American Studies (Latin America)

Description

Kent provides a blend of established staples in American Studies such as the Civil War, slavery and contemporary politics, along with innovative modules on Native American literature, US environmental issues, and Latin American history and culture (including a Spanish language option). A wide range of modules are on offer in both three- and four-year programmes.

This programme is a four-year degree (with one year abroad) and specialises in Latin American history. We offer alternative American Studies degrees, all with the option of spending time at a US university. Each programme allows you to shape your degree into something unique and challenging, for more details, see 'related to this course' below.

The University of Kent has been teaching and researching in the field of American Studies since 1973. The programme is taught by an impressive range of internationally recognised scholars who specialise in American film, literature, history and politics. Students are encouraged to visit the United States or Latin America through our exchange system.

Independent rankings

In the National Student Survey 2013, American Studies achieved a 100% satisfaction rating for the second year running. And, American Studies at Kent was ranked 4th in The Times Good University Guide 2014 and 6th in The Complete University Guide 2014.

Detailed Course Facts

Application deadline January 15 Tuition fee

• GBP 9000 Year (EEA)
• GBP 12450 Year (Non-EEA)

Start date September 2015 Credits (ECTS) 180 ECTS
Duration full-time 48 months Languages Take an IELTS test

• English

Delivery mode On Campus Educational variant Full-time

Course Content

The course structure below gives a flavour of the modules that will be available to you and provides details of the content of this programme. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation. Most programmes will require you to study a combination of compulsory and optional modules, you may also have the option to take ‘wild’ modules from other programmes offered by the University in order that you may customise your programme and explore other subject areas of interest to you or that may further enhance your employability.

Stage 1

Possible modules may include:

EN303 - Introduction to American Studies
LS300 - Learning Spanish 3 (Post A Level)
LS302 - Intensive Learning Spanish 1 (Beginners)
LS312 - Introduction to Hispanic Culture
LS313 - Introduction to Hispanic Culture
PO305 - International History and International Relations
PO327 - Introduction to Comparative Politics
HA314 - The Shock of the Now: Themes in Contemporary Art
HA315 - The Shock of the Now: Themes in Contemporary Art
HA318 - Now That Is Art! Aesthetics and the Visual Arts
HI390 - The Emergence of America:From European Settlement to 1880
HI391 - The Rise of the United States Since 1880
HI426 - Making History: Theory and Practice
LS308 - The Modern Spanish-American Short-Story (in translation)
HI300 - Introduction to Literature and Science
EN325 - Critical Practice
EN308 - Romanticism and Critical Theor

You have the opportunity to select wild modules in this stage

Year abroad

Students on the four-year programmes spend a year between Stages 2 and 3 at one of our partner universities in South America taking specialist courses.

Modules are usually taught by lectures and seminars or by seminars alone. You usually have around ten hours of contact with staff each week. Depending on the modules you select, assessment varies from 100% coursework (extended essay or dissertation) to a combination of examination and coursework.

Programme aims

The programme aims to:

• provide teaching informed by research and scholarship
• encourage flexibility and multidisciplinarity in the study of the Americas
• build on close ties within Europe with the United States and Latin America through its year abroad of study
• provide learning opportunities that involve realistic workloads within a research-led framework and offer appropriate support for students from a diverse range of backgrounds
• introduce students to the history, culture and politics of the Americas, and encourage them to identify and develop their own interests and expertise in fields of the humanities
• develop independent critical thinking and judgement in its students
• enable students to develop their capacity to learn, be prepared for employment or further study
• introduce students to Area Studies, in an era of globalisation and multiculturalism
• provide the opportunity to experience higher education in another culture.

Note on nomenclature: following current American Studies custom, any references to ‘America’ refers to North and South America and not simply the United States of America. Similarly ‘the Americas’ refers to both continents.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding

You gain knowledge and understanding of:

• the culture of the US and Latin America from colonial times to the 20th century
• methodical practices associated with research and study of American Studies
• the study of American Studies in relation to other disciplines
• terminology used in work in American Studies
• the similarities and differences between areas, thus fostering cross-cultural and international perspectives
• the cultural diversity of the Americas
• the problems inherent in the cultural record itself, and the limits within which interpretation is possible
• the Spanish language in all its aspects, by extensive reading in Spanish and the use of Spanish as a spoken and written medium.

Intellectual skills

You gain the following intellectual abilities:

• the skills needed for academic study and inquiry
• how to evaluate research findings
• the ability to synthesise information from a number of sources to gain a coherent understanding of critical theory and general methodology
• the ability to discriminate and select relevant information from a wide source and large body of knowledge
• problem-solving skills
• how to communicate effectively in Spanish and another Iberian language for a range of purposes and audiences
• develop language skills in three related areas: reception (listening and reading), production (speaking and writing) and mediation between at least two languages (translation and interpreting)
• the ability to mediate and display qualities of empathy in an intercultural context.

Subject-specific skills

You gain specific skills in the following:

• the close critical analysis of documents of American culture
• an informed understanding of the variety of critical and theoretical approaches to the study of history
• the ability to articulate knowledge and understanding of texts, concepts and theories relating to historical studies
• appropriate scholarly practice in the presentation of formal written work
• the ability to understand a multi-disciplinary academic subject, with its array of literature, history and other discourses
• the ability to combine various academic discourses such as literature and history to forge an inter-disciplinary understanding
• how to construct an independent, research-led argument
• to read texts and other source materials critically and empathetically while addressing questions of genre, content, perspective and purpose.

Transferable skills

You gain transferable skills in the following:

• communication: how to organise information clearly, respond to written sources, present information orally,adapt style for different audiences and the use of images as a communication tool
• the ability to assimilate and organise substantial quantities of complex information
• IT skills such as how to produce written documents, undertake online research and process information using databases
• work co-operatively on group tasks and understand how groups function
• explore personal strengths and weaknesses, time management, review working environment, develop specialist learning skills and autonomy in learning
• problem solving, explore alternative solutions and discriminate between them
• communication skills in the Spanish language.

English Language Requirements

IELTS band : 6.5

To study at this university, you have to speak English. We advice you to

take an IELTS test. More About IELTS

Requirements

Home/EU students

The University will consider applications from students offering a wide range of qualifications, typical requirements are listed below, students offering alternative qualifications should contact the Admissions Office for further advice. It is not possible to offer places to all students who meet this typical offer/minimum requirement.

Qualification Typical offer/minimum requirement A level

ABB

Access to HE Diploma

The University of Kent will not necessarily make conditional offers to all access candidates but will continue to assess them on an individual basis. If an offer is made candidates will be required to obtain/pass the overall Access to Higher Education Diploma and may also be required to obtain a proportion of the total level 3 credits and/or credits in particular subjects at merit grade or above.

BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (formerly BTEC National Diploma)

The university will consider applicants holding BTEC National Diploma and Extended National Diploma Qualifications (QCF; NQF;OCR) on a case by case basis please contact us via the enquiries tab for further advice on your individual circumstances.

International Baccalaureate

34 points overall or 16 points at HL

International students

The University receives applications from over 140 different nationalities and consequently will consider applications from prospective students offering a wide range of international qualifications. Our International Development Office will be happy to advise prospective students on entry requirements.

Work Experience

No work experience is required.

Related Scholarships*

• Academic Excellence Scholarship

  "The Academic Excellence Scholarship can provide up to a 50 % reduction in tuition per semester. These scholarships will be renewed if the student maintains superior academic performance during each semester of their 3-year Bachelor programme. The scholarship will be directly applied to the student’s tuition fees."

• Access Bursary

  Bursary for UK students all subjects where the variable tuition fee rate is payable.

• Alumni Bursary

  Alumni Bursary for UK Undergraduate students

* The scholarships shown on this page are suggestions first and foremost. They could be offered by other organisations than University of Kent.