History & Heritage Studies

Advantages: Great tutors, department is in the top 5 of the UK
Disadvantages: They assume you know lots about the subject

...I'm currently coming to the end of my second year at Keele university in the Midlands studying American Studies and History, and seeing as I've just done a review on the History side of things I thought I would do the same for American Studies. Opting to take history as a degree subject was fairly easy for me because I've always had a love for it, but my choice of American Studies was a little random, and even now I try to work out just why I did pick it... I guess I enjoy learning about American history more than anything else, but ho hum. Keele offers American Studies as a single degree and as part of the dual honours programme (which I do). So those on the single degree study more modules than those doing the dual. When you tell some people what your course is they think that American Studies is a bit like media studies - a bit... Read review

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Advantages: Interesting subjects, great tutors
Disadvantages: Limited choice in first year

...American Studies BA can be combined with: Biology, Business, Cities, Drama, Early Years, Education, English, Environmental Studies, European Studies, Family Studies, Geography, Health, Health & Safety, History, Identity Studies, Mathematics, Music, Psychology, Religion and Sociology. I studied it combined with English but in the final year I decided to major in American Studies. American Studies can also be studied for 4 years as a single honours subject. Things you may study: 1. Culture: - The transcendentalists. You are likely to touch upon Walt Whitman at least once, in particular by dipping into the Norton Anthology of American Literature. - The beat movement, including Jack Kerouac, William S. Burroughs, and Jazz. - The development & politicisation of rock music (Bob Dylan) - Underground comix - LSD... Read review

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Advantages: spending a year in North America, a variety of modular-based courses to choose from both within and outside of your department
Disadvantages: lots of reading to do

...Studies by itself then you will be essentially studying both American history/culture and literature combined. If you do just English Studies, there is a particular emphasis on Old Enlgish and other modules based on that line. So basically if you're not really a history person so to speak, or into Old English, but do have a liking for literature, then a joint honours degree is for you. In fact, a study of American literature adds a new dimension to studying literature at A-level (which mostly deal with English texts, at least in my case it was). Nottingham University assesses its students on its modular-based courses, in which you sit exams/submit courseworks in January and then in June, this in a way has its advantages because it means that there is likely to be less pressure and stress when exam leave comes around; the exams are split... Read review

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