The University of Glasgow is at the forefront of the study of American society and culture, with a dedicated research centre the Andrew Hook Centre for American Studies. Ever since the seventeenth century Glasgow has been a gateway for economic, social and cultural exchange between Scotland and North America. From the tobacco trade to the annual Transatlantic Sessions concerts, these connections provide the foundation for American Studies at the University of Glasgow, which has long been at the forefront of the study of American society and culture in the British Isles. The University of Glasgow was one of the first British universities to take seriously the study of the literature, history and politics of the United States of America. A Doctor of Philosophy may be awarded to a student whose thesis is an original work making a significant contribution to knowledge in, or understanding of, a field of study and normally containing material worthy of publication.