In the summer of 2006 the HCA moved into its present offices located in a historic building in the old city center of Heidelberg- Curt und Heidemarie Engelhorn Palais, Hauptstraße 120, 69117 Heidelberg.
[6] The program equips candidates with skills needed to conduct independent scholarly research in the fields of American history, politics, literature and culture, geography, and religion.
[6] Students pursuing a degree in other disciplines can apply to the Ph.D. in American Studies program if their research project is strongly related to the United States.
[7] The BAS program is notable for providing students the option to specialize in geography or religious studies, and obtain an additional legal certification.
The HCA holds various conferences, symposia, exhibitions, workshops, and seminars which sets the institute apart as a distinguished center for interdisciplinary research and a facilitator of transatlantic academic exchange [4] The HCA is home to resident scholars who have published academic books/articles and made remarkable contributions to the field of American Studies.
Some of the main research projects undertaken by the institute include "Authority and Trust in American Culture, Society, History, and Politics", "Mobile Spaces: Urban Practices in Transcultural Perspective", and "Protest, Culture, and Society: Europe and North America" [8] Since 2004, the institute has run an annual HCA Spring Academy.
Since 2010, the institute has awarded the "Rolf Kentner Dissertation Prize" to Ph.D. candidates with outstanding work in the field of American studies.
The dissertation prize is sponsored by Rolf Kentner, the chairman of the Schurman Society for American History, and each year, a winner is endowed with 1,000 Euros [12] In 2011, the HCA and the Faculty of Theology in Heidelberg University established the James W.C. Pennington Award.
The HCA invites distinguished scholars, public policy experts, journalists, writers, and artists to present their current work, discuss issues of transatlantic interest, or read from their writings at selected institutions throughout the state of Baden-Württemberg.
[17] Since 2011, HCA has organized a yearly Spring exhibition of works pertinent to American history, culture, literature, and politics.