About American Studies

What Is American Studies?

American Studies combines the insights and practices of several branches of knowledge in the arts and social sciences as they bear upon a single topic, the people and culture of the United States of America. Historically, the study of America as a country has been of interest to scholars all over the world, and the discipline is now offered at major international universities.

Throughout its history, American Studies has been energized by debates over how to define itself and how its work should be conducted. In response to such concerns, voices emerging from within American Studies are seeking to move the field in emancipatory, multicultural directions. The American Studies Programme at the University of Canterbury takes account of these developments by placing special emphasis on such areas as the representation of race, gender, class, and ethnicity, the thought and writing of African Americans, the recognition of postmodernism as the definitive trend of our times, and American conceptions of "deviance."

The programme also offers classes on such topics as recent American literature, popular culture and film, and the frontier tradition. Two core courses, designed for majors and prospective honours and postgraduate students, provide a framework in which to apply the diverse approaches and varied subjects that together constitute American Studies.

What can you do with a degree in American Studies?

Students interested in developing broad-ranging analytical skills relevant to a number of potentially rewarding occupations should consider American Studies. Studying the past and present nature of American culture(s) will help you to recognize connections among complex materials and diverse phenomena in both an American and a cross-cultural context. The interdisciplinary skills acquired will be advantageous for careers in business, marketing, teaching, and particularly for fields with a global dimension: telecommunications, the mass media, international relations, and diplomatic service. Besides providing a rich liberal arts education, the major is also a solid background for graduate work in the discipline or in related fields.

Former graduates in American Studies at Canterbury are now employed in communication and media, diplomacy and government, journalism, and university teaching. Others are pursuing further postgraduate study here in New Zealand and abroad, in such areas as American civilization, English, comparative literature, and media and cultural studies.