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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 U.S. politics, international relations, immigration, civil rights, racial, ethnic, national identities and memory. 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 and culture. The focus of the program is on the United States, but not in isolation: in this programme we also study U.S. history, politics, and culture in an international context.

Courses

Vak EC Semester 1 Semester 2

First & second semester
Thesis Seminar North American Studies 0
MA Thesis North American Studies 20
Internship North American Studies (optional) 10

First semester

Required course
Major Issues in American History and Culture 10

Electives
Working Through 9/11: Literature, Film, and Memorial Culture 10
Redemption Songs: African-American Freedom Struggles From Slavery to the Present 10

Second semester

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

Electives
Migration Matters: (Im)migration, Memory, and Identity in American Literature and Film 10
The Rise and Decline of American Empire 10

More info

Programme information

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 U.S. politics, international relations, immigration, civil rights, racial, ethnic, national identities and memory. 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 and culture. The focus of the program is on the United States, but not in isolation: in this programme we also study U.S. history, politics, and culture in an international context.

The programme consists of four courses of 10 ec each and an MA thesis (20 ec), 60 ec total:

  • a required, interdisciplinary core course about Major Issues in American History and Culture (10 ec);
    students who start in February take the following course instead of Major Issues in American History and Culture: Readings in American History;

  • 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);

    • students can opt to take do an internship (10 ec) or one elective course outside the North American Studies programme;

  • the programme will be completed with a 20 ec master’s thesis (including thesis seminar).