- 2nd in the UK for American Studies (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024)
- 4th in the UK for American Studies (Complete University Guide 2024)
- 4th in the UK for our research impact in History in REF 2021 (Times Higher Education)
When you study American Studies and History at Sussex, you join a stimulating and collaborative community committed to interdisciplinarity.
You learn from leading experts about topics ranging from Civil War poetry to the history of the Civil Rights movement. You learn to think across disciplinary boundaries covering history, film, photography, literature and music.
Your year abroad in America enables you to gain a range of practical skills and experiences that will make you stand out as a graduate. We’re proud to have more prestigious American partner institutions – including UC Berkeley and Georgetown – than any other programme in England.
We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision. We’ll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities described in this prospectus. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to government or regulatory requirements, or unanticipated staff changes, we’ll let you know as soon as possible.
Open Days and virtual visits
Meet us on campus or online
Entry requirements
Entry requirements for this course are currently under review – please check back in early March 2024.
Modules
This is a joint-honours course, offering you a combinations of subjects, each taking up 50% of your time.
Find out about our types of undergraduate degrees, their structure, modules and credits
Core modules
Core modules are taken by all students on the course. They give you a solid grounding in your chosen subject and prepare you to explore the topics that interest you most.
Autumn teaching
Spring teaching
Options
Alongside your core modules, you can choose options to broaden your horizons and tailor your course to your interests. This list gives you a flavour of our options, which are kept under review and may change, for example in response to student feedback or the latest research.
While it’s our aim for students to take their preferred combinations of options, this can’t be guaranteed and will be subject to timetabling. Options may be grouped and if so, students will be able to choose a set number of options from the selection available in any particular group.
- American Political Culture
- Roots of America: From Colonial Settlement to the Civil War and Reconstruction
- Writing Early America: Literature to 1800
Autumn teaching
Spring teaching
We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2024/25. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum. We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.
We’ll do our best to provide as much optional choice as we can, but timetabling constraints mean it may not be possible to take some module combinations. The structure of a small number of courses means that the order of modules or the streams you choose may determine whether modules are core or optional. This means that your core modules or options may differ from what’s shown here.
Check back in January 2025 for more details of the modules running in the academic year 2025/26.
Core modules
Core modules are taken by all students on the course. They give you a solid grounding in your chosen subject and prepare you to explore the topics that interest you most.
Autumn teaching
Spring teaching
Options
Alongside your core modules, you can choose options to broaden your horizons and tailor your course to your interests. This list gives you a flavour of our options, which are kept under review and may change, for example in response to student feedback or the latest research.
While it’s our aim for students to take their preferred combinations of options, this can’t be guaranteed and will be subject to timetabling. Options may be grouped and if so, students will be able to choose a set number of options from the selection available in any particular group.
- American Literature in the Long Twentieth Century
- American Political Culture
- Box Set TV: Contemporary Serial Television
- History Short Period: Britain in the 20th Century
- History Short Period: Europe in the 20th Century
- Race and Ethnicity in US History
- Short Period: The Asia-Pacific in the 19th Century
- Women in America
- American Popular Music
- Latin American Cinema: Contemporary Trends and Movements
- Picasso to Kahlo: Transatlantic Dialogues
- Political Systems and Issues: USA
- Pop Life: After Modern Art
- The Look of America
- Time and Place 1899: Apex Empires, Savage Wars
- Time and Place 2015: Fortress Europe and the Migration Crisis
- Time and Place: 1661: Slavery in English America
- Time and Place: 1942: Holocaust
- Time and Place: 1948: The Arab-Israeli Conflict
- Time and Place: 1953: Monarchs and Murders
- Time and Place: 1984: Thatcher's Britain (Observing the 1980s)
Autumn teaching
Spring teaching
We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2024/25. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum. We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.
We’ll do our best to provide as much optional choice as we can, but timetabling constraints mean it may not be possible to take some module combinations. The structure of a small number of courses means that the order of modules or the streams you choose may determine whether modules are core or optional. This means that your core modules or options may differ from what’s shown here.
Check back in January 2025 for more details of the modules running in the academic year 2025/26.
You spend your third year studying at one of our US or Canadian partners’ campuses. Our range of partner institutions represents every facet of the American experience, and includes:
- UC Berkeley and UCLA
- Tulane University in New Orleans and the University of North Carolina
- Georgetown University and George Washington University, Washington, DC.
Whether you are interested in Native American culture, the Civil Rights movement, or American modernist poetry, Sussex offers you a unique experience while studying in North America.
If your application to study abroad is successful, you’ll have to meet the academic requirements at Sussex and also at the partner university. Find out more about studying abroad as a Sussex student
Studying at UC Berkley for a year was the best decision I’ve ever made. I matured and feel inspired for my future. James Hope
American Studies and History (with a study abroad year) BA
Studied abroad at UC Berkley, US
Please note that courses with a study abroad year are not eligible for USA federal Direct Loan funds. Find out more about American Student Loans and Federal Student Aid
Options
You choose options to broaden your horizons and tailor your course to your interests. This list gives you a flavour of our options, which are kept under review and may change, for example in response to student feedback or the latest research.
While it’s our aim for students to take their preferred combinations of options, this can’t be guaranteed and will be subject to timetabling. Options may be grouped and if so, students will be able to choose a set number of options from the selection available in any particular group.
- American Empire
- American Studies Dissertation
- Race and Ethnicity in Popular Cinema
- Special Subject: Britain and the Second World War Part A
- Special Subject: Genocide A
- Special Subject: Israel–US Special Relations and the New Diplomatic History Part A
- Special Subject: Palestine from the Ottomans to Nakba Part 1
- Special Subject: Post-Rave Britain, 1988-Present, Part A
- Special Subject: The Civil Rights Movement Part A
- Special Subject: The French Empire and Its Aftermath Part 1
- The First World War: Part 1
- Topics in African American Literature
- What is War
- History Dissertation: The First World War
- History Special Dissertation Britain & the Second World War
- History Special Dissertation Genocide
- History Special Dissertation Israel-US Special Relations and the New Diplomatic History
- History Special Dissertation Palestine from the Ottomans to Nakba
- History Special Dissertation Post-Rave Britain
- History Special Dissertation: The Civil Rights Movement
- History Special Dissertation: The French Empire
- America in the 21st Century
- Hollywood Industry and Imaginary
- Race, Photography, Archives
- Special Subject: Britain and the Second World War Part B
- Special Subject: Genocide B
- Special Subject: Israel–US Special Relations and the New Diplomatic History Part B
- Special Subject: Palestine from the Ottomans to Nakba Part 2
- Special Subject: Post-Rave Britain, 1988-Present, Part B
- Special Subject: The Civil Rights Movement Part B
- Special Subject: The French Empire and Its Aftermath Part 2
- The First World War: Part 2
Autumn teaching
Autumn and spring teaching
Spring teaching
We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2024/25. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum. We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.
We’ll do our best to provide as much optional choice as we can, but timetabling constraints mean it may not be possible to take some module combinations. The structure of a small number of courses means that the order of modules or the streams you choose may determine whether modules are core or optional. This means that your core modules or options may differ from what’s shown here.
Check back in January 2025 for more details of the modules running in the academic year 2025/26.
Find out about American Studies at the University of Sussex
Silver
The student experience and student outcomes are typically very high quality.
This rating was awarded in 2023, for four years.
(Teaching Excellence Framework 2023)
Find out more about our approach to teaching and supporting you to thrive
Our staff
American Studies
History
Prof Maurizio Marinelli
Fees
Fees are not yet set for the academic year 2025/26 – please check back in September 2024. Note that your fees, once they’re set, may be subject to an increase on an annual basis.
Find out about typical living costs for studying at Sussex
Find out about our terms and conditions
Scholarships
Details of our scholarships are not yet set for entry in the academic year 2025/26.
Careers
By thinking critically across disciplines, you learn a broad range of analytical and communication skills. These will be enhanced on your year abroad where you’ll gain invaluable cultural and social perspectives. As a result, you will be in demand in fields such as:
- journalism and marketing
- TV and film production
- finance and industry.
Graduate destinations
Our recent American Studies graduates have started work as:
- Junior Account Executive, Alexandra Public Relations
- Fundraising and Social Media Officer, St Michael’s Fellowship
- Education Co-ordinator, Whitechapel Gallery
(School of Media, Arts and Humanities careers database)
Working while you study
Our Careers and Entrepreneurship team can help you find part-time work while you study. Find out more about career development and part-time work