Interdisciplinary and international

The Master's in American Studies at the UvA is a one-year programme, taught entirely in English. We are based in the history department, but our students come from many disciplines. You will study alongside students from a wide range of backgrounds, such as literature, media studies, cultural studies, sociology and art history. Interdisciplinary pollination means our field of inquiry is broad: Moby-Dick and Mickey Mouse, the sentimental novel and the war on terror. We study American politics, but also the power of culture.

Why study American Studies at the UvA?

• Our approach is international. ‘America’, as dream or nightmare, is an outsider’s myth as well as a concrete reality; international perspectives have always informed American Studies as a field. Our students gain a deeper understanding of America’s hidden histories, from colonisation to global empire. 
• Excellent career prospects. You will learn to conduct research with archival and cultural sources, and to write with eloquence and force in English. As a graduate you are qualified to move on to a PhD, and to work in a range of professional fields.
• Amsterdam. The city was itself a model for progressive American intellectuals a century ago. It became a key entrepôt for American culture and commerce: from the Marshall Plan to the American music that still blasts from every bar.
• Today this major European cultural centre is an ideal vantage point from which to study the United States, closely or from a critical distance. American Studies is a lively community in a bustling city.

Studying full-time or part-time

You can study the Master’s degree in American Studies on a part-time basis. This option allows you to follow a maximum of 30 EC per year (12-18 EC per semester). The courses are spread over two years. As a part-time student, you take the regular courses alongside the full-time students. Please consult the programme coordinator for an individual academic plan.