Carys Hughes, PhD American Studies
"The breadth and depth of the module opportunities and the world-leading expertise of staff members has provided me with a well-rounded knowledge and experience of my field."
What made you choose Nottingham for your PhD?
"I completed my BA in American and Canadian Literature, History and Culture (2015-2018) and enjoyed my time at Nottingham so much that I continued on to complete my MA in American Studies in 2020.
The department staff are incredibly nurturing and friendly, and they have actively encouraged my research interests in multiple areas. I was able to study a wide range of topics such as North American Regions, American Violence, Canadian Literature, Immigration and American Magazine Culture, which collectively informed my postgraduate writing."
How has the support on offer been?
"The breadth and depth of the module opportunities and the world-leading expertise of staff members has provided me with a well-rounded knowledge and experience of my field.
Feeling supported to pursue my research, and having access to Nottingham’s extensive American and Canadian Studies library collection, made the department the ideal place to complete my PhD."
Your PhD is AHRC funded – what opportunities has this provided?
"My PhD is funded by the AHRC’s Midlands4Cities Doctoral Training Partnership and this has provided me with the opportunity to undertake placements related to my field, go on research trips, and communicate with a large community of doctoral researchers.
Though the first year of my research has been conducted during the pandemic, I have been able to participate in and engage with many virtual events such as visiting lectures from leading scholars within my field, ‘Work in Progress’ meetings where I can receive feedback on my writing, and many opportunities to publish and participate in conferences are regularly signposted."
Have you taken part in any extracurricular projects?
"The postgraduate community at Nottingham is welcoming and inclusive. A fellow PhD researcher and I have collaborated with the department’s support to form 'Panoptic Journal: The University of Nottingham Postgraduate Journal of American and Canadian Studies', which has provided us with great editorial experience and an array of researcher contacts."
Go further
Study American studies