Sussex Centre for American Studies : University of Sussex

Study with one of the UK's top American Studies departments

American Studies at Sussex is ranked 3rd in the UK by the Guardian University Guide 2019.

Benefit from excellent teaching – our undergraduates gave American Studies at Sussex 90% for overall satisfaction in the National Students Survey (NSS) 2016.

Choose from a range of topics, supported by our faculty's broad variety of research specialisms, to tailor your degree to your own passions.

Explore subjects from music to literature to history and politics, and gain a portfolio of transferable skills.

Browse our undergraduate courses

Browse our postgraduate courses

Learn from experts and network within the field

Your lecturers are actively involved in research projects as part of their work within the Sussex Centre for American Studies, as well as research networks such as Scholars for American Visual Arts and Text.

Explore our research

Because our teaching is informed by research, you see how American Studies is applied in context, and you benefit from our links with experts and industry.

You can attend regular seminars from expert speakers, helping you to explore new perspectives and develop your knowledge.

Discover our research seminars

Experience life in the US as part of your undergraduate degree

Study at an American university for the third year of your four-year undergraduate course.

Your year abroad, which is included in all of our American Studies undergraduate degrees, is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and will help you to stand out from the crowd when it comes to getting a job after you graduate.

We have more prestigious American partner institutions – including UC Berkeley and Georgetown – than any other programme in England.

And we support you throughout the year abroad application process to ensure you get a place at the best American institution for you.

Learn about your year abroad

Year Abroad: Matilda's Chicago internship

View of downtown Chicago from the highway. Skyscrapers loom into view.

From living in a small college campus town to living and working in the third biggest US city I saw two extremes of American society. The internship experience represented an opportunity to carry out research that had practical application.

Read about Matilda's internship here

Achieve your ambitions

The skills you gain from our American Studies courses can be applied to a range of careers and industries, from journalism to finance.

Whatever your ambitions, Sussex can help you to achieve them. 93% of our American Studies undergraduates were in work or studying within six months of graduating (Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education survey 2015).

Explore undergraduate career opportunities

Find out about careers support at Sussex