Why American Studies?

When I was doing my A-Levels in English Lit, Modern History and Film Studies, I started to notice a pattern in what I enjoyed most. As I combined my favourite aspects of all these courses, I realised that I was more suited to American Studies rather than straight History or English Literature – both of which I was initially considering doing at undergraduate level.

I think the best part of American Studies is having the flexibility to mould this course into your own specialized degree. For example, I liked the history and film modules more so than the literature ones, so was able to mould my own degree into these subject areas – eventually specialising on 20th Century history and film throughout the final years of my degree.

Why Manchester?

I knew when I was applying for university that I wanted to be in a big city where there is lots to discover and explore. I love going to see live music and had always heard about the iconic music scene in Manchester – so this was definitely a big factor for me. That being said, the American Studies syllabus at The University of Manchester was also the only one that really stood out for me and my interests, so both the location and academic aspects of my preferences aligned. I also loved the opportunities that Manchester provides – especially with the option to do study abroad within this course.

Course Highlights

My favourite modules have been American Film Studies, Climate Change and Culture Wars, American Hauntings, and From Jamestown to James Brown. There’s such a wide range of subjects to learn within this course that it’s almost impossible to not find something you love. Regardless of the modules themselves, the department is amazing and each year they organize an American Studies pub quiz with a paid bar tab and free pizza for the students and professors to celebrate together.

However, my favourite part of my course by far was my study abroad in America during my third year. I went to Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey which was just an hour outside of New York City. During my time there, I met so many amazing people as well as being able to travel all across the States, doing a road trip from Nashville to San Diego with some of the other exchange students at the end of my time there. Having the opportunity to do this study abroad was one of the best decisions I made when it came to my overall university experience, and I would highly recommend considering it as part of the course.

Life in Manchester

I think when choosing what University to go to it is very important to prioritize not just the course, but where you will be living for the next 3-4 years of your life. Manchester is an incredible city with so much to do right on your doorstep. There are so many different music scenes here to explore, as well as dozens of incredible museums and galleries to enjoy on a student budget. The University campus is 10 minutes outside of the centre so is very accessible to students. I’ve loved being a student here and think the city itself has contributed to my overall experience more so than I had ever expected.

Beyond the Classroom

In my first and second year I wrote under the music section for the student newspaper – The Mancunion. During my time writing for the paper, I got access to free gigs with a press pass and got to interview a couple of my favorite artists. I found joining this such a good way to make friends and explore Manchester more, as well as creating a journalistic portfolio of my articles.

In my final year I have focused more on the student union TV station – Fuse TV. This is under the same branch as the paper in the Student’s Union – MMG (Manchester Media Group). With this, I’ve had access to all the camera equipment for free and have been able to do video interviews with student bands which has been so much fun. I was nervous to initially join both the paper and the TV station because I hadn’t really had any experience writing articles or using camera equipment before, but everyone was very welcoming and anyone can join at any point, no matter your ability or experience.

Looking Ahead

Currently, I’m applying for jobs within the TV industry and would love to work in pre-production and commissioning TV shows. I remember being inspired early on to go into this industry after learning about how Jesse Armstrong (the creator of Peep Show, Succession, and Fresh Meat) graduated from The University of Manchester with an American Studies degree. I have made so many invaluable connections here through both my course and MMG, which have allowed me to network with likeminded people going forward.

Written by Roxana Rees , current BA American Studies student

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