University of Essex
American Studies (United States) (Including Year Abroad) BA (Hons)
University of Essex

Key Course Facts

Student Reviews

Below you can see course specific reviews of 145 graduates of American Studies (United States) (Including Year Abroad) BA (Hons) and other courses in Politics & International Relations at University of Essex for each of the survey questions in comparison to the average for all UK degree courses in Politics & International Relations.

Overall student satisfaction
83 /100
145 total respondents

Primarily based on data from undergraduate degree students.

The NSS is commissioned by the Office for Students

Salary

Salary of Graduates in Politics & International Relations

Important: Salary data below is not course specific, but contains data of all students of Politics & International Relations at the university. Due to data collection methodology, salary data is mainly based on data related to undergraduate students.

  15 months after graduation 3 years after graduation 5 years after graduation
Median salary £25000 £25000 £30000
25-75 percentile range £22500 - £30000 £20000 - £32000 £24500 - £38500


Salary of all UK Graduates of Politics & International Relations

  15 months after graduation 3 years after graduation 5 years after graduation
Median salary £25497 £24360 £29958
25-75 percentile range £21918 - £30092 £18967 - £30712 £22717 - £39904

Course Description

The complex and ever-changing American culture continues to fascinate. For well over a century, the US has been one of the most influential countries in the world, rising to be a world ‘superpower’ and dominating the world stage. Its commercial and cultural products are exported all over the world, from Silicon Valley and Hollywood, to jazz, blues and hip hop.

BA American Studies (United States) is for those with enthusiasm, passion and intellectual curiosity about all things American. At Essex, we offer you an opportunity to understand some of the diverse and paradoxical aspects of the US through interdisciplinary studies. The US – perhaps more than any other society – lends itself to interdisciplinary study; its literature and film are connected to its politics, its cultures are linked to its histories.

Crucially, you also spend either a term or a full academic year studying in the United States, so you can explore and become immersed in American culture.

The degree is built to be extremely flexible and student-led, and as you progress through the course you can choose from an enormous range of options from across the humanities and social sciences including:

  • Contemporary social issues, such as the struggles for racial justice
  • The legacies of slavery and the civil rights movement
  • Environmental protection of the ‘wilderness’ of the Far West
  • Native American histories and rights

Based within our Interdisciplinary Studies Centre (ISC), this course allows you to explore the many ways of understanding the American experience. You draw on multiple perspectives in order to reach a deeper understanding of the world we inhabit, opening up exciting possibilities to discover the American continent. The cities, vast open plains, mountains and deserts shape diverse and intriguing ways of life.

By encouraging you to think and operate across traditional boundaries, our American studies course has produced confident, assertive and intelligent graduates who have become successful in many professional fields.

Jobs & Career Perspectives

15 months after graduation, graduates of this course were asked about what they do and, if they are working, about their current job and their perspectives.

Current jobs

Required skill level of job after 15 months

Jobs of graduates of this course (15 months after graduation)

Example below based on all graduates of American Studies (United States) (Including Year Abroad) BA (Hons) at University of Essex

21% Business and public service associate professionals
14% Administrative occupations
13% Caring personal services
12% Managers, directors and senior officials
6% Sales occupations
6% Natural and social science professionals
5% Welfare Professionals
3% Science, engineering and technology associate professionals
3% Welfare and housing associate professionals
3% Sports and fitness occupations

Entry Requirements / Admissions

UCAS Tariff of Accepted Students for Politics & International Relations

Requirements for international students / English requirements

IELTS academic test score (similar tests may be accepted as well)

    • 6.5
    • Graduate Degrees
    • 6.0
    • Undergraduate Degrees
Get advice on which foundation courses are best for you to still study American Studies (United States) (Including Year Abroad), BA (Hons), if you do not meet the minimum requirements in terms of UCAS score, A levels, or English language requirements.

Costs

Tuition Fees American Studies (United States) (Including Year Abroad) BA (Hons)

England UK £9250 year 1
Northern Ireland £9250 year 1
Scotland £9250 year 1
Wales £9250 year 1
Channel Islands £9250 year 1
EU £18585 year 1
International £18585 year 1
Ireland £18585 year 1

Additional fee information

Fees displayed are for 2023-24 entry. Fees may increase for each academic intake and each academic year of study.

Average student cost of living in the UK

Rent £518
Water, gas electricity, internet (at home) £50
Supermarket shopping £81
Clothing £35
Eating out £33
Alcohol £27
Takeaways / food deliveries £30
Going out / entertainment (excl.alcohol, food) £24
Holidays and weekend trips £78
Transport within city £17
Self-care / sports £20
Stationary / books £13
Mobile phone / internet £13
Cable TV / streaming £7
Insurance £51
Other £95
  
Average student cost of living £1092

London costs approx 34% more than average, mainly due to rent being 67% higher than average of other cities. For students staying in student halls, costs of water, gas, electricity, wifi are generally included in the rental. Students in smaller cities where accommodation is in walking/biking distance transport costs tend to be significantly smaller.

How to apply

Application deadline:

January 1, 2025

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Possible Entry Points:

  • year 1 (Default entry point)
  • year 2

University Rankings

Positions of University of Essex in top UK and global rankings.

See all 27 university rankings of University of Essex

About University of Essex

The University of Essex, is a public, research university where curiosity prevails and thinking outside the box isn’t just encouraged, it’s expected. Based in the county of the same name, Essex, the main campus is located in Wivenhoe Park, near Colchester. It is home to the university’s three faculties, Humanities, Science & Health and Social Sciences, as well as a very large community of local rabbits, and other small fauna typical of the English countryside.

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Student composition of University of Essex

undergraduates:
12070
postgraduates:
3690
Total:
15760
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Where is this programme taught

Colchester Campus
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