American studies, full-time, first cycle programme (S1-PRK-AM)

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 United States and the Western Hemisphere—culture, literature, arts, film, media, history, economy, politics, history of ideas, society, and law.

The American Studies Center has a full-time liberal arts undergraduate program in American Studies. The program lasts three years (or six semesters). All instruction is conducted in English by permanent, adjunct, and visiting faculty. Professors from Poland, the United States, and Mexico are among our permanent faculty.

The program covers both humanities and social sciences— the interdisciplinary field of cultural studies, history, political science, sociology, and literature. Cultural studies is the leading discipline in the program. Our American Studies program is one of the largest in Europe. It is unique thanks to its interdisciplinary approach to the United States. Significantly, English is our language of instruction, which helps to promote intercultural understanding and international exchange. We teach how to address the problems of the modern era—locally, regionally, and supra-regionally,” and help develop “skills most looked for by employers on today’s job market” (from the mission of the UW Institute of the Americas and Europe to which the ASC belongs).

The program includes obligatory courses that introduce students to five major disciplines and elective courses that expand their knowledge within individual disciplines, particularly knowledge relevant to their BA papers. Students also take courses on research methods in the humanities and social sciences as well as academic writing in English. Research grants allow our best students to travel for research purposes to American Studies libraries in Europe and the United States or to conduct empirical research there.

The current program of studies is available on the website of the American Studies Center: https://www.asc.uw.edu.pl/students/ba-students/#study-program

The graduates of the ASC’s undergraduate program are awarded BA degrees in American Studies.

Our graduates can formulate and address various research problems; they can identify, understand, interpret, explain and analyze the causes and dynamics of cultural processes and phenomena in the United States. They know how to use various resources for this purpose and how to employ research methods and tools developed in the humanities and social sciences. Our interdisciplinary approach means that our graduates are not only able to recognize and understand facts and processes, but can also interpret them and use them to arrive at their own conclusions. In short, they know how to carry out work done by researchers, entrepreneurs, journalists, teachers of humanities and social sciences, social activists, and specialists working at various public institutions.

Our BA graduates are equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to continue their studies at the MA level.

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 the 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.

The full-time American Studies first-cycle program is co-financed by the European Social Fund under the European Funds for Social Development 2021-2027 (contract number: ERS.01.05-IP.08-0365/23-00) as part of the “Integrated Teaching Development Program – ZIP 2.0.”