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Master

American Studies (History)

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In American Studies at the University of Amsterdam, we study the United States – from inside and out – historically and with an eye toward the present. We explore politics and foreign policy, but also the culture that has influenced and reflected the world.

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.

Learn more about the study programme
Discover American Studies

In this video the teacher and student of this Master’s explain in 5 minutes how this programme is structured and what you will learn.

Personalise

Tailor your study programme

Work experience

Internship (abroad) possible

Students

Interdisciplinary classroom

Part-time

Offered in part-time study mode

Why study American Studies at the UvA?

  • International approach
    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.
  • Ideal study environment
    Amsterdam 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.
  • Interdisciplinary
    You will work with students from many intellectual backgrounds
  • Individual
    You craft an original thesis on a subject of your own choosing
Check the entry requirements

After graduation

After graduating you have learned to conduct research with archival and cultural sources, and to write with eloquence and force in English. You have also learned to relate academic knowledge to the contemporary world. You will be equipped to work in a range of professional fields.

After your Master's
Facts & Figures
Degree programme MA History
Type Regular study programme
Mode Full-time, part-time
Credits 60 ECTS, 12 months
Language of instruction English
Starts in September
CROHO code 66034
Location University Quarter