Key information
- Duration:
- 4 years full time
- Typical A-level offer:
- ABB
View full entry requirements - UCAS code:
- T700
- Start date:
- September 2026
- 1st in the UK for graduate prospects in American Studies
- 2nd in the UK for American Studies
Intrigued by American politics and history? Fascinated by the many facets of modern North American culture, including literature, film, popular culture and art?
On this course, you’ll learn from one of the largest groups of academics dedicated to American Studies in the UK. Your teaching is underpinned by our cutting-edge research expertise. This includes American culture, gender and sexuality, social and racial justice movements, women’s history, ideas in US foreign policy, American literature and philosophy, and literature’s scientific connections.
During your studies, you’ll:
- conduct research on topics related to North American history, literature, politics and popular culture
- get to grips with theoretical concepts in American Studies around race, class, nation, empire, gender and sexuality
- take electives from other subjects – from modern languages to media and law – to open your mind to other disciplines and tailor your degree to your interests
- learn how to critically analyse a range of media, including music, art, film, political documents and speeches
- hone your verbal and written presentation skills
- be a part of our active student community, with activities including field trips, social events and a seminar series.
Your exciting year abroad in North America is a highlight of this course. You’ll build your confidence and broaden your outlook. From Tulane University in New Orleans to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, we have many prestigious partner institutions all across the continent.
When you graduate, you’ll be prepared for a wide range of jobs – from the radio, tv and film industries, to the Civil Service, research, journalism, politics, marketing and non-profit organisations.
We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision. We’ll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities described in this prospectus. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to government or regulatory requirements, or unanticipated staff changes, we’ll let you know as soon as possible.
I wanted to know how we could move beyond typical representations and give people a voice.”Victoria Gill
American Studies (with a study abroad year) BA
Read Victoria’s story
Entry requirements
A-level
Typical offer | ABB |
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Contextual offer | View contextual offer Not everyone has the same support to get to higher education – we help you reach your potential. When we receive applications through UCAS, we consider all factors and will sometimes make contextual offers as part of our Access and Participation Plan |
GCSEs | You should have a broad range of GCSEs 9-4 (A*-C), including good grades in relevant subjects. |
Extended Project Qualification | We take the EPQ into account when considering your application and it can be useful in the summer when your results are released if you have narrowly missed the conditions of your offer. Â We do not routinely include the EPQ in the conditions of your offer but we sometimes offer alternative conditions that include the EPQ. If you wish to discuss this further please contact us |
Other UK qualifications
Access to HE Diploma
Typical offer | Pass Diploma with at least 39 level 3 credits at Merit or above including 24 credits at Distinction |
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Subjects | Humanities or social sciences. |
Cambridge Pre-U Principal Subjects (including A-level mixes)
Typical offer | M1 M2 M2 If you have one A-level and two Cambridge Pre-U Principal Subjects we would expect you to have grade A at A-level and, M2 and M2 in two Pre-Us. If you have two A-levels and a Cambridge Pre-U Principal Subject we would normally expect you to have grades AB at A-level and M2 in Pre-U. |
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GCSEs | You should also have a broad range of GCSEs grade 9-4 (A*-C), including good grades in relevant subjects. |
International Baccalaureate
Typical offer | 32 points overall from the full IB Diploma. |
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Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma and one A-level
Typical offer | Grade B in A-level and Distinction, Distinction in Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma.
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Contextual offer | View contextual offer Not everyone has the same support to get to higher education – we help you reach your potential. When we receive applications through UCAS, we consider all factors and will sometimes make contextual offers as part of our Access and Participation Plan |
GCSEs | You should also have a broad range of GCSEs grade 9-4 (A*-C), including good grades in relevant subjects. |
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate and two A-levels
Typical offer | Grades BB in A-levels and Distinction in BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate. |
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Contextual offer | View contextual offer Not everyone has the same support to get to higher education – we help you reach your potential. When we receive applications through UCAS, we consider all factors and will sometimes make contextual offers as part of our Access and Participation Plan |
GCSEs | You should also have a broad range of GCSEs grade 9-4 (A*-C), including good grades in relevant subjects. |
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (formerly BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma)
Typical offer | DDD |
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Contextual offer | View contextual offer Not everyone has the same support to get to higher education – we help you reach your potential. When we receive applications through UCAS, we consider all factors and will sometimes make contextual offers as part of our Access and Participation Plan |
GCSEs | You should also have a broad range of GCSEs grade 9-4 (A*-C), including good grades in relevant subjects. |
Scottish Highers
Typical offer | AABBB |
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Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced
Typical offer | ABB from the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Skills Challenge Certificate and two A-levels |
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GCSEs | You should have a broad range of GCSEs A*-C (9-4), including good grades in relevant subjects. |
International Baccalaureate
Typical offer | 32 points overall from the full IB Diploma. |
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European Baccalaureate
Typical offer | Overall result of at least 77%. |
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Other international qualifications
Australia
Typical offer | Relevant state (Year 12) High School Certificate, and between 88% to 85% in the ATAR or UAI/TER/ENTER, or a Queensland OP of 4 to 5 or better. |
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Austria
Typical offer | Reifeprüfung or Matura with an overall result of between 2.0 to 2.2 or better for first-year entry. |
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Belgium
Typical offer | Certificat d'Enseignement Secondaire Supérieur (CESS) or Diploma van Hoger Secundair Onderwijs with a good overall average of 65% or more. |
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Additional requirements | Good grades in subject areas. Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis. |
Bulgaria
Typical offer | Diploma za Sredno Obrazovanie with excellent final-year scores (normally 5.5 overall with 6 in key subjects). |
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Canada
Typical offer | Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) 70%-75% from 6 grade 12 U, U/C or M courses. British Columbia Certificate of Graduation AABBB-BBBBB from 5 grade 12 courses. We also recognise the High School Diploma from other provinces -including Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick- where we look for strong performance in grade 12 subjects, and the Diplome d'Etudes Collegiales (DEC) from Quebec. |
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China
Typical offer | If you have the Goakao, we will consider applications for direct entry to first year. You would normally need an overall average of 75%, including required subjects. We are also pleased to consider applications if you are following a recognised International Foundation Year or you have one or more years of Higher Education in China at a recognised degree awarding institution. The Senior High School Graduation alone would not be sufficient for entry to our undergraduate degrees, but you may be eligible to apply for our . If you successfully complete an International Foundation Year, you can progress on to a relevant undergraduate course at Sussex. Check which for the International Foundation Year. |
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Additional requirements | Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis. |
Croatia
Typical offer | Maturatna Svjedodžba with an overall score of between 4 and 4.2 |
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Cyprus
Typical offer | Apolytirion of Lykeion with an overall average of between 18/20 and 18.5/20 will be considered for first-year entry.
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Czech Republic
Typical offer | Maturita with a good overall average. |
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Please note | Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis. |
Denmark
Typical offer | Højere Forberedelseseksamen (HF) or Studentereksamen with an overall average of at least 7 on the new grading scale. |
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Finland
Typical offer | Pass Ylioppilastutkinto with overall final result between MMMM - EMMM |
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Additional requirements | Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis. |
France
Typical offer | French Baccalauréat with overall final result between 12/20 and 13/20. |
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