Our three-year BA American Studies course will give you a grounding in the history, culture and literature of the US, from colonisation through to contemporary times. At Manchester, we train our students to be attentive to the counter-currents of US history and literature, and our course places a particular emphasis on the themes of race, capitalism, sexuality, the cultures of labour, and political protest. You will master the approaches and tools found in several academic disciplines, including cultural theory, history, visual studies, literature and politics. You will also learn how to analyse and discuss a wide variety of materials. Years 1 and 2 will give you a solid knowledge of America's political, legal, and administrative infrastructure, enabling you to become familiar with concepts such as: - Mass incarceration - Inequality - Racial stratification - Poverty - The logics of policing - The changing nature of work and leisure - Radical organising - Military power - Cultural imperialism - Environmental policies - Urban politics. You will also have the option of applying to spend some time studying abroad in Year 2. In Year 3, you will be able to choose from one of the richest selections of American Studies units in the country while completing a substantial piece of independent research.