Laura Morgan

Graduated July 2005

Since graduating with a BA in American Studies in 2005, I have found myself with opportunities I never thought would ever happen to me. I have been a runner on the first series of Life on Mars and a couple of feature films, including Deep Water in 2006. Following that I had an opportunity to work with Universal Pictures in the marketing department for the Special Interest team, where I worked on Comedy, Kids, Sport and Games product. I have now been with Universal for over 1 ½ years, and have progressed well, gaining experience in both the Film and Television departments.

I am currently working with Playback: the Television label for Universal Pictures (UK), on titles such as Battlestar Galactica and Columbo. My role as a marketing assistant requires many of the transferable skills I developed during my degree. The flexible and changing nature of the industry I work in means that I need to be on my toes and able to change the way I work at a moment's notice, something that would have challenged me before studying at the University of Leicester.

During my degree, the optional courses I decided upon were a mix of disciplines. I studied the US Civil War, Social Economics, American Film, and Literature – it was important to me that I had the flexibility to choose the various elements of my degree course. I didn’t fully appreciate it at the time, but this flexibility gave me the skills I now use on a daily basis. The interdisciplinary nature of the degree helped me to be able to cope with the variety of pressures I now have in work. I have had to adapt swiftly to all the tasks I have undertaken and work in a number of different styles, and I do not feel that another degree could have given me the same flexibility that I learnt from American Studies.

Claire Driffield

Graduated July 2005

Following a temporary contract at a mutual savings company, I started a full-time role three months after graduating from Leicester with a BA in American Studies. Since then I have stayed with the same company, Broker Network, changing jobs three times along the way.

Recently promoted to the Assistant Manager of the Broker Support team within our business services division, the skills I gained from my American Studies degree have played an invaluable role in my quick progression. The communication skills I developed as a direct result of interactive seminars and the strong written and analytical skills I developed through essay writing and research has enabled me to ‘stand out from the crowd’ and progress quickly. I have been afforded a number of opportunities such as secondment in our Communications and Public Relations team and involvement in our company rebranding exercise.

I feel I have learnt so much in my career so far, and the opportunities I have had are a direct result of the experience and the support I received from the Centre for American Studies at Leicester. Entering the work place as soon as I graduated left me with itchy feet and with the support of the company, I took a three-month career break to travel and volunteer in India last year. I have also completed a number of humanities courses at a regional university to keep building my interests and skills. I feel very fortunate that the foundations of my degree have enabled me to develop a balance between career development and my personal interests.

Anna Bourne

Graduated July 2004

I graduated from the University of Leicester with a BA in American Studies in 2004, after spending my third year at Colorado State University. During the summer of 2004 I spent my time working as a conference organiser for a charity in London. Whilst there, I received a job offer from Pricewaterhouse Coopers to take up one of their graduate positions within Assurance. I joined PwC in September 2004 and have been there ever since. PwC’s Graduate Scheme is a three year training programme that provides you with the exam and time qualifications to become a Charted Accountant. I am currently in my third year and expect to qualify in September 2007.

My short term plans are to complete my ACA qualification, whilst taking the opportunity to travel. To date I have travelled to Italy, Spain, Portugal, Egypt and Borneo, however there are still many more places on my list to see. In the longer term I plan to remain at PwC as there are many opportunities available here. My time spent in America has encouraged me to experience life in other countries and I would like to go on a secondment overseas during my time here.

The link between a humanities subject and accountancy is not automatically obvious; however the skills that I learnt in my degree have really aided my development at work. My ability to work alone as well as in a team, my documentation and presentation skills, were all developed through this degree. All of these skills are important for succeeding at PwC. Spending a year in America gave me the confidence that I need in this job and has enabled me to progress to where I am today, as well as developing my desire to travel!

During my degree, the optional courses I decided upon were a mix of disciplines. I studied the US Civil War, Social Economics, American Film, and Literature – it was important to me that I had the flexibility to choose the various elements of my degree course. I didn’t fully appreciate it at the time, but this flexibility gave me the skills I now use on a daily basis. The interdisciplinary nature of the degree helped me to be able to cope with the variety of pressures I now have in work. I have had to adapt swiftly to all the tasks I have undertaken and work in a number of different styles, and I do not feel that another degree could have given me the same flexibility that I learnt from American Studies.

Stephen Tibble

Graduated July 2004

Since graduating in 2005 I have seen my career take shape in ways I did not expect. Immediately after graduating I started applying for jobs in an office environment. I had a few interviews but found it hard to get voluntary office experience. I had always liked the idea of teaching, but I had never seriously looked into it as a career option. I had considered a PGCE while I was at Leicester but I didn’t want to feel like my whole life had been in education. So after 6 months I did some experience in a high school and decided I wanted to teach.

The natural choice of subject for me was History, because that was my strongest discipline within American Studies. I also think that history in schools makes use of skills I gained from American Studies at Leicester, such as media representation, art history and film studies as well as pure historical content. I was offered a place at University of Southampton to take a PGCE and, afterwards, I was appointed a Teacher of History at a Paignton Community and Sports College in Devon in July 2006.

In the next 3 or 4 years I aim to become a Head of Department. The American Studies degree at Leicester, even without the year abroad, opened my eyes to the diversity involved within the field of history. The experience and dynamism among the staff offered a refreshingly insightful base from which to explore my own interests within many disciplines focusing on everything American. The course gave me a firm understanding of the American experience and exploded many national stereotypes. This is not only useful to me in my career, but has helped me develop a more sensitive understanding of the world around me.

Polly Williams

Graduated July 2003

After graduating from the University of Leicester in 2003, I went to Japan for one year to teach English. I worked for a private English School called NOVA in Nagoya, the third largest city in Japan. I was promoted to Children's Coordinator of the largest branch in the city within 3 months and gained valuable experience. I learnt some Japanese, travelled around Japan and Asia during my holidays, and made some great friends. I returned to the UK in September 2004 to study an LLM in Human Rights Law for one year at the University of Nottingham. I graduated in September 2005 with a Merit.

I am currently on a six-month human rights volunteer internship in South India. I am working for two Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) in India helping to write human rights manuals, writing funding proposals and researching human rights issues.

After India, I am going to look for a research or policy-making job within a Human Rights NGO, preferably one based in London with international offices, but I am open to working anywhere in the world! In the long-term I would like to gain experience in all areas of running and working for NGO and one day become the head of a regional division. My ideal job would be Director of the Asia-Pacific Division for an NGO such as Amnesty International or CARE International.

The research skills I developed during my American Studies Degree helped me enormously during my LLM and my working life. The time I spent at Old Dominion University, Virginia researching my dissertation gave me the knowledge and skills to find information on a variety of issues and how best to use it. The multidisciplinary nature of American Studies means I feel comfortable discussing and studying many different subject areas including History, Politics and Law. This certainly was an asset for the LLM at Nottingham as Human Rights encompasses many different topics and issues.

Laura Brown

Graduated July 2003

I graduated in summer 2003 in American Studies, including a year at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. I accepted a temporary position as a Careers Assistant in West London, from where I applied for a job at the Mountbatten Internship Programme as an Administrative Assistant.

The Mountbatten Internship Programme is a non-profit organisation which offers young people between the ages of 21 and 28 the opportunity to live, study and work as an intern in New York for 12 months. I have been here for two years now and as Admissions Officer and am responsible for the marketing, recruiting, selecting and advising of graduates from the UK and Europe to become Mountbatten Interns. We organise three intakes a year, so my role is varied and can range from interviewing potential candidates to organising telephone interviews between candidates and Sponsor Companies in New York, or giving presentations about the Programme at Universities.

Mountbatten is an organisation that really appreciates my degree: in fact, it was one of the requirements. Having spent a year studying in the US has meant that I am more able to relate to and advise those candidates who are concerned or anxious about adapting to another culture and living abroad for such a long period. The essay writing and summary skills you perfect through four years of study never really leave you and I have found that these have proved invaluable to me, especially as I am responsible for much of the written literature we use during presentations.

I enjoy my job immensely and as a strong supporter of Year Abroad programmes (fuelled by the amazing year in Virginia I had with my degree) working in International Education is definitely a career option that I would like to continue working in, and one that I would definitely recommend to anyone who has been fortunate enough to work or study abroad, and who wants to give the same opportunity to others.

Catherine Scott

Graduated July 2002

Choosing an American Studies degree at Leicester was a great idea. Leicester was a second home to me; I left with fabulous friends who still provide great social support, and prepared me to take on the world. Through a solid foundation in history, communication and economics, I was able to identify my interest in public affairs and urban development. I spent my third year at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and was able to further explore these interests.

The degree at Leicester was intimate and flexible; when I decided to change my dissertation subject to use sources in Louisiana, I was able to do so. Whilst in the US I was able to travel; my friends and I met in New York for Thanksgiving, and Atlanta for sightseeing. I also took part in internships in summer 2000 on the California Gore Campaign for President, and later in the constituency office of Senator Mary L. Landrieu.

I now live in the USA, working first for the British Consulate in San Francisco and until August 2005 I was the Director for Technology Led Development for the Mayor’s Office in the city of New Orleans. I am currently researching minority focused venture capital funds in the USA, and working towards my Master’s degree in Public Policy and Administration. My area of interest for my Master’s degree is urban problems: in particular, low income housing that is especially relevant in the escalating California property market. After graduation I intend to work in community development. The transferable skills learned at Leicester University have allowed me to meet my employers’ needs and have proved an essential foundation for my professional development.

Stephen Hall

Graduated July 2002

Since graduating from Leicester in American Studies (including a year abroad at Illinois State University) I have worked at a trade union law firm in central London, O. H. Parsons & Partners (www.ohparsons.co.uk). I was originally employed by the firm to help with general administration, but gradually I began working on industrial disease claims. In September 2002 I enrolled as a part-time student at the College of Law on the GDL (Graduate Diploma in Law) course, which I completed in June 2005.

I am still working at the same firm dealing with respiratory disease claims for miners who worked for British Coal. I began the part-time Legal Practice Course (LPC) at the College of Law in September 2005. I should complete the LPC in June 2007. I will then commence training with a law firm and, if all goes to plan, I should be a qualified solicitor before I’m 30!

On a very practical level, my degree enabled me to apply for the Graduate Diploma in Law. Undoubtedly, the American Studies degree at Leicester helped me to develop a variety of linguistic and analytical skills which have stood me in very good stead in my working life and with my postgraduate studies.

Jennifer Hales

Graduated July 2001

Upon graduation from the University of Leicester’s American Studies four-year degree, I undertook a number of temporary administration positions, followed by a permanent job in London Metropolitan University’s International Office. My university year abroad at Colorado State University introduced me to the idea of working in an International Office and when I returned to Leicester I worked part-time in the International Office there.

I started my role at London Met as an administrator and am now an International Officer, with responsibility for the University’s Study Abroad Programme. I recruit American students to study abroad in London, provide them with a pre-departure orientation and look after them once they arrive in London! I also facilitate the exchange programme for our students that want to study abroad in the USA. I travel to the USA three times a year and work closely with the International Office staff at our US partner universities.

While working at London Metropolitan University I have also been studying a Masters degree part-time in Literature and Modernity. I have recently finished this degree and feel as if I am at a crossroads as to what to do next. I am thinking about doing a PGCE in Post-Compulsory Education in order to teach in Further Education Colleges, otherwise I will continue working in International Education Recruitment, which I really enjoy.

The interdisciplinary nature of the American Studies degree provides important skills for the working world. Throughout the degree you are encouraged to relate historical events with cultural and political developments and this creates a broad outlook on life. Being able to relate events and trends is useful at work when problem solving, taking the bigger picture into account. It was my year abroad in Colorado that really helped me decide what I wanted to do for a career. I found my own study abroad experience extremely rewarding and am really glad that my current job involves encouraging more students to study abroad. Having had a study abroad experience undoubtedly helped me get my current job and gave me a valuable insight into the study abroad market.

Rachel Job

Graduated July 2001

After graduation from the University of Leicester with a BA in American Studies (which included a year abroad at Kent State University, Ohio) I worked for six months as a PA for a finance company in order to save up to go travelling. After spending time in Asia and Australia I moved to London in summer 2002 and found a job covering for maternity leave as PA at a television sales company, 3DD Entertainment. This is an international TV distributor specialising in music and live programming, for example Later... with Jools Holland and Robbie Williams - Live at Knebworth.

Nearly four years later I am still working for the same company. After doing a few different roles I have recently been promoted to Head of Acquisitions and Marketing. That means I am in charge of securing the programming for producers and broadcasters and also responsible for devising marketing strategies for the sales team to then sell the programmes to TV channels all over the world. Luckily, I enjoy my job and the company I work for places a lot of emphasis on personal development, helping me rise to the challenge of my (scary!) new promotion.

My job is very varied and the diverse nature of American Studies has certainly helped prepare me for that! The general writing and analytical skills have come very much in handy, so has my year abroad in terms of a cultural experience when helping me build relationships with many of my American-based clients. I am also required to have a good knowledge films and the modules I took at Leicester have meant that I have this.