To think American studies is a stupid subject?

[firsttimeucaser]

DD's school (in year 12) have been encouraging students to decide what university course they want to apply for next year.

DD came home yesterday and said that she has decided she's going to apply for 'American studies'.

AIBU to think that this is a stupid subject? From what I have read about it, it seems like a course about American history/literature/politics, but wouldn't she just be better doing a general History//Politics degree and choosing modules to do with the USA if that's what she wants?

I suppose, as an employer myself, I think I would find it very odd if a British person with no American connections had a degree in 'American studies'. I can't see how it's very useful.

Peekaboo3 - why not read the thread? It will answer your question.

I wouldn't encourage a child of mine to do this course, I don't think its worth a 50k debt. I think I would tell them to takes gap year in the USA instead and learn about the country first hand.

I think American Studies sounds fascinating. If money were no object, I'd do it. I already have an RG 1st and Research Masters in a mainstream subject.

Like PPs have explained, it's the academic skills - critical analysis, writing, oral fluency, an ability to discern links, view the broader picture - that are valuable. There are also practical considerations -potential networking opportunities etc

I find US history to be a compelling example of nation-building (and of late, nation-wrecking ) Disclaimer: I am slightly Hamilton obsessed at the minute

I was thinking about doing another degree - but the cost! If I was considering a first degree these days I’d really think twice before choosing.

I’m now wondering if any of my old course mates are on here.....I also did it joint with politics. It was ok, i didn’t go abroad even though was initially the main draw but it was a good degree from an RG uni so it’s not stopped me getting a good professional job. And it was very broad, my favourite module was on espionage and I still remember being told how amongst my fellow students some would be spies. I found that fascinating. My other course mates that I keep in touch with are also gainfully employed

I have a different area studies degree with an in-depth knowledge of history, politics, language, literature, sociology, anthropology of the area. To suggest someone able to master multiple disciplines to degree level, plus successfully manage setting up home and living abroad is somehow pointless/useless shows quite the ignorance. The depth of knowledge and infinity with a particular area is invaluable in a variety of jobs, not least trade and industry required to keep this country afloat.

I have friends working in the diplomatic corps, Interpol, the aid and emergency response industry, as interpreters, and in business development. Others are teachers, lawyers, psychologists, accountants and nurses.

@headstone that's like telling someone instead of doing an English literature degree they should just spend a year reading books it's not just about experiencing a culture, it's learning about the history, literature, politics and economics of a country which has been the most significant world power in the last century.

As an American, I always thought American Studies was History for dummies. I think the concept started in US. Having said that, if it is a rigorous, well regarded course, and she is enthusiastic about it, it can form the basis for a career.
As an aside, I have always been amazed by English aquaintences with Oxbridge degrees in English literature who know absolutely nothing of American literature, so a little less insularity is always welcome.

I haven't RTFT but I studied American Studies at a top ten uni.

I loved it, especially the year abroad, during which time I did volunteer work and an internship which both helped me get interviews/job offers with the big 4 accountancy firms. I was definitely set apart by the experience I got, plus being a summer baby a four year degree meant I was 22 when I left uni and had a better idea of what I wanted.

However, it isn't a well regarded degree compared to history/English (the two most similar subjects, although I specialised in history and politics) and people can be judgemental about it- my DH definitely is! In his view, it was my 2.1 degree from a top uni plus work experience that got me offers from three competitive graduate schemes not the American Studies himself (he recruits grads for his company).

I did English, History and Theatre Studies for A level and I loved them all. American Studies let me carry on what I loved and I naturally specialised later as I learnt more.

PM me if you want more information.

Oh and a quick scroll on FB of my uni course friends shows one is senior at BT, two magic circle lawyers, one social worker and three of us as accountants or consultants at the big 4. I think going to an RG uni is critical though. As my DH pointed out, he doesn't know which university is excellent for American Studies, but he knows that the RG universities are well regarded. He recruits grads from a wide variety of degrees.

Enuff , with regards to country or language degrees, these days I wouldn't encourage my child just to study French or French studies, I would want them to combine it with something really useful to employers like computing for example. I'm not sure how useful an English lit degree is either these days. You really need to have a career in mind. I studied Biology and I would only do it again now if I wanted to work in a lab.

I have always been amazed by English aquaintences with Oxbridge degrees in English literature who know absolutely nothing of American literature, so a little less insularity is always welcome.

I'd always though the English in English literature referred to the language not the country of origin, is that not the case? I'm sure my housemates taking English studied books by American authors

I know English lit grads who have studied books not originally written in English.

When I did my English literature gcse we studied Steinbeck. I know Gove banned American writers from the gcse course but I would have thought that degree courses still studied American texts?

I also have a degree in American studies gained at a university in nz. I'm now a successful copywriter. It taught me critical thinking, research skills, writing skills and the ability to present my thoughts in a coherent way. Any arts based degree could have done the same, but Am Stud offered a more rounded subject choice. I did feminism, civil rights, pop culture, politics, history and loads more.

My dad always said that degrees proved that you could research, argue and come to a conclusion about complex issues, and that’s what employees needed to know! He was a science grad and I studied arts!

I think the degree content would be really interesting and would give a really broad set of skills. But... you might want to be careful about which universities she applies to depending on her likely grades.

It looks like some top universities like Birmingham and Manchester offer the course. However, it seems like a lot of the others are lower ranking institutions. The reality is some employers only target top 10-20 institutions (with some only 2-5). It depends what she’s likely to want to do afterwards but university choice is likely to be as important as the course choice.

Exactly - when I worked in the city I met men (always the men) who had studied at Oxford, Cambridge etc. Some of the subjects were very niche and innovative way relative to their financial jobs! But their cv said the manic words.

The few women (them) in the same jobs had generally studied business, finance, economics.

Skii, the newts are hiding under a rock in a pile of warm leaves.

pedigree I say that as a lecturer in a proper subject at a great university.

Handy that it lets you take time out mid term to sit on SE Asian beaches and lecture people on responses to red weather warnings.

Quite, C8H - also an incredible feat to get a lectureship at a "great university" when you start incorrectly "correcting" people on the use of a possessive apostrophe.

In fairness to Pedigree the uni where I work let’s you take annual leave when you want as long as you get a colleague to cover any lectures or seminars. Mid term is better than beginning or end of term.

This week where I work is a quiet week. Some of my colleagues are abroad.

I’m also shit at spelling and grammar.

It would very useful to anyone who is considering living in America in the future which she may well do.

In fairness to Pedigree the uni where I work let’s you take annual leave when you want

Seriously? Lecturers bog off to sun themselves during the ten week terms leaving colleagues to cover them? No complaints from students/tutees?

My how things change.

It seems to me like a course for teenagers with no particular passions who like American TV and shops.

It's really not. I didn't do it, but a friend of mine did and he now has a very good, and fascinating, job working at UN Headquarters in New York.