American Studies and Politics, BA (Hons)

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Course Overview

Studying American Studies and Politics involves exploring the culture, history and politics of the United States, the most influential country in the world, alongside British and European politics, public policy, political theory and philosophy. It addresses some of the most pressing issues in our contemporary world, including globalization and the struggles for racial justice. 

Our BA degree opens up a range of exciting career possibilities by helping you to develop transferable skills, which are highly valued by employers.

You will have the chance to study American history, literature, politics and culture, stretching from colonization to the present, and a range of politics topics from ancient philosophy and rhetoric to war and warfare in the modern world.

You can shape the degree to your own interests, whether in US popular culture and political protest or political theory and international peace and conflict. You also have the chance to study for a year or a semester in the United States, discovering the subject first hand.

Why American Studies and Politics at Swansea?

Based on our stunning Singleton Park campus, in parkland overlooking Swansea Bay on the edge of the Gower Peninsula, our American Studies and Politics degree is highly regarded by employers. It includes the option of studying in the United States for a semester or a year, further enhancing your student experience and career prospects. 

American Studies at Swansea is ranked:

  • 3rd in the Uk for Graduate Prospects (Times Good University Guide 2025)
  • Top 5 in the UK for Teaching Quality (Times Good University Guide 2025) 
  • 2nd in the UK for Student Experience (Times Good University Guide 2025)
  • 1st in the UK for Student Satisfaction (Complete University Guide 2025)
  • 5th in the UK for American Studies (Complete University Guide 2025)

 

Your American Studies and Politics Experience

We offer varied and flexible course content, so you can shape your American Studies and Politics degree to your own interests.

Topics include American film, music, race, gender, migration and urbanization, social, economic and military history, terrorism, or civil rights and political protest; conflict and peace, democracy, politics, philosophy, international relations, international security, public policy or political economy.

Teaching is informed by our world-leading interdisciplinary research in a wide range of subject areas, from civil rights, US foreign policy, and the Cold War to the American Civil War, contemporary US fiction, and the Harlem Renaissance.

During your time at Swansea University, you will have the opportunity to get involved in a wide range of clubs and societies. The American Studies Student Society organises a range of social and cultural events.

American Studies and Politics Employment Opportunities

The breadth of American Studies and History fosters transferable skills valued by employers, including creative thinking, critical awareness, team working, and advanced oral and written communication skills. American Studies and History graduates are known for their adaptability and creativity because the course requires students to make connections between disciplines and traditions.

Our graduates enter careers in a wide range of sectors including:

  • Education
  • Marketing
  • Government
  • Research
  • Events management

Modules

Your early studies will introduce you to the history, politics, culture and literature of America, as well as politics and international relations.

You will then choose your pathway by selecting modules to suit your own interests, before focusing in depth on your chosen research project to produce a dissertation.

American Studies and Politics, BA (Hons)

American Studies and Politics with a Year Abroad, BA (Hons)