American Studies and English (with a study abroad year) BA (Hons)

at University of Sussex

Year 1

Core modules

Core modules are taken by all students on the course. They give you a solid grounding in your chosen subject and prepare you to explore the topics that interest you most.

Autumn teaching

• Introduction to American Studies

• Thinking Literature 1

Spring teaching

• Modern America

• Thinking Literature 2

Year 2

Core modules

Core modules are taken by all students on the course. They give you a solid grounding in your chosen subject and prepare you to explore the topics that interest you most.

Autumn teaching

• Theoretical Concepts for American Studies

Spring teaching

• American Cities

Year 3

Options

You choose options to broaden your horizons and tailor your course to your interests. This list gives you a flavour of our options, which are kept under review and may change, for example in response to student feedback or the latest research.

While it’s our aim for students to take their preferred combinations of options, this can’t be guaranteed and will be subject to timetabling. Options may be grouped and if so, students will be able to choose a set number of options from the selection available in any particular group.

Autumn teaching

• American Studies Dissertation

• American Teen Cinema: Coming of Age on Screen

• Capital Culture: Money, Commerce and Writing

• Islam, Literature and the 'West'

• Posthuman/Premodern

• Race and Ethnicity in Popular Cinema

• Special Author: Samuel Beckett

• Special Author: Virginia Woolf

• Special Author: William Blake

• Special Subject: Israel - US Special Relations and the New Diplomatic History Part A

• Special Subject: The Civil Rights Movement

• Technologies of Capture: Photography and Nineteenth Century Literature

• The Golden State: Art in California, 1945-1981

• Wollstonecraft and After: Gender, Writing and the Public Sphere

• Writing Race, Gender, and the Social: Experiments Beyond Representation

Autumn and spring teaching

• History Special Dissertation Israel - US Relations

• History Special Dissertation: Israel - US Relations and the New Diplomatic History

• History Special Dissertation: The Civil Rights Movement

Spring teaching

• America in the 21st Century

• Championing Literacy Placement

• Class, Culture and Contemporary Writing

• Crisis, Revolution, Modernity

• Decolonisation, Pedagogy and Praxis in the Global South

• Dissertation (ENGLISH)

• Gender, Race and Society in Early Modern Drama

• Hollywood Industry and Imaginary

• Novel Theory

• Queer Literatures

• School Placement Project

• Special Subject: Israel - US Relations and the New Diplomatic History Part B

• What is War

International Baccalaureate

Typical offer    

30 -32 points overall from the full IB Diploma.

European Baccalaureate

Typical offer    

Overall result of at least 75% to 77%.

Other international qualifications

Typical offer    

Standard XII results

• 80% from ISC Indian School certificate of Education (CISCE)  

• 80% from SSC All India Senior School Certificate Examination (CBSE)

• 80% HSC Higher Secondary Certificate ( Maharashtra )

English language requirements

• IELTS (Academic): 6.0 overall, including at least 5.5 in each component

Home students: £9,250 per year

Channel Islands and Isle of Man students: £9,250 per year

International students: £18,500 per year

You learn a range of analytical and communication skills, and how to think critically across disciplines. On your year abroad you’ll gain invaluable cultural and social perspectives. As a result, you will be in demand in fields such as:

• journalism and marketing

• TV and film production

• finance and industry. 

Our recent American Studies graduates have started work as:

• Junior Account Executive, Alexandra Public Relations

• Fundraising and Social Media Officer, St Michael’s Fellowship

• Education Co-ordinator, Whitechapel Gallery