American Studies, BA (Hons), with industry placement

This four-year BA programme offers an in-depth exploration of American culture, history, and politics, from colonisation to the Trump era. Students can customise their studies to focus on areas like film, music, race, gender, civil rights, urbanisation, and migration. Informed by cutting-edge research, the course features seminars with guest speakers and modules taught by visiting American professors. With over 150 American students at Swansea annually, opportunities for networking across the USA are plentiful. The third year includes an industry placement to build essential skills, while the programme fosters transferable abilities in communication, research, and problem-solving, leading to careers in education, marketing, government, and more.Swansea's American Studies ranks first in the UK for graduate prospects (Times Good University Guide 2024) and is based on a stunning campus overlooking Swansea Bay. The curriculum begins with compulsory modules on history, literature, and film, followed by optional choices in the second and fourth years, culminating in an independent dissertation. Assessment involves lectures, seminars, essays, exams, and presentations, emphasising independent learning and academic rigour.

Your first year will include a mixture of compulsory and optional modules, with examples of compulsory modules from recent years including: • American History and Politics • Introduction to American Literature and Culture • Hollywood: A History of American Film Your second year will comprise entirely optional modules from an expansive range of subject areas. Examples of optional modules in recent years have included: • Race and Ethnicity: American Perspectives • America in Crisis: From the Tet Offensive to Trump • The Making of Transatlantic America Your third year will be spent on an industrial placement. Your fourth and final year will include is almost entirely made of optional modules, allowing you to shape your own degree, alongside undertaking a compulsory independent dissertation project. For the full programme structure and module breakdown, please visit our webpage: www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/culture-communication/american-studies/ba-american-studies