# American Studies

**Source**: https://english.spbu.ru/admission/programms/graduate/american-studies
**Parent**: https://english.spbu.ru/admission/programms/graduate

41.04.05 
*In English and Russian*

Level of education Master

Type of instruction Full-time

Duration 2 years

Programme description

- The master’s programme "American Studies" is a unique master’s programme. Graduates of the programme are experts in the issues of the Western hemisphere. The programme focuses both on the study of the whole Western hemisphere as a system as well as on the integrated study of individual countries and regions: Canada, the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean. The programme brings together Russia’s best experts in research on foreign and domestic policy of the USA, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean
- Students have an opportunity to: participate in research and expert activities with lecturers; and take part in various international cooperation programmes. The programme "American Studies" provides a foundation for a professional career or further education in the fields related to the Western hemisphere countries. Graduates of the programme are constantly in demand, on the one hand, given the overall importance of a number of countries of the Western hemisphere to world politics, and, on the other hand, given the intensive development of our country’s contacts with many countries of Latin America and the Caribbean
- This degree programme is designed to train experts capable of: providing organisational, communication, expert, analytical, advisory, information and educational services to government agencies and non-governmental organisations engaged in international relation issues in the Americas; and conducting research activities on relevant topics

Main courses

- Foreign Policy Strategy and Decision Making in the United States of America and Canada
- The Western Hemisphere in Systems of International Relations: Late 15th – Early 21st Centuries
- Integration Processes in the Western Hemisphere
- Political Systems and Institutes in Latin America
- Issues in Relations Between Russia and Countries in Western Hemisphere

Our advantages

This is the only master's programme in universities in the Russian Federation that trains high calibre international relations experts in the issues of the Western hemisphere countries.

- Diversity. The programme focuses both on the study of the whole Western hemisphere as well as on the integrated study of individual countries and regions: Canada, the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean
- Quality. The programme brings together Russia's best experts in research on foreign and domestic policy of the USA, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean
- Involvement. Master’s students have an opportunity to: participate in research and expert activities with lecturers; and take part in various international cooperation programmes
- Prospects. The programme provides a foundation for a successful professional career or further education in the fields related to the Western hemisphere countries. Graduates of the programme are constantly in demand, on the one hand, given the overall importance of a number of countries of the Western hemisphere to world politics, and, on the other hand, given the intensive development of our country's contacts with many countries of Latin America and the Caribbean

Main areas of research

- US policy in the post-Soviet space
- US foreign, foreign economic, military policy: directions, methods, and ideological foundations
- The Western hemisphere in the contemporary global order
- Russia-Latin America relations
- Prospects for the development of trade contacts between Brazil and St Petersburg
- Regions in international relations
- The role of the Russian diaspora in US political life
- Russia-United States relations
- Russia-Canada relations
- Contemporary Arctic policy of Canada

Teaching staff

- Yury Akimov, Doctor of History, Professor, Head of the American Studies programme, one of Russia’s leading experts in Canadian studies, and a recognised specialist in the history of international relations
- Lazar Jeifets, Doctor of History, Professor, a leading expert on Latin America, Member of the Scientific Council for Research on Ibero-American Issues at the Department of Social Sciences of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and coordinator of the Association of Researchers of the Ibero-American World

International cooperation

Students have an opportunity to take part in academic mobility programmes in accordance with their research interests within the framework of St Petersburg University agreements with the world's leading research centres. Cooperation agreements on academic mobility programmes between St Petersburg University and foreign partner universities are available via [the link](https://ifea.spbu.ru/соглашения-об-академическом-и-научном-обмене).

Career opportunities

Graduates of the programme can work in state and international institutions, non-governmental organisations, commercial companies and enterprises whose activity is connected with the Western Hemisphere and international relations and contacts in general.

The activities of graduates can be associated with the collection and systematisation of information, expert assessments, and the writing of academic and popular science texts. Graduates can also carry out organisational, communicative, coordinating, managerial, academic and teaching activities.

Accreditation

The programme is internationally accredited by the Central Evaluation and Accreditation Agency Hannover (ZEvA), [the Certificate dated 12 March 2018](https://spbu.ru/file/26296/download?token=OkfySJR6).

[This webpage may contain outdated information. The programme descriptions and admission requirements for the 2026/2027 academic year are currently being updated. For the latest information on 2026/2027 admission, please visit the Admissions Office website.](https://abiturient.spbu.ru/en/)

[Tuition](https://english.spbu.ru/admission/tuition)

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