AMERICAN STUDIES AT KEELE
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Single Honours
Dual Honours
Major/Minor
Single Honours English &
American Literatures
2012 entry
2014/15 entry
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Overview
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American Studies: our history and philosophy
Our degree programmes and degree structure
Year 1 and Year 2
Opportunities to study abroad
Year 3
Staff
Learning, teaching and assessment
Sources of support
Distinctive features
Other facilities
Careers
Further information
American Studies – our history &
philosophy
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Keele pioneered American Studies
Multi- and inter-disciplinary study
Key global role of U.S.
Internationalism
Generic and transferable skills
Our degree programmes
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Single Honours American Studies
Dual Honours American Studies with another
principal subject (History, English …)
Single Honours English & American Literatures
Major in American Studies (minor in the other
principal subject)
Minor in American Studies (major in the other
principal subject eg. LLB Law with American
Studies)
Degree structure
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Three years – 120 credits a year
Two semesters per year – 60 credits a semester
Four 15 credit modules a semester
Core modules in American literature, history, film and politics
Elective modules approved as part of the programme
Elective modules in foreign languages, topics of general
interest, studying abroad, volunteering, employability skills
Single Honours – 255 credits (17 modules)
Dual Honours – 120 credits (8 modules)
Major route – 240 credits (16 modules)
Minor route – 90 credits (6 modules)
Year 1 Single Honours
Core modules (compulsory)
Semester 1
• A Beginner’s Guide to Contemporary America
• Starting Out: An Introduction to American Literature
Semester 2
• New York, New York: An Introduction to American Culture
EITHER
• The American Past: Explorations in US History
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• Debates in American Politics
Year 1 Single Honours
Elective modules (optional)
• Mass media in America
• Historical research and writing
• Reading Film
• Transatlantic Gothic: C19 English & American Literatures
• Approaches to Film
The American Past and Debates in American Politics are also
available as electives
Year 1 Dual Honours
Core modules
Semester 1: A Beginner’s Guide
Semester 2: New York, New York
Elective modules
Starting Out / Reading Film / Historical Research and Writing /
Mass Media in America
The American Past / Transatlantic Gothic / Approaches to Film /
Debates in American Politics
Year 2, Semester 1 American Studies
Choose at least two from:
Burning Crosses: Religion and American Culture
/ History of the US in the Twentieth Century /
The Romance of Fiction: History and Society in
C19 American Literature / Atlantic Frontier: From
Empires to Independence / Twentieth Century
Novels into Films / Aspects of the Novel 17401930 / Imperialism and Empire / Global Political
Economy / The UN in World Politics / U.S.
Government and Politics
Year 2, Semester 2 American Studies
Choose at least two from:
The Detective and the American City /
Alfred Hitchcock’s America / History of the
American West / From Modernity to
Counter-Culture: American Literature and
Social Criticism in the C20 / The New World
in Chains: Slavery and the Bonds of Race in
America, 1619-1877 / Why Policy Changes
/ Historical Sources and Debates / Power
in the Modern World / Politics and Cinema
/ Analysing Culture / Peace, Conflict and
Security / Globalisation and its Discontents
Opportunities to study abroad
• Go to the USA, Canada, or Europe
• Fine to stay at Keele
• One semester (dual honours) or two semester option for single
honours (pay one semester fees only)
• Selection by competition and interview
• Compulsory Year 1 module in Intercultural Communication
• Tuition, accommodation and books at Keele rates
• Special insurance rates
• High season travel expenses
• Return with transcript and portfolio
• Grades count towards Keele degree
• More specialized regional modules
Opportunities to study abroad
Campus and urban university settings:
Appalachian State, Ball State, Bowling Green
State, Colorado State, Loyola, Minnesota
State, Oklahoma State, Old Dominion,
Maryland, North Carolina (Greensboro or
Wilmington), North Texas, San Diego State,
Southern Mississippi, Southern Maine, San
Antonio, Knoxville, Salt Lake City, Willamette
Alberta, British Columbia, Brock, Montreal,
Dalhousie, Guelph, Memorial, Ottawa,
Toronto, Windsor, York
Year 3
• 60 credits a semester
• Must do one year-long 30 credit
Independent Study Project (e.g. a
dissertation) plus 3 modules each
semester)
• Can do two ISPs (plus 2 modules each
semester)
• ISPs available in American Studies,
English Literature, Creative Writing and
all other principals
Year 3 American Studies
Choose from:
Social Thought and Social Movements in the U.S. / Film Noir: the Dark
Side of America / Silence, Strength, and Sentiment: Gender and Sexuality
in C19 American Literature / The Politics and Cultures of the Death Penalty
/ Postcolonial and World Literature in English / The U.S. Presidency /
Streets, Skyscrapers and Slums / Conspiracy!
Words and Pictures: The Contemporary American Graphic Novel / Under
God: Religion and Society in the U.S. since World War Two / `Eyes on the
Prize’: The Struggle for Civil Rights in America / High Culture: Drink, Drugs
and the American Dream / Postmodernism: Fiction, Film and Theory / The
Canadian Metropolis / Protest and Social Movements / Environmental
Politics in the U.S. / US Education Politics and Policy
Year 3 Independent Study Projects
• 30-credit American Studies
dissertation (10,000 words)
• Work spread over 2 semesters
• Structured programme of lectures,
group meetings, individual
supervision
• Choose your topic and work
autonomously with expert guidance
• Culminating piece of work;
preparation for postgraduate studies
Core Staff
Professor Ian Bell – American modernism
Professor Oliver Harris – Twentieth-century American literature and film
Dr Tim Lustig – American literature, nineteenth century to contemporary
Dr James Peacock – Contemporary American literature
Dr Laura Sandy – Colonial history; slavery; Civil Rights
Professor Axel Schaefer – Twentieth-century American history; evangelicalism
Learning and teaching
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Lectures
Seminars
Workshops
Individual consultation
Individual supervision
Extracurricular events
and activities
Assessment
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Essays
Examinations
Tutorial performance
Formative exercises
Portfolios
Oral presentations
Dissertations
Sources of support
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Programme Director
Personal Tutor
Module Tutors
KLE via Hallsnet or Wifi (eVision, Blackboard, online texts and
documents, quizzes, Chat facilities, assignments,
announcements and much more)
Staff-Student Liaison Committee
Life and Learning team in Student Support and Development
Services
Resident tutors in each hall
Student Union Independent Advice Unit
Distinctive Features
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Flexible and varied programmes
Interesting and challenging modules
Specialize or range widely
Study abroad opportunities
Research-active staff
Development of subject-specific, generic and
transferable skills
A supportive team of tutors who will get to
know you as an individual
Other facilities
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Library
IT provision
Undergraduate Resource Centre
Drama society
Keele Writing
Visiting speakers and writers
Film and theatre trips
Extensive and attractive campus environment
Modern and well-equipped teaching rooms
Careers
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Tracking graduate destinations
High proportion of graduates in employment
Teaching, management, postgraduate
studies, media and journalism, law and
government, financial and business…
Close relationship with Careers Service,
including dedicated seminars for English
students
Further information
http://www.keele.ac.uk/americanstudies
for news and events, full programme specifications,
module outlines and more…
Programme Director: Dr James Peacock
j.h.peacock@keele.ac.uk