American Studies

Faculty of English

Level of studies: first-cycle studies

Type of studies: full-time

Duration: 3 years

Language of instruction: Polish

Professional title: licentiate (licencjat)

Educational profile: general academic

About the programme

Programme description

Do you wish to delve into the fascinating world of North America, where history intertwines with culture, and politics has a global dimension? American Studies program offers a unique journey not only through the United States but also Canada and corners of Mexican culture. Do you want to immerse yourself in the richness of literature, language, and art of these regions? Or are you interested in the political scenery of the USA and its international relations? Our interdisciplinary program is the key to opening doors to extraordinary opportunities, where every day is a new adventure in the world of multiculturalism.

Example of courses

During the course of your studies, you will have the opportunity to participate in classes covering the following topics:

American English as a foreign language
American popular literature: genres and conventions
American non-fiction
First inhabitants of North America: history, culture, and socio-political issues
The political system of the USA
Race and ethnicity in the USA
Introduction to American law
Selected issues of American art
Canadian life and institutions
Introduction to Canadian literature
Chicana/o culture and the USA-Mexico border
Cultural landscapes of Latin America
Spanish language course

Graduate competencies

Upon completion of your studies, not only will you have solid theoretical knowledge, but also practical skills that allow you to succeed in various professional areas. Here are some of the competencies you will acquire:

excellent knowledge of English (including American regional variants and sociolects)
ability to analyze and interpret cultural texts in a socio-political context
strong intercultural communication skills and ability to work in an international environment
creative approach to problem-solving and decision-making
flexibility in adapting to changing conditions and situations

Career prospects

After graduation, numerous professional opportunities open up for you. You can work as:

a teacher of English in educational institutions,
international consultant or intercultural communication specialist in international companies,
political analyst or international relations specialist in government institutions or international organizations,
translator of literature and documents related to the culture, history, and politics of North America.

Ready for a passionate journey through the heart of North America?

Do join us and discover the extraordinary world of American Studies!

Additional information

Faculty website of the programme

Admission to the programme

Information about enrollment deadlines for this programme will be provided at a later date.

Detailed admission rules

Selection procedure

Elements of selection procedure	Max points	Weight of element	Max result
1) grades on the Matura certificate	100	1	100
Maximum number of points to be scored during the selection procedure			100

Ad 1. List of polish nationwide olympiads or competitions entitling the candidate to score the maximum number of points

National English Olympiad - finalist
National English Olympiad - laureate

Additional information: all candidates qualified in the 2019/2020 school year for the III stage of the polish nationwide olympiad are treated as laureates of a given olympiad.

Rules of computing Matura exam results

Mode I

applies to candidates who took the so-called "new Matura exam" (secondary school final exams), IB or secondary school final exam abroad

Group	Subject	Level	Weight	Number of subjects from a group taken into consideration
1	Polish (part written)	extended	0.20	1 max. 20 pts

2	English (part written)	extended	0.80	1 max. 80 pts

				max. 100 pts

Mode I: additional information on calculation of results

In case a candidate does not have a grade in the subject/level indicated in the admission rules, they receive 0 score for that subject/level.
If the Polish language is taken into account in the admission rules, in the absence of the Polish language, the native language of the country where the high school leaving examination is taken is considered for Polish citizens who graduated from high school abroad and foreigners who have a foreign high school leaving certificate.
The bilingual Matura exam result for a modern foreign language is calculated as an extended level Matura exam multiplied by 4/3 (however, no more than 100%).
For graduates from schools belonging to the International Baccalaureate Organization (IB), to whom mode I applies, the results of the Matura exam are calculated into percentages of the new Matura exam in accordance with the rules given in the tables below:

IB new Matura

Standard Level
(points) basic level
(percentage)

7 100

6 86

5 72

4 58

3 44

2 30

1 -

0 -

IB new Matura

Higher Level
(points) extended level
(percentage)

7 100

6 85

5 70

4 55

3 40

2 25

1 10

0 0
The method of computing scores from foreign documents is indicated in Table. In the case of countries other than those listed in the Table, the scores from the required subjects are computed proportionally to the percentages of the extended level of the "new Matura exam", taking into account the grading scale used in the country where the document was issued – the maximum grade on the foreign document corresponds to 100% of the Polish Matura exam, and the lowest grade on the foreign document corresponds to 30% of the Polish Matura exam.

IB	new Matura
7	100
6	86
5	72
4	58
3	44
2	30
1	-
0	-

IB	new Matura
7	100
6	85
5	70
4	55
3	40
2	25
1	10
0	0

Mode II

applies to candidates who took the so-called "old Matura exam" (secondary school final exams)

Group	Subject	Weight	Number of subjects from a group taken into consideration
1	Polish (part written)	0.20	1 max. 20 pts

2	English (part written or oral)	0.80	1 max. 80 pts

			max. 100 pts

Mode II: additional information on calculation of results

1. For candidates with the old Matura exam the exam grades are converted into points as follows:

grade scale (2 - 5)
grade:	5	4	3	2
points:	100	80	60	0

grade scale (1 - 6)
grade:	6	5	4	3	2	1
points:	100	85	65	50	35	0

Selection procedure steps

1. Creating an account

The candidate creates an individual account in the Online Admissions System by providing the necessary personal data. Subsequent admission-related operations can only be made after logging in to the created account. All steps taken by the candidate after logging into the system are saved and archived. The candidate is obliged to keep the password to access the account secret.

2. Enrolling in the programme

The candidate chooses a programme/major and type of studies. It is recommended that the candidate thoroughly read the admission requirements for a given programme as well as the admission schedule.

3. Paying the enrollment fee

The candidate pays an admission procedure fee in the selected programmes/majors. Failure to pay the fee for a given programme means the candidate is not included in the selection procedure in this programme. The enrollment fee is PLN 85.

4. Attachment of documents obtained abroad

The candidate with the documents obtained abroad attaches scans of these documents for the purpose of their verification.

5. Filling the matura exam results

The candidate enters information about the Matura certificate and provides results of the Matura exam.

6. Uploading a photo

The candidate uploads a high-resolution photo which will be used when generating the personal questionnaire. The photo of the admitted candidate will also be used in the student identification card.

Notice: if you do not upload a photo, system will not be able to generating the questionnaire!

7. Awaiting the final results of the selection procedure

The results of the selection procedure will be provided via the Online Admissions System. Upon logging in the candidate will see his/her score and the score required for admission as well as information on being selected or not being selected for admission.

8. Announcement of the final results of the selection procedure

A candidate selected for admission is obliged to lodge all required documents, by electronic means, within the specified time limit and upon doing so is expected to take up studies in the programme. Failure to lodge the required documents within the specified time limit means the candidate opts out of taking up the studies.

A candidate not selected for admission may lodge by electronic means, within the specified time limit, a declaration on willingness to take up studies. The declaration is submitted electronically via the Online Admissions System. A candidate who has maintained their willingness to take up studies may have their admission status changed. The candidate is obliged to monitor admission status on an ongoing basis.

9. Final results of the selection procedure

The results of the selection procedure will be provided via the Online Admissions System. Upon logging into his/her account, the candidate will see information on admission or denial of admission.

List of documents

Set of documents

photo file which will be used when generating the personal questionnaire
a scan of the Matura certificate
a scan of the supplement to the Matura certificate - applies to candidates who have increased the the Matura exam score or have taken the Matura exam in additional subjects
a scan of the IB diploma - applies to graduates of schools belonging to the International Baccalaureate Organization (IB)
a scan, of the certificate issued by the organisational committee of a given olympiad or competition - applies to candidates who are the laureats and finalists of olympiads and competitions
a scan of statement by a statutory representative - applies to candidates under 18 i.e. people who as of October 1, 2024 are under 18 years old

Preparation of the documents

During the recruitment process, candidates do not submit any paper documents.

Each of the required documents should be scanned to a separate file in PDF format. A document (e.g. certificate or diploma) that has more than one page should be scanned into one multi-page PDF file.

Scanning documents can be carried out on its own with the use of a scanner or with the use of dedicated applications for devices with Android or iOS. The document scanning service is also available at most copy shops.

Attestation of documents

Document attestation is a process in which an employee of the University confirms the compliance of the attached scans of documents with their original (paper) version. Attestation of the document by AMU consists in submitting (for inspection) the original document at the Student Office at the Faculty at the beginning of the academic year.

Documents obtained abroad

Candidates with documents obtained abroad also provide:

a scan of a foreign document, which is legalized or accompanied by an apostille, entitling the candidate to take up higher education studies in the country where the document was issued
a scan of translation of the document into the language of the studies undertaken by the candidate, performed by a sworn translator entered into the list of sworn translators maintained by the Polish Minister of Justice, or certified by a Polish consul in the country where the document was issued
a certificate of recognition of a foreign certificate as equivalent to Polish Matura certificate issued by a competent Board of Education – if the foreign certificate is not recognized, by virtue of law or under international agreements, as a document entitling to commence higher education studies in Poland
a scan of a document confirming the entitlement to study tuition-free – in the case of the foreigners concerned

IB	new Matura
Standard Level (points)	basic level (percentage)
7	100
6	86
5	72
4	58
3	44
2	30
1	-
0	-

IB	new Matura
Higher Level (points)	extended level (percentage)
7	100
6	85
5	70
4	55
3	40
2	25
1	10
0	0