Course summary

To understand America’s history, culture and politics is to appreciate the forces that shape the world today. American Studies explores the culture, history and politics of the most influential country in the world, from colonization to the present. It addresses some of the most pressing issues in our contemporary world, including globalization and struggles for racial justice. You can shape the degree to your own interests, whether in US popular culture or political protest. You also have the chance to study for a year or a semester in the United States, discovering the subject first hand. Teaching is informed by our world-leading interdisciplinary research in a wide range of subject areas, from civil rights, US foreign policy, and the Cold War to the American Civil War, contemporary US fiction, and the Harlem Renaissance. You will develop a wide range of transferable skills, which are highly valued by employers, including oral, writing and presentation skills, along with expertise across research and problem-solving. During your time at Swansea University, you will have the opportunity to get involved in a wide range of clubs and societies. The American Studies Student Society organises a range of social and cultural events.