BA in History and American Studies

BA History and American Studies will allow you to examine the history of the USA from colonisation through to the present day.

The course will train you in the methods of American Studies and the skills of historical scholarship. You will also be given the opportunity to study aspects of history that interest you most, from ancient, medieval, modern, and economic and social history, to the history of science, technology and medicine.

The University of Manchester was the home of the first Department of American Studies in the UK, and you will be taught by one of the largest concentrations of US historians in the country.

Our areas of specialisation range widely from the European colonisation of the Caribbean in the 17th century, through to the development of US racialized slavery, America's Cold War strategy, and the history of US sport in the late 20th century.

You will be taught by political, intellectual, social, and cultural historians, gain advanced historical skills, such as those of analysis, debate, and argument, and acquire an appreciation of the historiographical debates that have shaped American and world history.

These skills will be refined further through the study of a wide corpus of materials that includes musical scores, diplomatic memoranda, and political cartoons, and through the composition of essays and a final-year dissertation.

Students on this course are encouraged to take advantage of the opportunities for study abroad, especially with our partner institutions in North America and Europe.

Course content for year 1

Start building your knowledge of US history, from its formation in the late 18th century through to the end of the Cold War.

You can also take optional units in other historical periods and contexts, alongside several units on the key themes and critical debates within the field of American Studies.

Course content for year 2

Choose from units covering US history, literature, film and politics, as well as a wide selection of options from other historical periods and contexts.

You can also apply to spend some of your second year abroad in the US and Canada. The course holds more than 20 exchange partnerships with institutions across North America, including North Carolina State, University of Illinois, Rutgers University and the University of Toronto.

Course content for year 3

Tailor your course to the historical topics and debates that most interest you.

As well as selecting from a series of advanced courses within American Studies, you will write a compulsory long essay on a subject of your choice, under the supervision of an academic tutor.

The History department offers an unrivalled variety of History course units, each of which corresponds to the specific area of research expertise of our world-leading academic staff. This provides students with the opportunity to collaborate with staff in developing fresh research projects in their respective fields and make an important contribution to knowledge in the discipline via our research-led teaching.

Study History at Manchester and you will come away with a degree that is well-regarded by employers for the outstanding analysis and critical thinking skills you will develop.

The University of Manchester is the most targeted university in the UK for top graduate employers (High Fliers Research, 2019).

Our graduates enjoy success in a wide range of careers, reflecting the high regard in which employers hold a History degree from Manchester, including the BBC - with whom we have well-established links - as well as KPMG, Deloitte, Marks and Spencer, Aviva, Accenture and Barclays. Typical professions for History graduates include:

• teaching and academia
• heritage and museums
• the Civil Service
• policy and thinktanks
• creative industries
• media and journalism
• marketing and public relations
• law and accountancy
• finance
• NGOs

Studying American Studies helps to develop versatile skills, including:

• communicating ideas clearly in spoken and written forms
• articulating knowledge of concepts and theories
• managing your time effectively
• working and thinking independently, critically and creatively

Many of our graduates go on to undertake further study such as master's and PhD degrees, PGCEs or law conversion courses before taking up their careers.