Our Graduates, 2014-2024
A degree in American Studies from the University of Manchester provides you with the knowledge, perspective, and skills to embark on a successful, and rewarding career in the global workplace of the twenty-first century.
Over the past decade, and well beyond, graduates of our programmes have entered into a diverse array of fields, including the legal profession, publishing, media production, teaching, journalism, logistics planning, and arts administration, and many now occupy commanding positions in those fields.
American Studies, and our joint degrees with English Literature or History, allow students to explore a wide array of topics, inviting them to think about the American past and its contemporary presence. All of our degrees immerse students in the politics of the present, and more widely in global affairs. We let students think seriously about global media,andto engage with a diverserange of cultural materials, including film, music, photography, and literature.
My degree in American Studies at The University of Manchester gave me the international outlook that has been the foundation of my career.
Samantha Marsland / (AS ‘15)
It is a reflection of what and how we teach that our students emerge confident of their ability to convey their thoughts with clarity on the page and in person. Our courses give them opportunity to improve as writers, to think about some of the most pressing contemporary issues, to hone their presentational skills, their command of digital tools, and their ability to work independently and collaboratively on creative projects, including the production of podcasts, digital maps, blog posts, and videos.
The bread and butter of good storytelling is a compelling structure, which is learned writing essays and producing a dissertation. In the same way, you also have to think: how am I going to turn these pages and pages of information into a coherent and compelling narrative? I also rely on the research skills I learnt on the American Studies degree, making sure I can trust my sources, and deciding what information is useful and what is superfluous.
Mariana Des Forges / (AS ‘14)
American Studies at University of Manchester was a brilliant degree that laid the foundations for my career in the cultural and museum sectors. Both the degree of American Studies, and the city of Manchester offered me countless opportunities and experiences that shaped my career path.
Hattie Charnley-Shaw / (AS ‘18)
To read further about some of the professions our recent graduates have entered over the past decade, download our full brochure.