There is a choice for the second certificate from among African, British and American literatures and civilizations, linguistics and communication. Advanced degrees also are available in these subject areas. Students of American literature cover drama, fiction, essays and literary history, focusing on such representative authors as William Faulkner, James Baldwin, Eugene O'Neill, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Louise Erdrich, Lorraine Hansberry, Amiri Baraka, Toni Morrison and Robert Frost. In the graduate division of Nankai University, in which American history is deemed one of the key academic subjects, courses range across the spectrum. The main emphasis is on an interdisciplinary approach in all institutions.
Students use sociological and historical backgrounds to delve into the subjects.
In terms of methodology, we combine written articles, books and texts with films, novels and poetry. At the University of Brasilia, American studies is taught as a literary course and is not interdisciplinary. However, one of the lead teachers in the department is working to organize a nucleus that would draw faculty from different departments into an American studies program. The University of Sao Paulo already has such an American studies nucleus. Many scholars in history, literature, anthropology, sociology and other disciplines throughout the country teach courses with American studies content.