The United States is a country of staggering scale, complexity and diversity.

It is the worlds largest economy; one

of the worlds most robust and enduring democracies; a superhub of literary, cultural, and artistic creation; an amalgam of racial, ethnic, religious, regional, and gendered identities; and a product of and key actor in important geopolitical events of the past and present. Intellectually grasping such a far-reaching area of study requires multiple academic perspectives. By approaching the study of the United States from a variety of disciplines, students will gain a comprehensive understanding of this fascinating and often paradoxical country, learn to critically engage and contextualize events and information involving the United States, and maximize their employment prospects for US-related careers in the cultural sector (e.g. journalism, higher education, international affairs), and business at large.

Ghent Universitys Postgraduate Program in American Studies

succeeds the former interuniversity M.A. in American Studies, founded by Professor Luc Herman (Universiteit Antwerpen) and later led by Professor Bart Eeckhout (Universiteit Antwerpen), as the premier program in American Studies in Belgium. The full-time, two-semester, interdisciplinary curriculum is designed to intellectually engage the richness of American society in all its complexity. Students will complete seven courses treating American politics, economics, history, literature, and culture, and will prepare a final thesis on a topic of their choice, with the guidance of a member of the Program staff. The program is open to Belgian and international students with a bachelor-level degree and a strong command of English. All courses are offered in English by an international team of experts. Students will enjoy access to the extensive archives of the Belgian Royal Librarys Center for American Studies, in addition to the considerable resources of Ghent University. Student life in the beautiful, bustling and historic city of Ghent completes the student experience.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Objectives
Upon completion of the program, students will: Have an in-depth understanding of the theoretical, methodological and historical questions that animate the American Studies discipline. Understand the position of American Studies within the larger group of area studies disciplines. Be aware of the limits and possibilities of the interdisciplinary approach as it is practiced in American Studies. Be capable of gathering and critically interpreting American Studies scholarship. Be able to evaluate the historical, cultural, social, political and economic significance of current events involving the United States. Be able to analyze media coverage of the United States. Be able to persuasively communicate their point of view in a logical and coherent way, both in writing and orally. Be self-aware of the ideological position he/she occupies as a researcher and a citizen. Be capable of contributing to the advancement of American Studies scholarship in Flanders, Belgium, and abroad.

Course Offerings for the 2012-2013 Academic Year

The program consists of a classroom component and a research component (60 ECTS in total). The former consists of four obligatory core courses and three specialization courses (42 ECTS). The latter is conducted independently, with the guidance of a member of the program staff, and culminates in a final paper (18 ECTS). General courses (24 ECTS) Introduction to American Studies American History and Politics I American History and Politics II US Culture: Regions and Ethnicities Semester taught 1 1 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 2 ECTS 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 Instructor G. Buelens K. Kennard K. Kennard P. Codde B. Van Damme R. Kroes K. Kennard J. Dick I. Meuret L. Harrison

Specialization courses (18 ECTS): choose 3 The Contemporary American Economy Trans-Atlantic Encounters and Influences: A Cultural and Diplomatic History United States Law and Justice The American Way of Religion American Literary Journalism American Literature and the Emergence of Visual Culture: 1835-Present

Final paper (18 ECTS)

1, 2

18

Selected by student

ADMISSION PROCEDURE Step 1: Are you Eligible?

Degree requirement The program is open to all Belgian and international students who have successfully completed a bachelor-level degree. Language requirement All applicants must demonstrate a strong command of English by fulfilling one of the five criteria set out below or by successfully completing a mandatory entrance exam. The entrance exam evaluates candidates English skills. It is administered by Ghent Universitys Centrum voor Talenonderwijs (University Language Center). Students must achieve a score of C1 or better. The following applicants are exempted from the entrance exam: (1) students with an Internet-based TOEFL-TEST (IBT), less than two years old, with a minimum score of 100; (2) students with an original test report form (TRF) from IELTS, less than two years old, with an overall minimum score of 7.0, and at least 7.0 on the spoken component; (3) Students who hold a degree in Linguistics and Literatures including English from a Flemish university. (4) Students who hold a degree in translation or interpreting including English from a Flemish educational institution (5) native speakers of English (educated in English).

Step 2: Request an application form

The application form cannot be downloaded from the program website. To obtain an application, please fill out and submit the online request form or send an email to americanstudies@UGent.be mentioning the following details: your first and last name; your mailing address; your date and place of birth; your nationality; (for students requiring a student visa) a confirmation that you have read, understood and agree to abide by the admission requirements. (For more details on admission requirements, go to http:// www.ugent.be/en/teaching/admission/degreestudent/requirement)

Step 3: Compile your application materials

Documents required All application materials must be submitted together. The following documents must be submitted to the Program Director before the application evaluation process can begin: (1) a recent passport photograph (2) (For international applicants only) a copy of your passport or national identity card (3) a CV (in a Word document), in English, detailing previous studies and/or professional activities (4) a legalized copy of the diploma, certificate, or other official document attesting to the prerequisite degree of academic achievement. If this diploma or certificate has been issued in a language other than Dutch, French, English, or German, it must be accompanied by a translation made by a sworn translator, into one of these four languages. (More information about the legalization of diplomas can be found at https://www.ugent.be/en/teaching/admission/degreestudent/application/legalen.htm) (5) (For international applicants only) official academic transcripts for the diplomas concerned, showing at least the following information: all courses the study load for each course (contact hours or credit points) the examination results for each course the final evaluation (if applicable) the title of the dissertation or thesis (if applicable) a supplementary document explaining the grading/credit system in your country If the original language of the academic transcript is not Dutch, French, English, or German, it must be accompanied by a translation made by a sworn translator, into one of these four languages. (6) (For international applicants only) a description of all courses listed on the submitted academic transcripts, in Dutch, French, English, or German. (In the case of translation, the document does not need to be translated by a sworn translator or legalized.) This is not the same as an academic transcript. Rather, it should consist of brief, one- or two-paragraph summaries describing the content of each course listed on your transcript. Often these summaries can be found in the course catalog of your university. If you cannot obtain this information from your university, you should compose the summaries yourself. Your application will not be considered complete without this document. (7) (If applicable) a copy of your dissertation, final thesis, or bachelor paper. This document does not need to be translated by a sworn translator. If your dissertation is not written in English, please add a one-page summary in English. (8) If applicable: proof of satisfactory TOEFL or IELTS scores (See Language prerequisite section above for minimum scores.) (9) Applicants currently enrolled in the final year of their academic program should submit a letter, printed on official letterhead bearing the seal of the university and signed by a member of the professorial staff or administration, confirming that the applicant is expected to complete his/her program at the end of the current academic year as well as authenticated transcripts with up-to-date results of courses already completed. (10) (For international students requiring a visa only) Two letters of recommendation (See application for details.) (11) (For applicants with a Chinese diploma only) You will need to obtain a certificate of academic screening issued by the Academic Evaluation Center (APS) of the German Embassy in Beijing before being allowed to enroll at Ghent University. Prospective students are advised to contact the APS in Beijing (info@aps.org.cn) as soon as possible in order to make the necessary appointments. More information can be found online at www.aps.org.cn.

Step 4: Submit your application

Submission Applicants must submit their application and supporting documents electronically. All documents should be scanned, formatted as .pdf or .docx files, and sent as attachments in one email (or consecutive emails, if file size requires) to americanstudies@UGent.be. The email subject heading should read Application_Family Name_First Name_2012-2013. Deadlines International applicants requiring a student visa are advised to apply by 15 April, though later applicants may still be able to complete the visa process in time.* For all other students: classes start the final week of September, so applications should have been received accordingly. Please note: International students requiring a student visa should be aware that it takes approximately 3 months to obtain a student visa from the Belgian embassy or consulate in your home country. We encourage these students to submit their application materials as soon as possible.
*To find out if you need a student visa to study in Belgium, go to http://diplomatie.belgium.be/en/services/travel_to_belgium/visa_for_ belgium/visa_needed/index.jsp)

Tuition and fees Applying to the program is free of charge. Once you have been granted admission, the following tuition costs and fees apply, to be paid after registration is completed: (1) EEA students* and LDC** students pay a registration fee of 64,90 EURO + a tuition fee of 1,200 EURO for the full program. (2) non-EEA students pay a registration fee of 64,90 EURO + 2,400 EURO for the full program.
* EEA countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom ** For a list of LDC countries, go to http://www.un.org/special-rep/ohrlls/ldc/list.htm.

Notification of admission decision and registration procedure Only complete applications will be evaluated. Bear in mind when making preparatory arrangements that the application evaluation process takes an average of one month from the time the completed application is received. All successful applicants will receive a letter of acceptance from the Program Director by email. This document is required to register once you have arrived in Ghent. In addition to this letter of acceptance, successful international students requiring a student visa will receive a letter of admission from the Rector of Ghent University, sent in duplicate by registered mail. This document is required to obtain a student visa. All admitted students can register with Ghent Universitys Central Student Administration from 1 July 2012 until 30 September 2012.

Course Catalog
Introduction to American Studies
Instructor: Gert Buelens, with the assistance of Birgit Van Puymbroeck Offered: First semester Course description: Over the last fifty years European scholars of American Studies have adopted a rather predictable, almost reactionary, philosophical position by viewing the contrasts and comparisons between the United States and Europe almost entirely through a negative, reductive social filter applied to the U.S. For example, over joint economic and security issues Washington is virtually always seen as the one utilising its extensive military and economic hard power to dictate the agenda if not events. Similarly, in the cultural realms of film, television, radio, literature, popular music and photography this pre-eminent nation stands accused of overextending its soft power via the corporate media and of attempting to dominate the cultural conversation. However, this course looks to challenge these embedded binary certainties by broadening and adding to our theoretical, methodological and practical approach. Therefore, we will take a fresh critical look at how Europe views the United States by extending our academic range beyond the accepted and the acceptable, recognising the historical, political and the personal in transatlantic relations. In other words, throughout the course our critical cultural perspective will become self-aware, reflective and cognitive of the shared, problematic, paradoxical, but exceptional relationship these two key parts of the World possess.Teaching method: Lectures and class discussion Evaluation: Participation in class discussions (30%), minor assignments (10%), presentation (20%) and final paper (40%) Course materials: A syllabus and a course reader will be provided for students to purchase.

American History and Politics I and II

Instructor: Ken Kennard Offered: First and second semester Course description: As an eminent American historian once observed, it has been our fate not to have ideologies but to be one. In other words, the ideas that have come and continue to underpin the United States are clearly visible via the historic construction and the subsequent political and societal development of this nation-state. Moreover, what makes this nation exceptional is the existence of symbiotic liberal relationship between the individual, society and the state. Consequently, it is this political and social condition that has made the United States the most powerful nation-state in the World. Therefore, in this course we will critically consider these observations by, initially, identifying the key components that make up this narrative via a chronological and thematic approach to this nation-states history and its politics. Importantly, we will utilise, contextually, the United States historical benchmarks of domestic and overseas conflict allowing us to analyse the ideological inconsistencies, presidential personalities and therefore, reconsider the United States view of itself. Finally, we will interrogate the authenticity and authority of U.S. pre-eminence and ask whether the American Dream will ever become a reality. In the first semester we will begin by considering this exceptional entwinement of the United States history and politics via its initial eighteenth century construction, nineteenth century continental expansion and subsequent extension overseas. Therefore, we will question how revolutionary the War of Independence (1776) actually was. How radical were the Founders ideas? How liberal was the US Constitution? Subsequently, we look to expose the political rhetoric of Washington, Jefferson, Hamilton and Madison et al by placing alongside their words, their subsequent political actions. Consequently, we will investigate the hubris surrounding the War of 1812, the resultant regional power declaration The Monroe Doctrine (1823), and the eventual and inevitable domestic conflict - The US Civil War (1861-1865). Was it a civil war or was this bloody conversation the nation-states real revolution? Was Lincoln fighting for freedom or for the future expansion of the United States? By 1898 with the Native Americans emasculated and

American History and Politics I

Black Americans segregated the nation-state was now united, allowing McKinley to make a significantly powerful footprint overseas as he invades Cuba and the Philippines. Why? Was it in search of a new American frontier? Or was it just a demonstration of the United States new found power? As the twentieth century beckons the nation-states expansion overseas stretches into Africa, Central and South America and Asia, but until now they had managed to stay well clear of Europe. In 1917 Woodrow Wilson changed this policy - why? Was this a fight for or against empire? What were Wilsons true motives? As the victorious President subsequently arrives in Paris in 1919 as one of the three key peacemakers, he possesses ideas that will eventually Change the World. However, these radical notions of self-determination and international organisation are not only rejected in large part by the French leader Clemenceau and British Prime Minister Lloyd George but by his own government. What is wrong with nation-states determining their own future? Did the United States truly become isolationist throughout the 1920s?

American History and Politics II

In the second semester we continue our trapping and tracing of U.S. history and politics by considering the nation-

states involvement in the Wall Street Crash, the beginnings of the Second World War, the introduction of the nuclear age and the subsequent outcome The Cold War. How did F. D. Roosevelt take the United States out of global depression? Why did he join the British and the Russians against the Axis? If Roosevelt had lived longer would the resultant fifty year conflict between the US and USSR have occurred? Within this Cold War context we look to analyse the issues surrounding Truman, Eisenhower, McCarthy and the Communists. Moreover, we view the arrival of J F. Kennedy into the White House, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and President Johnsons personal and tragic crusade in Vietnam. Nixon, China and Watergate provide us with our next political and historical backdrop to a decade of fundamental change inside and outside the United States. For the 1970s will become known as a period of seismic adjustments - an economic, political, and social paradigm shift - as the New World Order created during the Second World War, is diluted and subsequently dismantled throughout the 1980s by Ronald Reagans Darwinian politics, neo liberal market economics, and small government rhetoric. The following decade provides us with a period of paradoxes: as the sureties and securities of the Cold War are over, the United States is the one surviving superpower; however, the World now seems more insecure. Why is that? If the Free World has won the war why do we feel more constrained and more endangered? We conclude our history and politics module with a close examination of George Bushs duplicitous election, and the rise of neo-conservatism. Followed by an analytical view of 9/11, the resultant War on Terror and how the present incumbent Barack Obama has subsequently dealt with the aftermath of extensive US liberal intervention into the Middle East. In a Presidential year all the above will be explicitly or implicitly revisited and re-exposed via the political debates inside the United States. Therefore, overall, we will look to link our personal examination of the United States history and politics over the next year, with the contemporary commentary that is now emanating from a nation-state that is still the most powerful in the World. Teaching Methods: Lecturers, seminars, tutorials Evaluation: Research Essay (60%), Written Final Exam (30%), and Class Participation (10%) Course Materials: All reading and studying materials will be detailed in your course syllabus. You will also receive a weekly study update in preparation for each class.

US Culture: Regions and Ethnicities

Instructor: Philippe Codde Offered: Second semester Course Description: This course consists of two parts: The American Sense of Place and Ethnicity in American Culture. The former is an exploration of how the American landscape and its representations have changed over the course of time. It specifically considers the different myths created about the various regions in the US (the North-East, the South, the Midwest, and the West) and how these myths (about the Garden of Eden, the plantation system, the Garden of the World, Manifest Destiny, the frontier, the mythological status of the cowboys, the Indians, ...) are perpetuated or criticized in literary texts, paintings, films, and music. The second part, Ethnicity in American Culture discusses the impact of ethnicity in American society, based on a number of key concepts (race vs. ethnicity, ethclass, the melting pot, ...) and a brief historical overview of the different ethnic groups (Native Americans, African Americans, European immigrants, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, ...). Students will have a chance to further explore any subject dealt with or left unexplored in this course for their personal research assignment (class presentation + final paper). Teaching Method: Lectures and class discussions Evaluation: Presentation (30%) and final paper (70%) Course materials: A course reader will be provided for students to purchase.

The Contemporary American Economy

Instructor: Brieuc Van Damme, with the assistance of Ken Kennard Offered: Second semester Course description: After World War II, the gap between rich and poor in Western societies seemed to narrow. Thanks to unprecedented economic growth in the 1950s and 60s, welfare states began to establish themselves in Europe and, in the United States, the policies begun in the 1930s under Roosevelts New Deal flourished. It was an era of unprecedented prosperity for an unprecedented number of people. However, this post-war optimism eventually gave way to new economic preoccupations and challenges. Government spending decreased, the dollar weakened, and the American trade deficit ballooned. Today, the United States finds itself at a critical juncture economically. The predominance of the US economy and the ideological model upon which it is based has increasingly been called into question. The financial crisis of 2007-2010 and the great recession of the late 2000s have intensified the need to consider new economic models and reforms. What would such alternative models and reforms look like? What strategic choices will the federal government need to make in order to secure Americans standard of living, manage the deficit, and maintain popular public services such as Social Security and Medicare? What is the future of the United States economic standing in the world economy? This course explores these questions by analyzing the internal and external dynamics of the American market economy in the post-World War II era. We will address core aspects of the contemporary American economy, both in theoretical and empirical terms, using the American financial and economic media (The Wall Street Journal, Forbes and others) as an important teaching tool. Five major topics will be discussed in class: (i) the origins of American economic growth, (ii) the principles of fairness and redistribution in the US, (iii) American social issues, (iv) the US financial system and the financial crisis, and (v) the foreign economic policy of the US. An ongoing discussion on the ideological divide between left-wing economists and their conservative or right-wing counterparts will undergird many of the class discussions. Teaching method: Lectures focused on theory, class discussion guided by readings Evaluation: Participation in class discussions and presentations (25%), an open-book final exam, either written or oral (75%) Course materials: A syllabus and a course reader will be provided for students to purchase.

Trans-Atlantic Encounters and Influences: A Cultural and Diplomatic History

Instructor: Rob Kroes Offered: Second semester Course description: Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries the United States has confronted European nations with a cultural and political challenge. In spite of family resemblances there were notable differences, cultural and otherwise, which Europeans have struggled to interpret in terms of likeness and otherness. In what has been called the American century, from World War II to the present day, the American presence in Europe has only increased, intentionally so, as in Americas cultural diplomacy, or unintentionally so, through the autonomous, unguided radiance of Americas cultural appeal. This course will delve into areas of cultural and diplomatic history to explore the ways in which the U.S. has exerted its influence on European nations as well as the ways in which Europeans have responded to the challenge. Teaching method: Weekly readings and discussion in class of assigned literature. Students are expected, on a weekly basis, to write a one-page summary and critical comments on the readings, to be submitted a day ahead. In preparation for the final paper, based on available literature and individual research, students will give an oral presentation in class and engage in discussion with their fellow students. Finally, in groups of two or three, students will prepare presentations in class based on visual material in public space testifying to an American cultural footprint in Ghent. Evaluation: The final grade will be based on the students weekly critical writings (20%), their presentation in class of individual work toward the term paper (20%), team presentation (10%) and a term paper of about 10.000 words, including references (50%). Course materials: A list of readings will be made available consisting of books to be read in part or in toto, and of published articles.

United States Law and Justice

Offered: First Semester Course description: One of the central and controversial components of American society from its inception has been the United States Constitution (1787). Moreover, with the inclusion of a Bill of Rights this seminal document has not only been the source of all national law but has looked to provide citizens with legal protection as well as required obedience. In other words, this declaration of freedoms, responsibilities and empowerment has been the route to individual and collective justice. However, this historic legal narrative in actuality was constructed by accident or by design in a somewhat brief, vague and generalised manner. Therefore, the crucial continual effect of this document is often to be found in what it does not state as much as in what it does. Hence, the guardians and ultimate translators of constitutionality The United States Supreme Court are a hugely significant if not most important element of the checks and balances that exist between the United States political troika the executive, legislative and the judiciary. Therefore, this course will primarily take a critical look at the historic and contemporary relationships between the U.S. Constitution, the Supreme Court and Congress. Moreover, we will consider some of the key benchmark decisions that have been made by this august body; reflecting or subsequently changing American society while influencing international relations. Finally, we will compare and contrast this source and application of United States law with European legal institutions and their enforcement, acknowledging the real differences between the writing of law and the proffering of justice. Teaching Method: Weekly lectures/seminars. These group conversations will be supported by one to one tutorial time allowing concerns and clarification over topics to be individually discussed, as well as issues relating to the research, planning and the writing of required essays. Moreover, all students will receive weekly study updates in preparation for the weekly class alongside their detailed course syllabus. Evaluation: Research Essay (60%), Weekly written class synopsis (30%) and Class Participation (10%) Course Materials: All reading and study material will be detailed in your course syllabus. You will also receive a weekly study update in preparation for each class.
Instructor: Ken Kennard

Marketing the Modern US Presidency

Instructor: Tobias Van Assche Since Dr. Van Assche has been appointed to a full-time position with the US Department of State, he will unfortunately be unable to teach this course. This option will therefore alas be unavailable.

The American Way of Religion

Instructor: John A. Dick Offered: First semester Course description: This course will survey the religious history and religious evolution of the people of the United States from the seventeenth century to the present day. Students will acquire a clear sense of the role religion has played in the development of American culture and values. Specifically, the course will address the image of America as the new Promised Land, trace the development of the made-in-America Calvinist ethic, consider the rise of American civil religion, and analyze the function of religion in American society as social glue. The course is divided into four parts organized around constituent sub-themes. In Part One, God and the American Colonies, we will cover (i) the European roots of American Christianity, (ii) the practice of religion in colonial America, and (iii) religion and the birth of the Republic. In Part Two, From the American Revolution to the Civil War, we will address (i) religion in the age of revolution and (ii) the immigrant churches. In Part Three, From Christendom to Pluralism, we will consider (i) new American religions, (ii) religion beyond the walls of Anglo-Saxon Zion, and (iii) World War I and the Roaring Twenties. In Part Four, Religion in a Secular Age, our survey will cover (i) religion from the Great Depression to World War II, (ii) World War II and the post-war revival, (iii) the 1960s, and (iv) Vietnam to Bill Clinton. Teaching method: Lectures and class discussions with handouts Evaluation: Oral or written final exam based on prompt distributed at final class meeting (100%) Course materials: Course reader

American Literary Journalism

Instructor: Isabelle Meuret Offered: First semester Course description: Literary journalism, also called narrative journalism or creative nonfiction, is journalism as literature. The aim of this course is twofold: first, students will be introduced to American literary journalism as a distinctive genre; second, they will discuss the main themes and key issues raised by this writing practice. By way of illustration, the course will address essential questions such as objectivity vs. subjectivity, fact vs. fiction, form vs. content, ethics, and the specificities of literary journalism with regards to history, anthropology, and sociology. The course will emphasize the various techniques used by literary journalists through close reading of seminal texts (e.g.: Hiroshima, by John Hersey; Slouching towards Bethlehem, by Joan Didion; Let Us Now Praise Famous Men, by James Agee and Walker Evans; and In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote). It will also expose students to subcategories of literary journalism, such as New Journalism (Tom Wolfe), gonzo (Hunter S. Thompson), and New New Journalism (Robert Boynton). The cultural history of the United States will be broached through the prism of these narratives. Reportage will be evaluated in terms of literary quality, political commitment, and scientific relevance. Part of the course will be devoted to visual forms of the genre, such as graphic literary journalism or photojournalism. Teaching Method: Lecture and class discussion Evaluation: Evaluation is based on the close reading of texts, discussions, and paper-writing. Course Materials: A syllabus and a course reader will be provided for students to purchase.

American Literature and the Emergence of Visual Culture: 1835-Present

Instructor: Les Harrison Offered: Second semester Course description: Starting with the works of Edgar Allan Poe, this course will trace how a succession of American authors wrestled with the representational problems posed by the emergence of visual culture central to the development of global modernity in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and how these problems persist in the works of contemporary American literature and film. Throughout the course, special attention will be paid to how the new visual technologies of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries (photography, stereoscopy, film, and, later, digital medias) inspired a deep ambivalence regarding the power and place of images in the works of nineteenth and twentiethcentury American authors and directors. In addition to short stories by Edgar Allan Poe, this course will include a variety of literary works by nineteenth and twentieth-century U.S. authors (Hawthorne, Whitman, Gilman, Delillo) as well as more recent films by Ridley Scott, among others. Teaching Method: Lecture, Class Discussion Evaluation: Class Participation, Essay, Final exam Course Materials: A syllabus and a course reader will be provided for students to download or purchase.

Instructor profiles
The teaching staff of the Postgraduate Program in American Studies is made up of distinguished American Studies specialists who have published and taught extensively on topics central to contemporary scholarship on the United States. Instructors fields of expertise range from American economics to politics, literature, culture, journalism, history, and religion.

Gert Buelens (Ghent University) Gert Buelens is a professor of English and the chair of the Department of Literary Studies at Ghent University. He holds degrees from Ghent (Lic. English and German, 1984), and Sussex (DPhil in American Studies, 1990), and was a visiting scholar at Harvard in 1996-1997. He has published several books on Henry James, multi-ethnic American literature, and cultural theory, and is the author of some sixty essays in collections and journals, the latter including American Studies in Scandinavia, Henry James Review, Modern Philology, Texas Studies in Literature and Language, and PMLA. He is the Book Review Editor for Henry James Review and edits the journal Authorship. He serves or has served on several editorial boards, including Canadian Review of American Studies, Comparative American Studies, E-REA, Henry James E-Journal, Henry James Review, MELUS, Open Humanities Press, and Miscelnea. He is a past president (2005) of the Henry James Society. He is vice-president of the Belgian Luxembourg American Studies Association (BLASA), and program director of the postgraduate program in American Studies at Ghent University. Philippe Codde (Ghent University) Philippe Codde is a guest professor of American literature at Ghent University. He holds degrees from Ghent (Lic. and PhD), Antwerp (MA), and Fordham University (MPhil). He is the author of The Jewish American Novel (Purdue 2007) and has published widely on American literature in journals such as Modern Fiction Studies, Studies in American Fiction, Partial Answers, Yiddish (Modern Jewish Studies), Poetics Today, Modern Language Notes, European Judaism, and in volumes such as The Holocaust, Art, and Taboo: Transatlantic Exchanges on the Ethics and Aesthetics of Representation, and Lost on the Map of the World: Jewish-American Womens Quest for Home in Essays and Memoirs, 1890-Present. At Ghent University, he teaches several courses on American literature and American culture. He is also the secretary of the exam committee and the curriculum committee of the postgraduate program in American Studies at Ghent University. In his spare time, you might find him on a race bike.

John A. Dick (Catholic University of Leuven) John Dick is an American who has lived in Belgium for nearly twenty years. He holds licentiates in historical theology from the University of Nijmegen and the KU Leuven and doctorates in religious studies (Ph.D.) and historical theology (STD) from the KU Leuven. Among the books he has written or edited are: The Malines Conversations Revisited, From Malines to ARCIC, and a three-volume philosophical series, Tradition and Renewal. For thirteen years he was Director of Continuing Education and Academic Dean at the American College of Leuven. He was the third holder of the Chair for the Study of Religion and Values in American society at the KU Leuven. For more than a decade he has taught courses about religion and values in American culture, and was a staff member at the KU Leuven European Center for Ethics. He is currently the Executive Secretary for the Jean Jadot Chair for the Study of Religion and Values in Society at the KU Leuven and the UCL and former head of LIBISMA, a privately funded international documentation and research center in Brussels. He writes regularly on American culture and trends in American society for Tertio, and lectures in Europe and the United States about religion, fundamentalism, and civic virtue in the United States. He is currently preparing a bookThe Half-Way Covenantabout the use of religion in American history. Les Harrison (Virginia Commonwealth University) Les Harrison is an Associate Professor of American Literature at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA. He received his Ph.D. (2002) and M.A. (1995) degrees in nineteenth-century American Literature from Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. His first book, The Temple and the Forum (2007), examined the intersections between emergent literary and museum cultures in the United States of America during the middle decades of the nineteenth century. He is currently co-editor, along with Wesley Raabe, of Uncle Toms Cabin: A Digital Critical Edition, and is contributing member of John Bryants Melville Electronic Library (MEL). Professor Harrison is currently in the earliest stages of a research project examining the cultural significance of chess (and its eventual repudiation) in nineteenth-century U.S. culture. Ken Kennard (Ghent University) J Ken Kennard holds degrees from University of East Anglia (BA American History and Politics 2002; MA International Relations and European Studies 2003) and University of Kent (PhD International Relations: US Foreign Relations 2007). Having published two articles on US/Middle East Relations, he has just completed a monograph Prescience of Pre-eminence A Contemporary Articulation of US Power (1776-1941). The second volume on this topic covering the period 1941-2001 is due for completion in 2012. He has given numerous papers on US diplomatic history and politics at conferences such as the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations (SHAFER) and Transatlantic Studies Association (TSA) in which Ken continues to be an active member. Ken was formerly the Academic Director of the US Student Overseas Programme at Canterbury Christ Church and has taught US history, politics and economics at three UK universities and in the United States.

Rob Kroes (University of Amsterdam, emeritus) Rob Kroes (Ph.D. in sociology, University of Leiden, 1971) is professor emeritus and former chair of the American Studies program at the University of Amsterdam, where he taught until September 2006. He is Honorary Professor of American Studies at the University of Utrecht and was a past president of the European Association for American Studies (EAAS, 19921996). He is the founding editor of two series published in Amsterdam: Amsterdam Monographs in American Studies and European Contributions to American Studies. He is the author, co-author or editor of 37 books. Among his recent publications are: If Youve Seen One, Youve Seen The Mall: Europeans and American Mass Culture (1996), Predecessors: Intellectual Lineages in American Studies (1998), Them and Us: Questions of Citizenship in a Globalizing World (2000), and Straddling Borders: The American Resonance in Transnational Identities (2004). With Robert W. Rydell, he co-authored a book entitled Buffalo Bill in Bologna: The Americanization of the World, 18691922 (2005). His most recent book is Photographic Memories: Private Pictures, Public Images, and American History (2007). Isabelle Meuret (Universit Libre de Bruxelles) Isabelle Meuret is a Senior Lecturer in English and Cultures at the Universit Libre de Bruxelles, where she teaches in the B.A. and M.A. programs of the Department of Information and Communication sciences. She holds a Ph.D. in comparative literature (Universit Catholique de Louvain, 2001), which included a research component at the Department of Francophone Studies at UCLA and a visiting graduate fellowship at the Institute for Research on Women and Gender at Stanford University. She has published two books based on her doctoral dissertation: LAnorexie cratrice (Paris, Klincksieck, 2006) and Writing Size Zero (Brussels, Peter Lang, 2007). She taught at various universities in Belgium (Facults Universitaires Catholiques de Mons, Universit Catholique de Louvain, Facults Universitaires Saint-Louis) from 1989 to 2005 before joining the professorial staff at ULB in 2005. She is currently the Program Leader of the Masters Degree in Multilingual Communication and is the Liaison Committee Chair of the International Association for Literary Journalism Studies (http:www. ialjs.org). Her research interests include literary journalism and reportage, photojournalism, comparative literature, and cultures of the Anglophone world.

Brieuc Van Damme (Itinera Institute) Brieuc Van Damme holds degrees in economics from the KULeuven and the College of Europe, and is an alumnus of George Mason University (Virginia). He has worked for Accenture as a government and public services consultant and is currently an economist at the Itinera Institute, a Brussels based think-tank for sustained economic growth and social protection. His areas of expertise are the political economy, social security systems, and care and healthcare economics, a topic on which he has recently written a book. Professor Van Damme keeps a blog on current American economic issues and has taught a class on the US economy at the University of Antwerp. He publishes, advises, lectures and debates in professional and policy circles, as well as in the media. Birgit Van Puymbroeck (Ghent University) Ms. Birgit Van Puymbroeck completed her BA and MA in American, English, and French literature at Ghent University. She is currently completing her doctoral dissertation at the UGent literature department, which examines the role of transnational literary networks in modernism. Her research interests include network theory, cosmopolitanism, and the modernist novel. She has published on these topics in distinguished journals such as Modern Language Review, English Literature in Transition 1880-1920, and Neophilologus.

Frequently asked questions

Will the interuniversity M.A. in American Studies program be offered in the 2011-2012 academic year? The interuniversity M.A. program in American Studies has been succeeded by the Postgraduate Program in American Studies administered by Ghent University, which started in Fall 2011. To whom do I submit the application? You submit your application to the Program Director, who will evaluate it and, assuming a positive evaluation, will issue you a letter of acceptance. Keep this letter on hand, as you will need it to register as a student at Ghent University. What is the application deadline? International applicants requiring a student visa are advised to apply by 15 April, though later applicants may still be able to complete the visa process in time. Non-visa requiring applicants should be aware that classes start in the last week of September and should apply accordingly. What are the tuition costs? Applying to the program is free of charge. Once you have been granted admission, the following tuition costs and fees apply, to be paid after registration is completed: (1) Students from EEA member countries and students from LDC countries pay a registration fee of 64,90 EURO + a tuition fee of 1,200 EURO for the full program; (2) non-EEA students pay a registration fee of 64,90 EURO + 2,400 EURO for the full program. Is it possible to follow the program on a part-time basis? What are the tuition costs for part-time students? Part-time registration is not possible for international students requiring a student visa. Other students may be admitted to part-time study at the discretion of the Program Director. Part-time students pay a one-time registration fee of 64,90 EURO + a tuition fee of 20 EURO per credit (EEA and LDC students not requiring a student visa); 40 EURO per credit (non-EEA students not requiring a student visa). Can I be exempted from certain courses on the basis of prior coursework? In exceptional cases, students can ask to be exempted from some of the coursework on the basis of prior relevant coursework in American Studies at the right level of study. Such exemptions are at the discretion of the programs examination committee. How long does the application process take? The time it takes the Program Director to review application materials greatly depends on the individual case. On average, you may expect a decision within one month, though straightforward cases will receive a speedier answer. Once you have a formal letter of acceptance from the Program Director, you can register with Ghent Universitys Central Student Administration. Ive been admitted to the program. How do I officially enroll as a student? Registration (enrollment) takes place in person at Ghent Universitys Central Student Administration office (see http://www.ugent.be/en/teaching/studentadmin/enrolment/practical.htm). It is carried out at once for students who pay the registration and tuition fee in cash or by credit card or bank card; for those who want to pay by bank transfer, a bank transfer form with a structured reference will be given to you after completing the administrative enrollment formalities. The structural reference is unique to your enrolment and will automatically link your payment to your enrolment. You cannot pay in advance! Enrollment is only final upon receipt of your bank transfer.

How will I know if I have been admitted to the program? You will receive a formal letter of acceptance from the Program Director by email. What is the difference between a letter of acceptance and a letter of admission? A letter acceptance is issued by the Program Director. It certifies that your application has been positively reviewed and that you have permission to enroll in the program. You need this letter to register with the Central Student Administration upon arriving in Ghent. A letter of admission, on the other hand, is issued by the Rector. Only international students requiring student visas will receive this letter, as it is required as part of the visa application. Can I submit my application materials electronically? All application materials must be submitted electronically to americanstudies@UGent.be (unless the applicant does not have reliable access to a computer, in which case application materials may be submitted by post). Do I need to submit GRE scores with my application? No, GRE scores are not factored into admission decisions. Do I need to have a certain GPA to apply for the program? Students should be able to demonstrate a high level of achievement in their past academic pursuits, but the program sets no strict baseline measure for this. Do I need a TOEFL or IELTS certificate to satisfy the language requirement? If you are applying based on a diploma granted by a university outside of Belgium, the answer is most likely yes. See details in the Practical Information section above. Exceptions are made for: English native speakers (with education in English), students who hold a degree in linguistics and literatures including English from a Flemish institution; and students who hold a degree in translation or interpreting including English from a Flemish institution. Are there scholarships available? There are no scholarships offered by the program directly. Go to http://www.ugent.be/en/teaching/ studysupport/studycost/scholarship for information about scholarship opportunities offered to international students studying in Belgium, including students from LDC countries. Does the program offer teaching assistantships? No. I am applying for a scholarship in my home country and I need a letter of admission as part of that application. How do I obtain one? You apply for the program. If your application is positively evaluated, you will receive a letter of acceptance from the Program Director. Does my master degree have to be in a particular field? No, although successful students often have a strong background in the social sciences and humanities. Where will classes be held? The majority of classes will be held in Ghent at Ghent University classrooms. At least one class will be held at the Center for American Studies (Royal Library) in Brussels.

Will housing assistance be provided by the program? No, students are responsible for finding their own room and board. Go to http://www.ugent.be/en/living/ everyday/money/costofliving.htm for a good overview of the average cost of living in Ghent. When will I be expected in Ghent? Classes start 24 September 2012. The full academic calendar can be found at http://www.ugent.be/nl/ onderwijs/administratie/kalender/2012.pdf Can I apply if I have a Bachelors degree and no Masters degree? Yes. This postgraduate program is open to all students who hold a bachelor degree. Can I apply if I am currently enrolled in a Bachelors program? Yes, mid-term bachelor students may apply as long as they have received their bachelors diploma by the beginning of the program. Is the Postgraduate in American Studies degree equivalent to a M.A. degree? Technically, the program leads to a certificate of postgraduate education rather than an M.A. degree. However, it is conceived as an M.A. program with courses at M.A. level and with a compulsory M.A.-level dissertation. Still have a question? You can find a wealth of information about the application and registration process, student visas, scholarships, and student life in Ghent at Ghent Universitys website for prospective and admitted students! Go to https://www.ugent.be/en/teaching to find out more. For more specific questions regarding the program or your individual application, you are welcome to contact the program directly at americanstudies@UGent.be.

We look forward to hearing from you!