The Centre for American Studies at the University of Leicester is firmly established as one of the UK’s leading providers of American Studies degrees. Our degrees offer an exciting multidisciplinary approach to the United States. Our motto, ‘Declare Your Independence’, is appropriate for two reasons. The gaining and exercise of independence is a major theme in the American history, literature, politics and visual culture studied at Leicester. In addition, we want to help you discover and explore the independent interests, as well as develop the skills, which will enable you to achieve fulfilment in your life and career. We offer both three-year and four-year degrees in American Studies, as well as joint degrees in English and American Studies and in History and American Studies, allowing you to complete your full degree here or spend your third year abroad at one of our 33 partner universities in North America, returning to Leicester for your final year. Our teaching programme is carefully designed to give you the fullest possible foundation in your first two years in each of the constituent disciplines of American Studies (History, Literature, Politics and Visual Culture). We then encourage you to follow your own personal interests and enthusiasms in your final year (or, if you are spending a year abroad, your final two years) by selecting from a range of options and by researching and writing a long dissertation on the subject of your choice. The Centre is run by eleven core members of academic staff and a dedicated administrative team, and serviced by a range of lecturers, drawing from the disciplines of History, English Literature, Film Studies, Politics, History of Art and Modern Languages. All members of academic staff in the Centre are active researchers and publishers, and are internationally recognised in their fields of expertise. Their own enthusiasms are reflected in many of the options they teach. Why Choose American Studies at Leicester? National Student Survey Ranking: 94% of students studying American Studies satisfied overall with their course. Position in 2013 Subject League Tables: Independent 2nd, Times 2nd, Guardian 3rd. Places: 30 Applications: 214 Example Jobs: International Intern; PR, Research and Marketing; Teaching Assistant; Volunteering Department Intern (Communications). Example Employers: Big Slick; Cancer Research UK; Ernulf Academy; The Guest List Network; Traveleyes; University of Cambridge. Example Postgraduate Courses: MA Law; PGCE (postgraduate teacher training) Primary. Example jobs and employers information comes from the University’s ‘Where Did They Go?’ survey, and shows destinations of 2010/11 graduates six months after graduation. Here in the Centre for American Studies at the University of Leicester we pride ourselves on our attitude towards student satisfaction, something that is reflected in our consistently high rankings in the National Student Survey: we came in first in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010 and 2011. Our programmes aim to provide you with a great breadth of knowledge across the subject as well as enabling you to specialise in your own areas of interest. Our graduates consistently cite both the breadth of focus on all aspects of American Studies and the diversity of fascinating final-year options as the most rewarding and enjoyable aspects of their academic experience here. We offer a multidisciplinary approach, combining perspectives in creative ways on innovative modules on the major American themes of the West and the City. We believe that the best way to understand a subject is to apply a variety of disciplines as tools to develop a multifaceted perspective. Staff expertise is extensive but especially strong in the modern and contemporary periods where current research interests include the Civil Rights Movement, American Culture of the 1950s, Foreign Policy After the Cold War, Hollywood and Melodrama, American Drinking Culture and American Culture Since 9/11. While historic and traditional America features strongly on our degrees, the contemporary moment is a particular focus, whether in fiction, politics or cinema, making our programmes especially lively and relevant. Four-year degree students will spend their third year of study at one of our 33 partner universities in the United States or Canada. This is an ideal way to gain first-hand knowledge and direct experience of North America. Our partner institutions range from large state universities to small private universities, suiting all students and covering all regions. It is a once in a lifetime chance to study for a year, make friends and travel in North America.

Four-year students will have the opportunity to experience contemporary North America first-hand at one of our partner universities across the United States and Canada. In your year abroad, you choose eight modules, exploring your academic enthusiasms further, as well as developing greater independence and experiencing learning and teaching as they are practised in a very different educational system. Subject to availability of places in these universities and to academic achievement in year one, it is possible to qualify to transfer onto the four-year from the three-year American Studies degree. If you are doing one of our joint degrees (English and American Studies or History and American Studies) you may also be able to qualify for a year abroad and extend your degree by a year, depending again on availability of places and academic achievement in year one.