Undergraduate Degree Courses

The American (US) Studies Centre at the University of Essex offers three undergraduate degree courses. All the courses share a set of Core Modules and  include a compulsory Study Abroad  component.  The courses offer considerable flexibility whilst sharing a core structure.  The courses will differ in the range and type of modules offered and according to individual requirements and emphases.  Students may take modules from a set of American Studies Options as well as the set of modules offered for each particular course (please note, optional modules are subject to change).

• BA American (US) Studies (3yrs)
• BA American (US) Studies (4yrs)
• BA Criminology and American Studies (3yrs)
• BA Criminology and American Studies (4yrs)
• BA American (US) Studies with Film (3yr)
• BA American (US) Studies with Film (4yr)

BA American (US) Studies (3 year)

Year One:

1. CS101 The Enlightenment (core module)
2. LT161 Introduction to US Literature (core module)
   AND GV163 Introduction to US Politics (core module)
3. HR162 Introduction to US History (core module)
   AND SC164 Introduction to US Sociology (core module)
4. One 1st Year Option (Option list C)

In order to proceed to year two students must achieve passes in all core modules - Introduction to the United States: Literature, History, Politics and Sociology (CS101, LT161,GV163, HR162, SC164). Student must also achieve First Year Grade Point Average equivalent to 2.8 (53%) required by United States institutions for Study Abroad.

Year Two:

1. CS261 - US Studies Second Year Seminar (compulsory module)
2. One One United States Option
3. One One United States Option in a different discipline.
4. One Outside Option.

Details of optional modules.

Year Three:

Autumn Term: students will take a one semester placement at an Exchange partner institution in the United States. Students will take the equivalent of four upper division modules. Choice of modules are subject to the approval of the Course Director.

Spring Term: students return to Essex for the Spring term and take the equivalent of four half-modules at final year level comprising:

1. CS461-6-SP  Final Year American Studies seminar (compulsory module) (15 credits)
2. One United States spring term Option (15 credits)
3. One United States Option in a discipline not taken in second year. (15 credits)
4. One Outside Option or a United States Option (15 credits)

Alternatively:

1. CS461-6-SP Final Year American Studies seminar (compulsory)  (15 credits)
2. One United States Option in a discipline not taken in second year (15 credits)
3. CS831-6-FY Dissertation  (30 credits)

Please note, if students wish to enrol onto CS831 Final Year Dissertation then it is a pre-requisite that students complete CS241 Doing Research for a BA Dissertation during the spring term of the second year.

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BA American (US) Studies (4 year)

Year One

1. CS101 The Enlightenment (core module)
2. LT161 Introduction to US Literature (core module)
   AND GV163 Introduction to US Politics (core module)
3. HR162 Introduction to US History (core module)
   AND SC164 Introduction to US Sociology (core module)
4. One 1st Year Option (option list C)

In order to proceed to year two students must achieve passes in all core modules - Introduction to the United States: Literature, History, Politics and Sociology (CS101, LT161,GV163, HR162, SC164). Student must also achieve First Year Grade Point Average equivalent to 2.8 (53%) required by United States institutions for Study Abroad.

Year Two

1. CS261 - US Studies 2nd Year Seminar Seminar (compulsory module)
2. One United States Option
3. One United States Option in a different discipline.
4. One Outside Option.

Details of optional modules.

Year Three

The third academic year of the course is spent following a programme of study in the US (approved in advance by the Director of the course) and normally comprises 3 or 4 modules per semester - carrying a minimum of 12 credits in the US (visa requirement). Marks obtained in the US will be converted to the equivalent of Essex marks in accordance with a scale reviewed and published annually.

Year Four

1. CS461-6-FY Final Year American Studies seminar (compulsory)
2. One United States Option in a discipline not taken in 2nd year.
3. One Outside Option (non-United States) or a second United States Option
4. Dissertation or one United States Option.

Please note, if students wish to enrol onto CS831 Final Year Dissertation then it is a pre-requisite that students complete CS241 Doing Research for a BA Dissertation during the spring term of the second year.

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BA Criminology and American Studies (4 year - 3 year version also available)

One of the defining features of the United States is that it is a nation which holds over five five million or more of its citizens in confinement on any given day. American criminological ideas and practices heavily influence global approaches to crime and its control. The US is not only the major global innovator in formulating policy responses to crime and disorder, but also a prime producer of images of crime and punishment in works of fiction, film, and art.

This degree course aims to build on two successful courses, BA Sociology and Criminology and BA American Studies to create a multidisciplinary course that will provide students with a unique opportunity to spend a year in the United States taking modules in Criminal Justice, Sociology of Crime, and Cultural Representations of Crime, for example, and to undertake internships in various local criminal justice agencies.

Course Objectives

• Students will acquire a multi-disciplinary understanding of the place of crime and criminology in general and in U.S. society in particular.
• Students will acquire a detailed knowledge of the culture, society and politics of the United States in a comparative framework.
• Students will be given a thorough grounding in sociological theories and techniques.
• Students will acquire the skills to live and work independently in the United States and to experience at first hand what they have learnt in theory.
• Students will have the capacity to show self-reliance, mature adaptability, an understanding of relations between ethnic groups and the intercultural skills necessary to negotiate work successfully in a different educational system and environment.

Year One 

1. CS101 The Enlightenment (core module 30 credits)
2. SC104 Introduction to Crime, Law and Society (core module 30 credits)
3. GV163 Introduction to US Politics (core module 15 credits) and
   SC164 Introduction to US Sociology (core module 15 credits)
4. LT161 Introduction to US Literature and HR162 Introduction to US History OR SC111 Sociology and the Modern World  (core module 30 credits)

In order to proceed to year two students must achieve passes in all core modules - (CS101, SC104, GV163, SC164). Student must also achieve First Year Grade Point Average equivalent to 2.8 (53%) required by United States institutions for Study Abroad.

1. CS261 United States Studies (compulsory module 30 credits)
2. SC242 Sociology of Crime and Control (compulsory module 30 credits)
3. SC206-5-AU Crime, Media and Culture AND SC205-5-SP Punishment, Justice and Modernity
4. One One United States Studies option (30 credits)

Year Three (3 year course = one term abroad)

To be spent following an approved course of study at an Exchange Partner university selected from the exchanges currently in use for the BA American (United States) Studies degree scheme. The work of the Study Abroad period will be assessed and will count towards the final degree mark.

Year Four

1. SC361 American (compulsory module 30 credits)
2. SC304 Criminological Imagination (compulsory module 30 credits)
3. CS461 Final Year American Studies seminar (compulsory module 30 credits)
4. CS831 (30 credits)* or one United States Studies Option.

Please note, if you students wish to enrol onto CS831 Final Year Dissertation then it is a pre-requisite that students complete CS241 Doing Research for a BA Dissertation during the spring term of the second year.

*The Dissertation must be on a Criminology theme.

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BA American (US) Studies with Film (4 year - 3 year version also available)

Year One

1. LT161 Introduction to US Literature (core half module)
   AND  GV163 Introduction to US Politics (core half option)
2.  HR162 Introduction to US History (core half module)
   AND SC164 Introduction to US Sociology (core half option)
3.  LT121 Introduction to Film (core full year module)
4. CS101 The Enlightenment or  first year option from list C.

Year Two

1. CS261-5-FY American (US) second year seminar (compulsory module)
2. One United States option
3. One United States option in a different discipline
4. One Film Studies option

For details on optional modules.

Year Three (3 year course = one term abroad)

Year three to be spent following an approved course of study at an exchange partner university selected from the exchanges currently in use for the BA American (United States) Studies degree course.

The work of the Study Abroad period will be assessed and will count towards the final degree mark.

Year Four

1. CS461-6-FY American Studies Final Year seminar  (compulsory module)
2. One United States Studies option in a discipline not studied in Year 2.
3. A Film Studies option
4. CS831 American (US) Studies Dissertation or one United States option. 

Please note, if you want to enrol onto Final Year Dissertation then it is a pre-requisite that you enrol onto CS241 Doing Interdisciplinary Research during the spring term of your second year.

The External Examiner for the American (US) Studies degrees and modules is Professor Richard Ellis - University of Birmingham.

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