The two components of this Joint Honours programme complement and reinforce one another. The History side of the programme offers significant breadth, with content ranging from late-medieval Spain, Tudor England and eighteenth-century Asia to Europe in the ‘age of extremes’ and the contemporary USA. Meanwhile, the American Studies part of the course means that your grasp of US history will be complemented by insights from other disciplines. By engaging with film, literature, music and politics, you will approach the American experience from different perspectives.

This dynamic and diverse course will provide you with a rich understanding of the past while enabling you to engage with present-day issues and challenges.

Our programme is designed to prepare you for the future: as someone who can think critically, communicate clearly and work effectively with others. You will learn to combine excellent research skills with the ability to analyse texts, to assess evidence and to weigh up different arguments. You will develop an understanding not only of the cultural, social and political dynamics of past societies and contemporary America, but of the modern world more generally. Your degree will enable you to become a valued contributor to the community and the wider world in which you live.

The versatile set of skills that you will develop through your studies is key to unlocking your success after graduation. Graduates from both our courses in both History and American Studies have gone onto careers in the civil service, journalism, teaching, advertising, marketing, PR and law.