American Studies, full-time, second cycle

Academic areas: humanities and social science

Academic fields: history, political science, sociology, cultural studies, and literature

The leading field: cultural studies

The Program

The American Studies Center is an interdisciplinary research and higher-education institution of the University of Warsaw. Its faculty members specialize in various fields of knowledge about the US and Western Hemisphere—culture, literature, arts, film, media, history, economy, politics, history of ideas, society, and law.

The ASC has a full-time liberal arts master program. It lasts two years or four semesters. Instruction is in English by permanent, adjunct, and visiting faculty. Additionally, students are offered classes in Spanish. Among our permanent faculty are Polish professors as well as professors from the US and Mexico.

The MA Program in American Studies, with the Western Hemispheric studies component, is unique in the Polish higher education system. The program is meant to help develop research skills (especially through the system of research proseminars) and offers courses on the United States of America, also Latin American, and the whole region of the Western Hemisphere.

In addition, students have opportunities to develop skills other than those needed for conducting research; they become proficient in the so-called “soft skills” which they need both in academia and outside (e.g., self-presentation, teamwork, intercultural communication, work organization, and effective time management). Research grants allow our best students to travel abroad for research purposes to other American Studies libraries in Europe or the United States and to conduct empirical research there.

The Graduates

Our graduates are awarded MA degrees in American studies. They are familiar with facts and understand processes and cultural phenomena in both Americas. They are acquainted with theories explaining the complexity of relationships between the phenomena. They know how to identify, understand, describe, interpret, and explain the causes and the dynamics of cultural and social processes in both Americas. They know how to use various resources for this purpose and how to employ several research methods developed in humanities and social sciences. Their English is at least at B2+ level and – provided they take the Spanish language course - Spanish is at least at A2 level.

Thanks to our program, our graduates have skills and competences to collect, evaluate, and classify cultural facts and to draw conclusions. They know how to work in a team, how to develop a project, how to present its results. In short, they know how to carry out work done daily by researchers, entrepreneurs, journalists, teachers of humanities and social sciences, social activists, and specialists working at various public institutions.

Our graduates have skills and competences to continue their studies in a doctoral or PhD programs in humanities or social science with specialization in American or Western Hemisphere studies.

ASC graduates find employment in business, trade, journalism, media, cultural institutions, higher education, public administration, diplomacy, international organizations, and tourism.

The Building

We provide a comfortable environment for our students. Classes are held in a building located at Dobra 55, in Powiśle. The Main Campus of the University of Warsaw, other faculties, and University Library are located nearby.

The building is adapted to the needs of people with disabilities.

The classrooms are fitted with computer equipment and Internet access. Wireless Internet (EDUROAM network) is available throughout the building.

The ASC Library collection is highly valued by students, researchers, and journalists in American studies. The library holdings include materials on both the United States and Latin America, in both humanities and social sciences.

MA Program Curriculum

Admission rules for candidates with Polish diplomas

Two-stage admissions process

1st stage: Research Interests Statement

In 2-3 paragraphs (300-400 words) candidates describe their research interests in American studies. The statement must be written in English. Candidates explain why their interests are worth exploring, what is their present knowledge of this area, and formulate possible research questions. Applicants include a list of 3-5 academic sources that they have already examined. Please note that the Research Interests Statement does not commit candidates to any specific topic as a future MA project at the ASC. It will be evaluated based on the candidate's:

• ability to formulate ideas/research interests in written English;

• ability to identify relevant and interesting research problems;

• relevance of research interests to the American Studies curriculum.

A candidate can receive max 50 points for the 1st stage of the process.

Candidates who receive at least 25 points move on to the 2nd stage.

2nd stage: oral exam based on the submitted Research Interests Statement

The candidate will be asked questions related to the Research Interests Statement submitted. The oral exam will be evaluated based on the candidate’s:

• ability to formulate ideas and arguments in spoken English;

• familiarity with the basic concepts related to the declared research interests;

• aptitude for interdisciplinary American studies.

A candidate can receive max 50 points for the 2nd stage of the process.

The minimum number of points in the 2nd stage required to be qualified is 25 points.

Candidates with the highest overall scores (from both stages of the admissions process) will be qualified for the program.

Candidates must receive at least 50 points out of 100 overall to be qualified.

A candidate who does not receive the minimum number of points required at any stage of the selection procedure (at least 25 for the 1st stage, at least 25 for the second stage, at least 50 overall) will receive 0 (zero) points for the entire procedure and will be disqualified.

Admission rules for candidates with foreign diplomas

Candidates are qualified on the same rules as applicable to candidates with Polish diplomas.

Checking candidates' competence to undertake studies conducted in the English language 

Passing the two stages of the admission process (the written Research Interests Statement and the oral exam) in English confirms the candidate’s English language skills necessary to study in this language (in the case of candidates who do not have one of the documents confirming English language skills at least at the B2 level accepted by the University of Warsaw).

Information on documents certifying knowledge of the English language. >> Check! <<

Deadlines

Date of the exam: 19th-20th of September, 2024, from 9:30 a.m. (exam will be conducted online via Zoom)

Announcement of results: 24th of September, 2024

Reception of documents: 

• I round: 25th-26th of September, 2024
• II round (in case of not fulfilling the limit during I round): 27th, 30th of September, 2024

Payments

Application fee

Student's ID payment (ELS)

The studies are payable for citizens of Non-UE/EFTA countries (EEA parties) and Switzerland - tuition fees

Required documents

List of required documents submitted by candidates qualified for studies

Additional information 

Find us on the map: American Studies Center