Northumbria University Newcastle - American Studies BA (Hons)

Northumbria University Newcastle

American Studies BA (Hons)

American Studies is the perfect course if you want to learn more about the history, literature, politics, film, art and popular culture of the United States. Whether your interests lie in the Civil War or the War on Terror, Walt Whitman or Walt Disney, this course will help you to develop your critical and imaginative skills in the context of the American experience and its global significance.

If you want to gain an in-depth understanding of US society and how it has come to exert such a powerful influence on the modern world, Northumbria is the university for you. We have one of the largest concentrations of US specialists working outside North America. 

The cornerstones of American Studies are History and English, meaning our graduates have excellent employment prospects similar to students from those disciplines. Possible careers after successful completion of the course include journalism, publishing, teaching and government service.

Entry Requirements

Standard Entry

120 UCAS Tariff points

From a combination of acceptable Level 3 qualifications which may include: A-level, T Level, BTEC Diplomas/Extended Diplomas, Scottish and Irish Highers, Access to HE Diplomas, or the International Baccalaureate.

Subject Requirements:

There are no specific subject requirements for this course.

GCSE Requirements:

Applicants will need Maths and English Language at minimum grade 4/C, or an equivalent.

Additional Requirements:

There are no additional requirements for this course.

English Language Requirements:

International applicants should have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.0 with 5.5 in each component (or an approved equivalent*).

Career Prospects

As an American Studies student at Northumbria, you will develop the kinds of analytical and communication skills that are invaluable in any number of careers. If you take up the opportunity to spend time in a partner institution in North America, you will gain a broader cultural exposure that is attractive to potential employers. For those who stay in the UK, you will undertake a module called ‘Your Graduate Future’ which includes a work placement and which will help you to develop additional skills focused specifically on employment. All students will be able to take advantage of the services of our Careers and Employment Service, which offers CV advice, interview preparation and portfolio development.

At the end of a thoroughly enjoyable educational experience, you will emerge from your time at university with the characteristics of a Northumbria graduate. These include critical reflection and self-learning, collaboration and curiosity, and the ability to apply your knowledge to solve problems in ways that are sustainable and ethical.

Course Details

You will be taught by specialists who will use a variety of teaching methods including lectures, tutorials and seminars. The seminars will include discussions and small group exercises which, alongside individual tutorials, will allow extensive peer and tutor feedback to be built into your learning.

Our assessment strategy is carefully designed to support student-centred learning, based on our understanding that everyone has different needs, strengths and enthusiasms. We use coursework to assess most modules and this can take a variety of forms, including essays of different lengths, reports, research projects, oral presentations, blogging exercises and a dissertation.

Year One

Introduction to American Studies (Core,20 Credits)
Contemporary America (Core,20 Credits)
Representing the US: From Slavery to Terrorism (Core,20 Credits)
Concepts in Criticism and Culture (Core,20 Credits)
From Sea to Shining Sea: US History from 1776 to 2008 (Core,20 Credits)
Making History (Core,20 Credits)
Academic Language Skills for Humanities and Social Sciences (Core – for International and EU students only,0 Credits)

Year Two

Humanities Study Abroad (60 credit) (Optional,60 Credits)
American Studies Extended Essay (Core,20 Credits)
The American West (Core,20 Credits)
Geneses of English Literature (Optional,20 Credits)
Poetry: Tradition and Experiment (Optional,20 Credits)
Tragedy (Optional,20 Credits)
Literature and Adaptation (Optional,20 Credits)
Affluence and Anxiety: The US from 1920 to 1960 (Optional,20 Credits)
Slavery, Sectionalism and Manifest Destiny (Optional,20 Credits)
Your Graduate Future (Optional,20 Credits)
British Empires: The First Two Hundred Years (Optional,20 Credits)
History/Film: Using Popular Film as Historical Evidence (Optional,20 Credits)
Foreign Policy Analysis (Optional,20 Credits)
Hollywood Cinema (Optional,20 Credits)
Unilang - Languages for all - Level 5 Placeholder (Optional,20 Credits)
Cultural Identities on Screen (Optional,20 Credits)
Academic Language Skills for Humanities and Social Sciences (Core – for International and EU students only,0 Credits)

Year Three

Humanities Work Placement Year (Optional,120 Credits)
Humanities Study Abroad Year (Optional,120 Credits)
Year in International Business (This is made up of modules studied in Newcastle (Semester 1) & Amsterdam (Semester 2) (Optional,120 Credits)
Year in International Multidisciplinary Innovation (4 modules studied in Amsterdam (Semester 1) & Newcastle (Semester 2) (Optional,120 Credits)

Year Four

Dissertation (Core,40 Credits)
States of Nature: Environments and Peoples in the Americas (Core,20 Credits)
Vamps and Virgins: Gothic Sexualities (Optional,20 Credits)
The Black Atlantic: Literature, Slavery and Race (Optional,20 Credits)
Postwar US Writing (Optional,20 Credits)
Twenty First Century Literature: Writing in the Present (Optional,20 Credits)
Law and Order USA: Police, Prisons, and Protest in Modern America (Optional,20 Credits)
Nicaragua in Revolution, 1979-1990 (Optional,20 Credits)
Capitalism and its Others (Optional,20 Credits)
Politics of Oil and Global Warming (Optional,20 Credits)
Popular Music on Film and Television (Optional,20 Credits)
Cult Film and Television (Optional,20 Credits)
Adaptations on Film and TV (Optional,20 Credits)
Academic Language Skills for Humanities & Social Sciences (Core – for International and EU students only,0 Credits)

*The information’s are correct at the time of publishing, however it may change if university makes any changes after we have published the information. While we try our best to provide correct information, It is advisable to call us or visit university website for up to date information.

Are you ready to start building your future?

Contact our admission counseller and get a free consultation.

Phone E-Mail Facebook