The world loves American culture but is deeply distrustful of American power and politics. In Radboud University we offer critical insights into both. Our Master's Program gives students the opportunity to acquire solid expertise in relation to the concept of "America" in a variety of fields: US history, literature, culture (including popular culture, film, theater, and art) as well as political history, foreign policy, constitutional law and social science.

Radboud University distinguishes itself from other American Studies programs through its emphasis on the cultural and political relations between the United States, its neighbors, and Europe. True to the tradition of American Studies, our program teaches students to approach issues from different angles and to think in multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary ways. We also offer excellent internships thanks to our global network.... [-]

Basic modules:

Intermediary modules:

Advanced modules:

The sole American Studies graduate curriculum in the University System of Georgia, this program at Kennesaw State University enhances interdisciplinary, builds global learning and associated intercultural skills, and promotes civic engagement. The curriculum blends historical and place-based study with analysis of cultural products and requires to students to apply their learning in their personal and professional communities. The program is flexible, allowing students to pursue work that fits their own professional goals and interests. Our graduate program offers extensive training in scholarship and emphasizes innovative interdisciplinary approaches and collaboration among faculty and graduate students.... [-]

The American Studies Department offers several approaches to the MA.

Concentration options:

(NOTE: MA students in the above concentrations who matriculated between fall 2007 and fall 2009 are required to complete 36 credits of graduate coursework.)

All MA students must also successfully complete the research requirements and specific course requirements associated with their particular concentrations.

Candidates for admission to the MA program in American Studies should have taken at least one yearlong course beyond the introductory level in American Studies or American social, cultural or intellectual history in preparation for graduate study. Applicants lacking some of this background can be admitted to the program with the understanding that they will take the appropriate courses as prerequisites during the first academic year in which they are enrolled; such prerequisite courses, however, do not count toward degree requirements.... [-]

The Master of Arts programme in North and Latin American Studies combines North American and Latin American Studies into a single and unique syllabus which draws from a variety of academic disciplines and gives its students profound insight into the two Americas as distinct entities, as well as their global ties and relations. This answers to a rising demand for graduates with a broad academic background and specific knowledge of America, particularly at a time when North and South are growing together on many levels, while the gap between Europe and America is widening.

This is an accredited programme which has received the Seal of Quality of the Foundation for the Accreditation of Study Programmes in Germany.... [-]

The one-year, interdisciplinary and fully English taught Master program in American Studies offers exciting research seminars chosen from a wide range of theoretical, historical, social-political, and cultural approaches to the Americas.

It starts from the premise that 'America' was shaped as much by its art, folklore, commerce, education, science and religion as by its Constitution, political treaties and wars. None of the academic mono-disciplines (such as History, Literature, and Sociology) provides sufficient tools to give a comprehensive account of the complex dynamics of American culture. This is where American Studies comes in.

The core of this Master's degree is the investigation of nationhood and nationality and the dynamics of cultural change. In this way, the American Studies program at the University of Groningen distinguishes itself from similar programs elsewhere.... [-]

Because of the global reach of the United States, most Europeans have the impression that they "know" America, which is often perceived as a single culture, with little recognition of the complexity and variety that are characteristic of the nation.American Studies is a two year MA program that focuses on the world's leading superpower. It looks at culture, politics, economics, literature, and society in a country of more than 300 million inhabitants in fifty distinct states. American Studies is an interdisciplinary study that draws on several disciplines that must be included in order to ensure that students can understand and analyze American cultural identities and the changing relationship between the United States and the rest of the world.Through its cooperation with several departments at the University of Southern Denmark, American Studies offers you the opportunity to shape your study program by choosing electives in the participating programs, including literature, history, politics, and journalism. In the third semester, you also have the opportunity to go abroad to study in a European or American university through exchange agreements with selected institutions. The application form is available by clicking on the appropriate box in the upper right-hand corner of this page.This program is offered in English.... [-]

The 2-year MA program (Laurea magistrale) in English and American Studies at the University of Torino is a graduate program in the humanities focusing on English and North American language/linguistics, pieces of literature and cultures, analyzed in an interdisciplinary and comparative perspective.

Fully taught in English, the program prepares graduates who are professionally competent in English and have acquired an in-depth understanding of literature and cultures in English – i.e. British, North-American and postcolonial – as well as aspects of the history-shaping those cultures.

This program is part of the graduate degree program (“Laurea magistrale”) in Lingue e Letterature Moderne (LM-37).... [-]

In the one-year Master's programme in American Studies, you explore the history of the United States and its political, cultural, economic and military presence in the world, with an eye toward America in the world today.

American Studies at the University of Amsterdam is an interdisciplinary, English-language one-year Master’s programme. The programme attracts students from many academic backgrounds: history, cultural studies, literary criticism, media studies, and the social sciences. The lecturers are not only specialised in the field of American studies but also come from an extremely broad range of academic backgrounds, thereby ensuring that the courses are highly interdisciplinary. Guided directly by the academic staff, students will write an original thesis, drawing on their own interests and expertise.... [-]

For everyone who lives, works, or studies in Florida, the best way to understand our state and the issues we face is to put them in the context of our history and distinctive regional culture.

The Florida Studies Program brings together faculty from history, economics, geography, political science, anthropology, and other disciplines to create an integrated, in-depth exploration of our state’s changing identity as a part of the American South as well as a bridge to the Caribbean Basin.

From environmental policy and resource management to political challenges and immigration reform, Florida presents distinctive issues that merit close attention. Students from any discipline can benefit from Florida Studies courses as they prepare for careers ranging from urban planning to social work, from historic preservation to international business. For anyone who is interested in how our state fits into matters of regional and global significance, this program presents the ideal opportunity to use the State of Florida as a teaching and research laboratory.... [-]

The robust presence of the United States throughout the world, well observable in the contexts of politics, economy, and culture, calls for a body of experts who – aside from having excellent English language skills – have a specialised knowledge in the history, politics, society, culture, language, and literature of the United States. With this aim in mind, the MA programme in American Studies seeks to impart its graduates with the necessary theoretical knowledge and practical skills that can be fruitfully utilized in both private and public sector establishments interested in the communication and/or representation of American values and interests.

The two-year long programme does not confer teaching qualifications. Students are eligible for admission to Ph.D. programmes.... [-]

Taking an integrated approach to the study of the United States, the master's programme in North American Studies at Leiden University focuses on key areas in U.S. history, culture, and literature, with special attention to the influence of the past on contemporary social, political and cultural developments.

While the programme focuses on the U.S., you will also explore the role the U.S. plays in the region and in the world, as well as the impact of the region and the world on developments in the U.S.

Key areas of the programme

The key areas and major issues in the history, literature and culture of the U.S. that the programme explores in-depth include:

The two-year master‘s program in American Studies offers a comprehensive range of courses on US-American literature, history, and cultural and media studies. Conceptually, the program combines current research and teaching as well as diverse forms of self-study and academic training.

The program aims at fostering the skills relevant to both academic and professional life.

The program offers three complementary areas of study and research. “American Literature and Literary Criticism” covers American literature in the broadest sense and the practice of critical analysis. It deals with the reading and being read of the United States through diverse types of text. “American Culture and Cultural Studies” examines media such as films or images in terms of their cultural significance.... [-]

The Master of Arts in American studies program is designed to provide students with training in the content, theory, and methods for studying the history and culture of the United States and is designed to provide both training and experience in developing and implementing public humanities and educational programs. Special emphasis is placed on the application of the humanities in community, museum, and school settings.

The program offers a core of courses in American studies, art and literature, history, working-class studies, and public practice, along with opportunities to work in local museums, schools, community projects, and other public humanities programs. Courses for the program have been drawn from five different colleges, providing students the chance to gain a truly broad and diverse education while deepening their knowledge of American culture. The M.A. in American studies also offers a teaching track designed for secondary school teachers.... [-]

“Doing an MA in American Studies at the UCD Clinton Institute was one of the best decisions I have made. Each of the classes offered was interesting, engaging and left me with a deeper understanding of American political issues. I am now putting everything I learned at the Institute to good use by working in Washington DC and so I would definitely recommend the programme to anyone considering it” – Niamh Ní­ Aonghusa

Because of the United States’ unrivaled status in the world today, the debates on American values and the mission of American democracy have become a matter of global concern. This programme introduces students to the advanced study of American culture and politics, in both domestic and international contexts. It is a multidisciplinary programme that promotes the study of the interactions of cultural social and political factors. It aims to deepen and widen students’ knowledge of major topics and issues as well as to enable them to develop a significant measure of expertise in the subject chosen for the dissertation. The MA programme draws on the expertise of UCD faculty across a number of departments, as well as that of the Professor of American Studies and the contribution of visiting scholars.... [-]