This exchange degree offers a multi-disciplinary study of American history, society and culture from the period of early European colonisation of the Americas to the present. In this way they are equipped to interlink and combine different disciplines in the later stages of the course, particularly in the final year modules and the dissertation demonstrating both breadth of understanding and intellectual flexibility. The First Year provides an introduction to American history, society and culture up to 1900.
Students follow three interlinked courses.
The second course explores the development of a distinct American national identity focusing on American political structures, the growth of cities and industry, the influence of popular culture, and the emergence of the US as a global superpower. The third course provides an introduction to key issues and concepts in the analysis of American history and culture through the medium of the Hollywood film. Issues of racial and ethnic diversity, as well as questions of gender are pursued up to the present day in the first course. The second course continues the exploration of US political and national identity begun in the previous year by focusing on key twentieth century topics such as the Great Depression, America in the 1960s and the Vietnam War. The third course focuses on the US as a global power.