Learning Outcomes

Students who follow this programme will:

* develop a knowledge and understanding of the roles played by various forms of writing in reflecting and influencing key elements of American cultural and political identity, from colonisation to the present day;
* deepen their knowledge and understanding of selected themes and topics in a way that enables them to select and execute an independent piece of research;
* develop a familiarity with the variety of methodologies that can be used to map the literary contours of America, so as to acquire a critical understanding of some of the ways in which its writing has been conceptualised and understood by scholars, past and present;
* comprehend the methodological issues and problems of literary and cultural research and analysis, equipping them with experience of creating original academic work to underpin (where appropriate) further interdisciplinary research at PhD level.

How You Will Be Taught Students will undertake a seminar based programme of research methods training in core research skills and subject-specific methodologies. They will also take two option courses covering areas of American literature and culture related to their chosen fields and will write two extended essays in relation to these courses. The course includes a 15,000-word dissertation, completed under the supervision of one or more of the programme tutors.