American Studies BA
AAB at A level, including one essay based subject; graduates earn a median £26,000 three years on.
including one essay based subject · 90% of entrants came with A levels · 75% stay on after year 1 · Manchester course page, Discover Uni
What do you need to get in?
Typical offer — the grades most applicants are asked for. Contextual offer: BBB, for applicants from under-represented backgrounds.
Manchester course page, read 19 September 2026 · Discover Uni entry profile
- 1including one essay based subject
UCAS tariff points — a points scale for grades: A* = 56, A = 48, so A*A*A = 160. Entrants’ totals include extra subjects.
Other qualifications3
| Qualification | Typical offer | Required subjects |
|---|---|---|
| IB | 35 points | in Higher Level subjects |
| Scottish Highers | We normally require grades AABBB in Scottish Highers | — |
| T Level | The University recognises the benefit of the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ | — |
What do you study?
Module — one course unit, usually a term or a year long; “core” means everyone takes it. One UK credit is about ten hours of study; a full year is 120 credits.
Manchester course page · optional modules vary by year
Year 2 · 2 core, 6 optional · 40 credits ≈ 400 hours
Year 4 · 1 core, 9 optional · 20 credits ≈ 200 hours
9 optional modules
Where does it lead?
Median — the middle earner: half earned more, half less. Pay is for graduates of this subject at this university who finished in 2016-18, not adjusted for inflation; based on 305 graduates.
Discover Uni dataset (HESA and Office for Students, CC BY 4.0, contains HESA data); earnings from the Longitudinal Education Outcomes data (Department for Education) · aggregation level 22, 13
Half of graduates earned between £21,000 and £30,500. Five years on, the median is £32,000. 81% were in work or further study 15 months after finishing; 54% of those in work were in professional or managerial jobs.
All outcome figures7
| Measure | Value | Based on |
|---|---|---|
| Continue after year 120% left | 75% | 40 |
| In work or study, 15 months on8% studying | 81% | 215 |
| Professional or managerial job | 54% | 150 |
| Pay 15 months on, median | £27,000 | 85 |
| Pay 3 years on, median | £26,000 | 305 |
| Pay 5 years on, median | £32,000 | 330 |
What does it cost?
Tuition fee loan — paid straight to the university; repayments start the April after you leave, at 9% of income above the threshold. UK fees are capped by government and rise with inflation; placement and study-abroad years are usually charged at a lower rate.
Manchester fees page · source
About £39,160 in fees over 4 years, covered by a tuition fee loan you repay only when earning above the threshold. International students: £27,800 a year (2026/27).
What do students say?
NSS — a yearly survey of final-year students at every UK university; 81% of this course’s final year answered. Small groups can swing a lot year to year.
National Student Survey, via Discover Uni · 35 students answered
Highest: 100% agreed on question 2; lowest: 73% on question 10.
All questions26
| Question | Agree |
|---|---|
| Question 1 | 98% |
| Question 2 | 100% |
| Question 3 | 96% |
| Question 4 | 92% |
| Question 5 | 90% |
| Question 6 | 88% |
| Question 7 | 92% |
| Question 8 | 92% |
| Question 9 | 84% |
| Question 10 | 73% |
| Question 11 | 88% |
| Question 12 | 84% |
| Question 13 | 90% |
| Question 14 | 90% |
| Question 15 | 98% |
| Question 16 | 94% |
| Question 17 | 100% |
| Question 18 | 86% |
| Question 19 | 86% |
| Question 20 | 100% |
| Question 21 | 88% |
| Question 22 | 96% |
| Question 23 | 92% |
| Question 24 | 78% |
| Question 25 | 89% |
| Question 26 | 84% |
Question texts are published by the Office for Students; the dataset carries only the question numbers.
Modules, entry requirements and fees are facts read from University of Manchester’s course page on 2026-09-19 and may change; the university’s page is authoritative. Descriptions are not reproduced. Outcome figures are from the Discover Uni dataset. University of Manchester is a trade mark of the university; sch.today is independent of it.