International Relations and American Studies, BA (Hons)

Studying American Studies and International Relations at Swansea University allows students to delve into the culture, history, politics, and economics of the United States, alongside global and regional issues. This three-year BA degree, including a year abroad, equips graduates with transferable skills for careers in education, government, marketing, and more, with alumni working for organizations like the Labour Party and PriceWaterhouseCoopers. The program ranks first in the UK for graduate prospects, fifth for teaching quality, and eighth for student experience (Times Good University Guide 2024), and features a unique Parliamentary Studies module with visits to Westminster.The curriculum covers topics from US colonization to modern politics, including international relations themes like globalization and human rights. Students can opt for a year at an American university or a work placement with the Welsh Parliament. Modules blend compulsory and optional courses, such as Introduction to International Relations and Global Justice, assessed through essays, exams, and innovative methods like case studies. Teaching draws from world-leading research and guest speakers, fostering a vibrant academic environment.

"We offer varied and flexible course content, so you can shape your International Relations and American Studies degree to your own interests. Your first year of your undergraduate International relations and American Studies with a Year Abroad BA (Hons) will introduce you to the history, politics, culture and literature of America, as well as international relations and politics. The majority of first year modules will be compulsory, excamples of recent compulsory modules include:

• Introduction to International Relations

• War and Peace in the Nuclear Age

• American Politics and Society

• The American Experience 1492-2000

Your second year of degree studies will include a mixture of compulsory and optional modules covering a broad range of themes. Examples of optional modules covered in recent years include:

• Global Justice and Human Rights

• Contemporary Moral Controversies

• America in Crisis: Political Culture and Society from the Tet Offensive to Trump

• Race and Ethnicity: American Perspectives

In your final year you will complete an independent dissertation project or you have the competitive option of undertaking a work placement module with the Sennedd Cymru/ Welsh Parliament. You will also complete You will also complete a compulsory group work project plus optional modules chosen from a wide variety of subject areas. Examples of optional modules from recent years include:

• Politics and International Development

• Shadow Wars: US Presidents and covert action from the Cold War to Trump

• The Story of the USA on Film and Television, 1865–2008

• The Aftermaths of War

For the full programme structure and module breakdown, please visit our webpage at https://www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/social-sciences/politics-philosophy-international-relations/ba-international-relations-american-studies-year-abroad/ or get in touch with us at study@swansea.ac.uk "