English Literature and American Studies BA (Hons)

How will I learn during the English Literature & American Studies BA (Hons) degree course?

In your first year, the core modules ‘Representing the US: From Slavery to Terrorism’, ‘Introduction to American Studies’ and ‘Contemporary America’ will provide you with a grounding in the variety of methods and approaches that make up American Studies. At the same time, the core modules ‘Introduction to Literary Studies’, ‘Concepts in Criticism and Culture’ and ‘Talking Texts’ will help you to question and challenge your pre-university understanding of literature.

In your second and third years, you will also have the opportunity to choose from a range of optional modules, allowing you to specialise in areas that suit your individual interests. American Studies optional modules cover a wide range of topics in American history, politics, literature, film and TV, while English Literature options allow you to explore in depth specific periods, themes and genres.

Teaching will be in a variety of formats, including lectures, seminars and tutorials. You will have the opportunity to work alongside your fellow students in small group exercises and discussions, which will provide an opportunity for extensive peer and tutor feedback throughout your learning.

In your third year, you will have the option to study abroad for a semester or a full year on an exchange programme with one of our North American partner institutions. You will also have the opportunity to turn your degree into a four-year programme, with an additional placement year in industry or on a study abroad exchange programme.

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Who teaches the BA (Hons) English Literature & American Studies course?

Our course is taught by leading scholars in the fields of English Literature and American Studies. The enthusiasm, experience, and expertise of our academic staff will ensure that your student journey is both intellectually challenging and enjoyable.

Members of our academic staff play an active role in the British Association for American Studies, which promotes and supports the academic study of the Americas. Our English department manages and edits the internationally recognised journal English on behalf of the English Association. Staff from across the American Studies and English teams are actively involved in shaping new, twenty-first century understandings of the Humanities, and this helps students to reflect on the value and significance of their undergraduate studies.

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Where will I learn throughout my English Literature & American Studies degree?

Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) is embedded throughout the course with tools such as the ‘Blackboard’ eLearning Portal and electronic reading lists that will guide your preparation for seminars and independent research. The use of TEL enables us to ‘flip’ our classrooms where appropriate, so that contact time is focused on answering questions and applying what you have already learnt.

The 24/7 University Library achieves some of the highest levels of student satisfaction in the UK and has held the Cabinet Office accreditation for Customer Service Excellence since 2010.

There are over half a million print books and another 500,000 electronic books available online. Further facilities, including a resource room, specialist computing equipment and interview rooms, are available at the Institute for the Humanities, in the University’s Lipman Building.

How is research applied to teaching throughout my degree?

At Northumbria we offer research-led teaching: our staff are active researchers in their fields, who draw on their own specific interests to develop original and cutting-edge modules. Major research interests within our teaching team include: African-American history and culture (including the Civil Rights Movement and the Black Panthers); Modernist fiction and poetry; American periodical culture; and gender and sexuality in literature and culture.

The course will allow you to develop your own independent research skills from the outset. In Year One, you will receive guidance and support from staff to help you develop your own research question and produce a short essay on your chosen topic in ‘Introduction to American Studies’. In Year Two, you will produce a longer piece of independent research in the American Studies Extended Essay. These essays will prepare you for your most sustained research project, the dissertation. The dissertation will allow you to formulate a sophisticated answer to a complex research problem, and you will receive expert supervision from the most appropriate member of our academic team.

How will this degree provide me with the skills needed for my career?

The English Literature and American Studies programme produces graduates who are equipped with excellent practical and transferable skills, such as flexibility, motivation and the ability to communicate effectively in different formats. The programme will foster your intellectual curiosity and help you to become a critical, independent and creative thinker. You will learn to combine excellent research skills with the ability to analyse texts and language closely. You will develop an understanding not only of the cultural, social, political and historical dynamics of North 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 you will develop through your studies will be the key to unlocking your success after graduation. Graduates from both our current English Literature and American Studies courses have gone onto careers in publishing, journalism, teaching, advertising and marketing.