate size of our department creates an environment in which faculty are open and accessible, able to build close relationships with their students. And because our program offers only a master’s degree, here you won’t have to compete with doctoral students for faculty members’ time and attention.

Career options

This program prepares students for careers in journalism, public policy, law, public relations, historic preservation, academia, nonprofit organizations and more. While many of our graduate students go on to pursue doctorates at institutions nationwide, other students build meaningful non-academic careers from their connections and experiences in the program. Additionally, many students choose to do internships, which help them make career connections and earn academic credit.

How to apply: http://graduate.ua.edu/prospects/application/

Fund your studies

In the past five years (2011-2016), 90.6% of Alabama MA students have received funding. Whether supported by fellowships or graduate teaching assistantships – both of which include tuition, health insurance, and a stipend – the vast majority of our students receive financial assistance. Visit the website: http://ams.ua.edu/graduate/financial-aid/

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The MA in English and American Studies prepares students for undertaking further research in the discipline, but it is also aimed at those who wish to broaden and deepen their critical engagement with English and American literature and culture. The structure of the MA is flexible, which means that you can choose to combine your interests in English and American culture, or you can choose to focus more exclusively on one or the other . The division of English, American Studies and Creative Writing at the University of Manchester provides a thriving environment, with its vibrant research culture, its close links to the Centre of New Writing, its involvement in the Manchester Literature Festival and its access to the world-class John Rylands research library.

While this MA offers you a range of exciting modules that are chronologically or geographically specific, all modules are informed by recent theoretical and historical developments that allow you to think about categories like `literature', `culture' and `history' in nuanced and fresh ways.

You can also choose 30 credits from our MA Modern and Contemporary Literature (subject to availability) to further extend the scope of your study.

Teaching and learning

In your first semester, you will choose 2 of 3 core modules (30 credits each), which will lay the groundwork for your coursework as well as preparing you to think about your dissertation. The core modules address questions that are at the heart of literary and cultural studies, and will give you conceptual tools relevant to all of the modules offered in the second semester. The core modules are entitled:
-The Times of Literature
-Space, Place and Text
-American Studies: Theories, Methods, Practice.

In the second semester, you will choose 4 out of 6 modules, each of which is weighted at 15 credits, allowing you the choice of a greater number of courses. You diversify your engagement with the field with these courses, each of which tackles a range of periods and literary/cultural productions. Some of the courses offer you the chance to engage with the holdings of the John Rylands Library. Each focuses on a body of work, or on a topic or critical question, situated in a particular context. The courses are:
-Treacherous Love: Translating the Medieval Past
-Shakespeare: Theory and Archive
-Before Sexuality: Bodies, Desires and Discourses, 1660-1900
-Revolutionary Poetics: 1789-1840
-Radical Subcultures
-Doing History in Public: Struggling over the American Past.

Students with an interest in American Studies take 6 modules in total, including, in semester one, the core course 'American Studies: Theories, Methods, Practice' plus the choice of one of the other core courses (as listed above).

Finally, students will write a 15,000-word dissertation, worth 60 credits, supervised by an academic member of staff.

Coursework and assessment

Students are required to take 180 credits of units as listed above.

The list of units on offer will be updated annually. Students may also choose up to 30 credits worth of units from another MA programme in place of one of their optional units, subject to the approval of the Programme Director.
Students will also attend seminars on such topics as how to study at MA level, how to research and write a Master's thesis, and career options.

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Overview

The MRes in Humanities offers students the opportunity to produce a substantial piece of independent research and writing, and to undertake wide-ranging, systematic training in research skills and project management. Students will write a dissertation in a specific field or prepare a portfolio of compositions, recital or a media project with a named supervisor.

Supervision is available in all disciplines where the School has expertise:
- American Studies
- English
- History
- Media, Communications and Culture
- Music and Music Technology
- Philosophy
- Russian

You will be able to develop your research topic within the context of current debates and methodologies in relevant disciplines and within the humanities generally. The course will develop practical, critical and analytical research skills that can be deployed in a variety of professional and intellectual contexts. The programme is tailored to your research and career plans, and we recommend that you contact us before making a formal application.

The MRes degree is intended for applicants who already have a clear dissertation project (or equivalent, e.g. composition portfolio, performance or software development plan). In liaison with the supervisor and discipline lead, a plan of work in semester 1 and 2 is agreed and serves as preparation for the project as well as assessed work in its own right. When you submit your online application, please use your personal statement to describe the dissertation (or equivalent) project you intend to carry out (500-700 words). Include specific research questions and aims. What does the project intend to elucidate? Is any hypothesis proposed? How will the research be carried out (i.e. methodology)?

See the website https://www.keele.ac.uk/pgtcourses/humanitiesmres/

American Studies

American Studies is a multidisciplinary department devoted to the analysis of the United States from the foundations of the republic to the present day. As a long-established centre of excellence in research and teaching, we aim to offer a supportive and lively environment for pursuing top-quality postgraduate courses.

American Studies at Keele enjoys an outstanding national and international reputation. At every level of the postgraduate programme our aim is to give both clear expectations and supportive guidance to enable you to achieve your goal.

Our tutors are all active in research, and our teaching reflects our specialist strengths. There is considerable cross-fertilization of ideas within the department, and consequently an interest in multidisciplinary work. In US History and Politics, tutors (Chris Bailey, Jon Herbert, Jon Parker, Laura Sandy and Axel Schafer) specialize in the history of the Civil War era and the American South, Cold War society, religion and politics, intellectual history, the politics of the environment, the US Congress, the American presidency, the politics of education, state and local government, and electoral politics.

In American Literature and Culture, tutors, (Ian Bell, Oliver Harris, James Peacock and Tim Lustig) have research interests in nineteenth- and twentieth-century, in contemporary fiction, relations between literature and science, African American literature, film noir, cultural theory and cultural memory, Anglo-American modernism, trauma theory, and the Beat generation.

Course Aims

To enable students to research and write an extended dissertation, whilst developing practical, critical and analytical research skills that can be deployed in a variety of professional and intellectual contexts. Students will develop an understanding of the place of a specific research topic within current debates and methodologies in relevant disciplines, and within the humanities generally. The course will promote the ‘project management skills’ of defining and planning a project, meeting deadlines, and recording and reflecting on outcomes.

Course Content

Students follow a tailor-made programme, comprising three components totalling at least 180 credits.
- A 20,000 word dissertation (or equivalent composition or artistic production) is at the heart of the programme (90 credits).

- Research Training covering research skills and reflective practice in the humanities (2 x 15 = 30 credits).

- Research methods in the field relevant to the thesis topic (30 credits)

- Individual Research Orientation: a module tailored to the needs of the student (30 credits).

Teaching & Assessment

Assessment is by coursework, culminating in the 20,000 word dissertation (or the equivalent composition or artistic production). Research Training is assessed by a portfolio consisting of an annotated bibliography, a project outline and a reflective diary. Each of the other modules will be examined through a 4,000-5,000 word essay or approved equivalent.

The pass mark is 50%. A merit will be awarded where students obtain 60% or over for the dissertation (or equivalent project or performance) and an average of 60% on their other coursework. A distinction will be awarded where students obtain 70% or over for the dissertation, (or equivalent project or performance) and an average of 70% in their other coursework.

Additional Costs

Apart from additional costs for text books, inter-library loans and potential overdue library fines we do not anticipate any additional costs for this post graduate programme.

Discretionary Award:
A sum of £6,250 has been made available to students enrolling on taught postgraduate course in History by a former member of Keele staff. The money will be distributed at the discretion of the relevant programme director(s) and is available to students entering the programme in 2015 and/or 2016. No application is required.

Find information on Scholarships here - http://www.keele.ac.uk/studentfunding/bursariesscholarships/

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