United States Studies: History and Politics MA

This multidisciplinary MA comprises a broad range of specialist modules in the humanities and social sciences, combining expertise of the Institute with US specialists from UCL and other institutions.

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About this degree

This programme allows students to develop analytical and critical perspectives on multidisciplinary aspects of US history, politics, cultural studies and international relations, depending on their chosen areas of specialisation.

They will gain key research skills, enhance their capacity for oral and written presentation, and develop their knowledge of up-to-date scholarship and theoretical/conceptual debates in United States studies.

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Testimonials

A student’s perspective

Oli tells us why they chose to pursue a Master’s in United States Studies: History and Politics and the benefits the programme offers.

Career Opportunities

Photo of former MA student Shiting Gu, standing in front of a background of UNESCO logos

“In a nutshell, I highly recommend the Master’s programmes at the Institute of the Americas. The transferable skills I gained from the MA programme have been a significant asset to my professional trajectory.”

Here, our former student, Shiting, talks about the ways her career benefitted from having pursued a master’s degree with us.

Student Testimonial: Shiting Gu

Study abroad

Many of our Master’s students undertake fieldwork in order to carry out research for their dissertation projects. Here, our former students share their experiences carrying out their fieldwork abroad.

"The grant awarded by the Institute of the Americas for my trip to New York and Los Angeles between May to June 2019 was invaluable to my academic research...Academically, it provided variety to my dissertation which was necessary to make it a potential contribution to the field. Without the grant I would have had to rely on online newspaper archives, which in this period were usually unreliable Hollywood gossip magazines."

Read the full testimonial here.

"The professional practice of using an archive was an invaluable skill and the highlight of undertaking the masters at UCL. Outside of my research, whilst in Atlanta I got to indulge my passion for history by visiting Civil Rights monuments in the city such as the tomb of Martin Luther King Jr. which was an emotional experience which made momentous moments of modern history seen more tangible."

Read the full testimonial here.

Meet the Programme Director

Dr Andrew Proctor, Lecturer in US politics, is a political scientist specialising in US politics and elections. His work explores how political institutions and elections shape group and identity formation, political behaviour, and representation among marginalized groups.

Prospectus