Prospectus

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North American Studies

Master

In this programme you will study U.S. history, literature and culture, as part of an integrated approach to American Studies and with a special (though not exclusive) focus on themes such as immigration, race, ethnicity, and civil rights. This approach enables you to discover connections between historical events and cultural and literary developments, but the range of elective courses also makes it possible to specialise in either U.S. history or literature.

Courses

The program consists of four courses of 10 EC each:

(a) a required, interdisciplinary core course about Major Issues in American History and Culture
(b) three elective courses, which give a deepened understanding on some of the themes that are discussed in the Major Issues core course (total elective courses: 30 EC).

The program will be completed with a 20 EC master’s thesis.

Course EC Semester 1 Semester 2

First semester
Major Issues in American History and Culture (required) 10

Electives
The American Civil Rights Movement 10
Working Through 9/11: Literature, Film, and Memorial Culture in the Shadow of No Towers 10
Thesis Seminar

Second semester

Electives
Migration Matters: (Im)migration, Memory, and Identity in American Literature and Film 10
Elective: Exiles and Modernism: European and Mexican Emigré Writers and Artists in Southern California 10
Creating an Atlantic Community? Transatlantic Relations since WW II 10
Thesis Seminar
MA Thesis 20

Required course

Students who start in February take the following course instead of Major Issues in American History and Culture
Readings in American History 10