Masters Degrees (Cultural Studies)

The only graduate program in Cultural Studies in Western Canada, the University of Winnipeg's multidisciplinary Master of Arts in Cultural Studies is an innovative, 12-month, course-based program that offers specializations in Texts and Cultures or Curatorial Practices. Bringing together instructors from across the university and from the city's vibrant arts and culture community, the MA in Cultural Studies provides students with strong methodological and theoretical training in order to pursue further postgraduate studies or careers in a range of fields, including education, publishing, arts management, art curation, and journalism.

What is Cultural Studies?

Cultural Studies is an interdisciplinary field, drawing on theories and practices from a range of humanities and social sciences disciplines, that seeks to investigate the ways in which cultures produce and are produced. At the centre of Cultural Studies sits a host of questions, such as what constitutes a text, how some texts, visual images, and cultural artifacts come to be valued over others, and how questions of value relate to the distribution of power and authority.

Rather than concentrating exclusively on the group of elite texts that make up so-called "high culture," Cultural Studies takes as its focus the whole complex of changing beliefs, ideas, feelings, values, and symbols that define a community’s organization and sense of itself. Culture in this sense is often understood to be a primary vehicle of globalization in the contemporary world and deeply enmeshed in particular social, economical and political environments. As such, when we study culture, we are studying the world we live in and how we function in it.

Cultural Studies MA at the University of Winnipeg

Small seminars, individual attention from dedicated instructors, and strong academic development are just some of the benefits of being a student in the MA in Cultural Studies. Students specialize in one of two areas: 1) Texts and Cultures, which emphasizes theoretically-grounded cultural analysis and 2) Curatorial Practices, which focuses on museum studies.

Students in the MA in Cultural Studies take a total of 24 credit hours (the equivalent of 4 full-year courses) in a range of topic areas, including Cultural Theory; Visual Cultures; Curatorial Practices; Cultures of Childhood; Gender, Sexualities and Culture; Local, National and Global Cultures; and Manuscript, Print and Digital Cultures.

What is a multidisciplinary degree?

A multidisciplinary degree is one that allows you to study courses in a variety of subject areas. The Cultural Studies MA degree incorporates theories and methods from a variety of disciplines, including Literary Studies, History, Art History, Women’s and Gender Studies, Politics, and Rhetoric and Communications. In the Cultural Studies MA program at the University of Winnipeg, instructors from these disciplines regularly teach courses in the program and are available for Special Studies courses in which they direct the research projects of individual students.

How to prepare for an MA in Cultural Studies?

Cultural Studies is an academic field that uses critical and cultural theories to study cultural phenomena. Therefore, it is recommended that a student choose classes that use feminist theory, social theory, political theory, literary theory, and/or media theory while pursuing their undergraduate degree in order to prepare for an MA in Cultural Studies.

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The aim of the programme is to offer grounding in the theories on Cultural Studies which draws on Marxism, Structuralism, Post-Structuralism, Post-Marxism, Feminism, and Post-Modernism and their use, application and adaption in the cross-cultural contexts of Africa, Asia and the Middle East. It provides an examination of the main historical concepts in Western culture such as ideology, power, class, identity, race, nation, subjectivity, representation, and memory and how these are challenged by scholars working in non-Western cultures of Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The aim is to explore the different and plural cultural histories and memories of these contexts to which Cultural Studies must adapt.

Theoretical paradigms covered will reflect on issues of class, ‘race’, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, representation and religion. The course will investigate central questions of epistemology and methodology in relation to the application of Cultural Studies theories in non-Western contexts. The programme is theory and practice based and therefore, it draws on case studies from a diversity of cultural practices, genres and contexts to elucidate complex theoretical concepts and challenge their limitations and/or validity in the context of Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

The programme aims to equip students with sufficient knowledge to understand and evaluate the way in which Cultural Studies theories and methods are used in cross-cultural contexts and hence develop analytic skills for undertaking their own research projects.

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/cclps/degrees/macultstud/

Structure

The Programme will consist of modules valued at 3 units and a dissertation of 10,000 words.

Full-time students will be allowed to enrol for four units during term one (part-time students two or three), if one of the units is a language acquisition unit. At the end of term one they will have to withdraw from one unit, leaving units to the value of three (pro rata for part-time students) and a dissertation.

MA Cultural Studies Programme Specification 2012/2013 (pdf; 40kb) - http://www.soas.ac.uk/cclps/degrees/macultstud/file53952.pdf

Employment

A postgraduate degree in Cultural Studies from SOAS provides its students with expertise in non-European cultures, in-depth regional knowledge, and strong research and critical analysis skills. As well as subject expertise, Postgraduate students are equipped with the transferable skills needed to continue in research as well as the skills needed to enable them to find professional careers in the private and public sectors. These include familiarity with methods of research; the ability to absorb and analyse large quantities of information; organisational skills. A postgraduate degree is a valuable experience that provides students with a body of work and a diverse range of skills that they can use to market themselves with when they graduate.

For more information about Graduate Destinations from this department, please visit the Careers Service website (http://www.soas.ac.uk/careers/graduate-destinations/).

The Department

The SOAS Centre for Cultural, Literary and Postcolonial Studies (CCLPS) exists to promote the disciplines of Comparative Literature, Cultural Studies and Postcolonial Studies in relation to Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The Centre is housed in and administered by the Faculty of Languages and Cultures, but as a Centre dedicated to interdisciplinary study it is not subordinate to any single Department in the Faculty, either administratively or intellectually.

Many theorists and scholars in the different disciplines of Comparative Literature, Cultural Studies and Postcolonial Studies are stressing the need for a move toward the study of non-European literatures and non-European aesthetic and cultural practices. The range of expertise in non-European literatures and cultures offered at SOAS aims to respond and contribute to current critical and theoretical debates in these disciplines.

The mission of the CCLPS is therefore to promote research on non-European cultures and literatures in the disciplines of Comparative Literature, Cultural Studies and Postcolonial Studies, with the aim of having an impact on the debates and of eventually reinvigorating and pioneering certain dimensions of the disciplines. The SOAS CCLPS also aims to promote comparative critical thought and postgraduate research in critical methods derived from the study of non-European literatures and aesthetic and cultural practices, in addition to written literatures in European languages.

The SOAS CCLPS provides an administrative and intellectual home for the School’s MA Comparative Literature, MA in Cultural Studies and MA in Postcolonial Studies, as well as the MPhil/PhD programmes in these three disciplines. The Centre places its emphasis on the acquisition of critical theoretical skills and in-depth regional knowledge across disciplines. Members of the Centre and current research students work on an exceptionally wide range of topics, both theoretical and critical. Supervision for research students can be provided across this wide range. MPhil/PhD students may register for a degree in Comparative Literature, Cultural Studies or Postcolonial Studies while being supervised by an associate member based in a SOAS department.

The Centre organises a training programme in the three disciplines for research students, in coordination with the faculty wide Research Training Seminar, which is supported by regular Centre seminars. The Centre also liaises with other discipline-based centres and departments over the following MA degree programmes offered faculty wide: MA African Literature, MA Chinese Literature, MA Japanese Literature, MA Korean Literature, MA Arabic Literature, MA Gender Studies, MA Theory and Practice of Translation.

Membership of the SOAS Centre for Cultural, Literary and Postcolonial Studies is open to all academic staff and students at SOAS as well as to individuals based in other higher education institutions in the UK with an academic interest in the disciplines of Comparative Literature, Cultural Studies and Postcolonial Studies. Membership will operate on an annually renewable basis. Members will be listed under the following headings: Steering Committee, SOAS Staff (listed by discipline), SOAS Postgraduates (listed by discipline), International Advisory Board (to be invited by Chair through Steering Committee), Visiting Scholars and Affiliated Scholars. An up-to-date list of current members will be maintained by the Centre and will be subject to the Data Protection Act.

Find out how to apply here - http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/howtoapply/

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This course allows you to explore a wide range of films, contextual studies and critical debates, as well as the politics and cultural power of other media forms and institutions.

Course overview

This Masters is for people who want to study films and culture at an advanced level. There is a high level of engagement with theories and practices of film studies and cultural studies, as well as a strong emphasis on rigorous research skills.

Given the importance of theory, an important attraction of this Masters is Sunderland’s research specialisms. These include star studies, performance, distribution and national cinemas, as well as sexualities, identities and how technology changes the way we experience the world.

The course is taught at the David Puttnam Media Centre on our Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St Peter’s by staff from Sunderland’s Centre for Research in Media and Cultural Studies (CRMCS), which promotes a lively and inclusive research environment. As part of the course, you will have the opportunity to attend CRMCS’s regular research seminar series, which hosts both visiting and internal speakers discussing their latest research. You will also have the opportunity to benefit from the centre’s annual programme of national and international conferences, symposia and other research events.

You will focus on areas that you find particularly fascinating while contextualising your interests within the wider field of film, media and cultural studies. The course culminates in a dissertation on a topic that you negotiate with tutors.

Throughout the course, you will refine your powers of analysis, research and communication. These skills are highly valued by employers and will boost your employability. Postgraduates earn more, on average than individuals whose highest qualification is an undergraduate degree.

Course content

The content of the course is shaped by your personal interests with guidance and inspiration from Sunderland's supportive tutors.

Modules on this course are:
-Film and Cultural Studies 1 (60 Credits)
-Engaging with Theory: Key Thinkers, Texts and Concepts (30 Credits)
-Research Methods in Film, Media and Cultural Studies (30 Credits)

Film and Cultural Studies 2 (60 Credits)
-Consumption and Everyday Life (30 Credits)
-Special Topic: Film, Media and/or Cultural Studies (30 Credits)

Film and Cultural Studies 3 (60 Credits)
-You will complete a supervised dissertation on a topic of your choice.

Teaching and assessment

All modules are team taught, drawing on the wide range of research specialisms of our staff.

Co-taught with MA Media and Cultural Studies, this MA enables you to contextualise your own work within the wider field of film, media and cultural studies, as well as pursue your own specific interest in film. This approach is excellent preparation if you are thinking of continuing on to PhD level. You will also be able to specialise and pursue your own specific interests film via choice of assignment questions on the taught modules and via negotiation of topics in the Special Topic and Dissertation modules.
Compared to an undergraduate course, you will find that this Masters requires a higher level of independent working.

We use a wide variety of teaching and learning methods which include lectures, seminars, critiques and workshops. Via CRMCS’s research seminar programme, these are supported by a range of guest speakers from diverse academic and industry backgrounds. From stage 2 you will be expected to engage in a greater degree in self-directed study in preparation for the stage 3 dissertation. Your tutors will also give regular feedback and support.

Assessment methods include essays, projects, presentations, and a dissertation.

Facilities & location

Our David Puttnam Media Centre is home to the Centre for Research in Media and Cultural Studies (CRMCS), which engages in world leading research, as well as hosting international visiting scholars, conferences, external speakers and two international refereed research journals.

Teaching rooms
We have well-equipped lecture and seminar rooms, with overhead projection and full internet access.

Cinema
There is a 203-seat cinema with full HD projection, 7.1 surround sound facility and the capability to play 3D feature films. We have a live Sky feed and off-air recording facility, including DVD and Blu-ray recording, plus extensive footage archive/library.

University Library Services
We’ve got a wide range of books, journals and e-books on relevant topics, with many more available through the inter-library loan service. The library buildings provide a variety of study spaces, IT facilities and experience library staff during core hours, with online services and support available at any time off-campus. In addition, both the St Peter’s and Murray libraries offer 24/7 access during main teaching weeks.

TV studios
We have two TV studios complete with green rooms and control rooms. Equipment includes four Steadicam rigs plus dolly, track and mini crane. We also have over 40 full HD tapeless field camera systems, comprising Sony EX1 and EX3 models, with associated location kits, lighting, field monitors and audio mixers.

Digital editing
There are 70 workstations with state-of-the-art HD Edit systems, including Final Cut Pro, Avid and Media Composer. There is also a digital audio postproduction area with four voiceover booths.

Radio studios
We have five radio studios including a transmission suite for Spark FM, our student-run community radio station. It broadcasts 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with a target audience of 15-24 year olds.

Employment & careers

Postgraduates are highly employable and, on average, earn more than individuals whose highest qualification is an undergraduate degree. On completing this course, you will be equipped for a range of roles in the media and cultural industries. A Masters degree will also enhance career opportunities within Higher Education and prepare you for further postgraduate studies.

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This course allows you to examine the construction of meanings, experiences, identities and relationships in various contexts of social life, through advanced study of media practices and consumption.

Course overview

This course is for people who want to explore the nature of the media and cultural power at an advanced level. There is a high level of engagement with theories of contemporary society, including cultural theory, modern television and popular culture.

Given the importance of theory, an important attraction of this Masters is Sunderland’s research specialisms. These include media power, sexualities, identities, and how technology changes the way we experience the world, as well as performance and distribution.
The MA is taught at the David Puttnam Media Centre on our Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St Peter’s by staff from Sunderland’s Centre for Research in Media and Cultural Studies (CRMCS), which promotes a lively and inclusive research environment. As part of the course, you will have the opportunity to attend CRMCS’s regular research seminar series, which hosts both visiting and internal speakers discussing their latest research. You will also have the opportunity to benefit from the centre’s annual programme of national and international conferences, symposia and other research events.

You will focus on areas that you find particularly fascinating while contextualising your interests within the wider field of film, media and cultural studies. The course culminates in a dissertation on a topic that you negotiate with tutors.

Throughout the course, you will refine your powers of analysis and communication. These skills are highly valued by employers and will boost your employability. On average, postgraduates tend to find jobs more easily than people whose highest qualification is an undergraduate degree. They also achieve higher total earnings in the long-run.

Course content

The content of the course is shaped by your personal interests with guidance and inspiration from Sunderland's supportive tutors. Modules on this course include:
Media and Cultural Studies 1 (60 Credits)
-Engaging with Theory: Key Thinkers, Texts and Contexts (30 Credits)
-Research Methods in Film, Media and Cultural Studies (30 Credits)

Media and Cultural Studies 2 (60 Credits)
-Consumption and Everyday Life (30 Credits)
-Special Topic: Film, Media and/or Cultural Studies (30 Credits)

Media and Cultural Studies 3 (60 Credits)
-You will complete a supervised dissertation on a topic of your choice.

Teaching and assessment

All modules are team taught, drawing on the wide range of research specialisms of our staff.

Co-taught with MA Film and Cultural Studies, this MA enables you to contextualise your own work within the wider field of film, media and cultural studies, as well as pursue your own specific interest in a particular area of the media. This approach is excellent preparation if you are thinking of continuing on to PhD level. You will also be able to specialise and pursue your own specific interests film via choice of assignment questions on the taught modules and via negotiation of topics in the Special Topic and Dissertation modules.

Compared to an undergraduate course, you will find that this Masters requires a higher level of independent working.

We use a wide variety of teaching and learning methods which include lectures, seminars, workshops and group work. Via CRMCS’s research seminar programme, these are supported by a range of guest speakers from diverse academic and industry backgrounds. From stage 2 you will be expected to engage in a greater degree in self-directed study in preparation for the stage 3 dissertation. You will also have high levels of contact with tutors who give regular feedback and support.

Assessment methods include essays, projects, presentations, and a dissertation.

Facilities & location

Our David Puttnam Media Centre is home to the Centre for Research in Media and Cultural Studies (CRMCS), which engages in world leading research, as well as hosting international visiting scholars, conferences, external speakers and two international refereed research journals.

Teaching rooms
We have well-equipped lecture and seminar rooms, with overhead projection and full internet access.

Cinema
There is a 203-seat cinema with full HD projection, 7.1 surround sound facility and the capability to play 3D feature films. We have a live Sky feed and off-air recording facility, including DVD and Blu-ray recording, plus extensive footage archive/library.

University Library Services
We’ve got a wide range of books, journals and e-books on relevant topics, with many more available through the inter-library loan service. The library buildings provide a variety of study spaces, IT facilities and experienced library staff during core hours, with online services and support available at any time off-campus. In addition, both the St Peter’s and Murray libraries offer 24/7 access during main teaching weeks.

TV studios
We have two TV studios complete with green rooms and control rooms. Equipment includes four Steadicam rigs plus dolly, track and mini crane. We also have over 40 full HD tapeless field camera systems, comprising Sony EX1 and EX3 models, with associated location kits, lighting, field monitors and audio mixers.

Digital editing
There are 70 workstations with state-of-the-art HD Edit systems, including Final Cut Pro, Avid and Media Composer. There is also a digital audio postproduction area with four voiceover booths.

Radio studios
We have five radio studios including a transmission suite for Spark FM, our student-run community radio station. It broadcasts 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with a target audience of 15-24-year-olds.

Employment & careers

Postgraduates are highly employable and, on average, earn more than individuals whose highest qualification is an undergraduate degree. On completing this course you will be equipped for a range of roles in the media and cultural industries.

A Masters degree will also enhance career opportunities within Higher Education and prepare you for further postgraduate studies.

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The Master of Cultural Studies investigates the changing meanings of culture in our everyday world. It explores the studying of culture not as a monolithic, self-evident construct, but as a constantly shifting field through which life is experienced and negotiated. You will gain insight into the ideologically charged meanings of identity, self‑expression and embodiment.

Our Cultural Studies program allows you to engage critically with culture in its manifest expressions. Using real-world examples across the topics of popular culture, media, gender, sexuality, globalisation and consumer culture, you will analyse cultural forms and debate their significance in relation to given contexts.

Cultural Studies will lead you to question identity, community, representation, power, values and the practice of everyday life. The course draws on diverse critical perspectives as you gain the theoretical tools to understand how culture is produced, circulated and lived.

The Master of Cultural Studies is the only specialised program in Australia. Housed in the internationally recognised Department of Gender and Cultural Studies – a leading centre for research into gender and culture – you will critically engage in a dynamic postgraduate community and learn under the guidance of esteemed researchers in the field.

An optional cultural studies internship also gives you the opportunity to undertake cultural research in a business, government or non-governmental body, enhancing your appreciation of applied cultural work.
The Master of Cultural Studies assumes no background in the field; however those familiar with the discipline are also welcome to extend their knowledge.

To ask a question about this course, visit http://sydney.edu.au/internationaloffice/

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This is the unique Masters-level programme offered that specifically addresses Critical Media and Cultural Studies of the non-Western world. The degree introduces students to the key contemporary issues discussed in Asian and African media and provides them with the opportunity to engage directly in research on an aspect of these media. It has a strong theoretical element, equipping students with the intellectual tools to consider the production, distribution and reception of non-Western media in new ways and to challenge the English-language, Eurocentric approach of most media studies scholarship.

While media studies degrees usually concentrate on media production, distribution and reception in North America and Western Europe, this programme considers critical issues in media and cultural studies in their full global complexity, with a focus on the cultures and societies of Asia and Africa and their diasporas. The degree is distinctive in the depth of theoretical and cultural background to contemporary media processes that it provides. Optional courses offer a range of approaches to the critical study of Asian and African discourses, from cinema to music, comparative literature to language, gender, religion, art and archaeology.

The programme is designed for students with an interest in critical theory; media professionals seeking alternative ways of understanding the media and culture industries; and those in NGOs and government organizations interested in challenging the hegemony of media corporations. It is well suited to students wishing to proceed to MPhil/PhD research in media or cultural studies, visual cultural studies, urban studies, sociology and anthropology.

Email: [email protected]

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/media-studies/ma-critical-media-and-cultural-studies/

Structure

Each student takes 4 units in total: the Compulsory Course (1 unit), the Dissertation (1 unit), two half units from list 3 and one unit of options of their choice.

In choosing their courses, MA students are advised to pay careful attention to the balance of coursework across the two terms. In particular it is important to ensure that each term you have three taught courses. However much you might wish to take a mixture of courses that requires more coursework in one term than the other, it is most unwise to attempt to take four courses in one term and two in the other. Experience has shown that students simply cannot manage the load during the heavy term with the result that they either do very badly, fail or are unable to complete the courses in question. As a result Directors of Studies for the degrees and the Faculty staff will not approve a selection of courses which results in an imbalanced workload. An imbalance of courses between terms is only possible with the written permission of the convenor of the degree .

Destinations

An MA in Critical Media and Cultural Studies from SOAS gives students expertise in media and communications as well as the ability to identify and analyse critical issues in media and cultural studies in their full global context. It is a valuable experience that provides students with a body of work and a diverse range of skills that they can use to market themselves with when they graduate.

Students develop a portfolio of transferable skills which employers seek in many professional and creative capacities including communication skills, interpersonal skills,
team work, flexibility and dedication.

For more information about Graduate Destinations from this department, please visit the Careers Service website (http://www.soas.ac.uk/careers/graduate-destinations/).

Find out how to apply here - http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/howtoapply/

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Communication and Media Studies at Lancaster is ranked first in The Times and the Sunday Times Good University Guide Subject Rankings, 2016. This degree provides students with the theoretical and methodological grounding they need to carry out independent research in media and cultural studies.

The course introduces you to the key texts, debates and thinkers in media and cultural studies, ranging from the work of classical cultural theorists through to contemporary writing on new media, globalised culture, science and technology studies, and queer theory.

You will be encouraged to reflect critically on the role of popular media in structuring our everyday lives. The course examines the role of media in reproducing, disseminating and challenging hegemonic power relations, as well as thinking through the ways in which gender, sexuality and ‘race’ are constructed in global media cultures.

This is not a vocational or practice-based degree. However, it is a degree that will teach you skills in critical thinking, independent research, and analysis highly relevant for development and innovation in the cultural and media sectors.

Modules
Compulsory modules:
• Critical Methods in Media and Cultural Studies
• Critical Debates in Media and Cultural Studies
• Independent Research Dissertation

Optional modules:
Choose four; options may vary from year to year
• Feminist Media and Cultural Studies
• Consumer Society
• Debates in Gender Research
• Gender, Sex and Bodies
• Capitalism and Crisis
• Mobilities, Society and Change
• Critical Discourse Analysis

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This innovative, interdisciplinary MA provides students with a comprehensive introduction to the critical tradition that shapes today’s human and social sciences.

Taught by an interdisciplinary team with expertise in areas such as literary theory, continental philosophy, psychoanalysis, cultural studies and political theory, the course will appeal to students, especially those graduating from cultural studies or general humanities degrees, who are interested in further studies that emphasise theoretical approaches while maintaining a focus on their application to contemporary cultural events and practices.

The largely seminar-based teaching allows students to actively engage with thinkers as diverse as Raymond Williams, Stuart Hall, Pierre Bourdieu and Jean Baudrillard, whilst exploring key critical theoretical discourses in the humanities and their application to concrete cultural practices.

Students join a thriving postgraduate community and are encouraged to take part in the Department’s various reading groups, Work in Progress seminars, visiting speaker lectures, and research seminars which combine to create a lively, intellectually stimulating, and supportive learning environment.

Course Structure

The MA in Critical Theory and Cultural Studies may be followed one year full-time or two-three years part-time – and we do our best to accommodate the needs of part-time students.

Full-time students take two core modules in the first semester and two optional modules in the second semester – one of which can be chosen from another related MA programme – and submit a dissertation. Part-time students complete this allocation within 24-36 months.

Core modules may include:
• Cultural Studies: Theory and Practice
• Material Cultures and Everday Life
• Research Skills
• Social and Political Theories
• Subject and Sign after Freud and Saussure

Optional second semester modules may include:
• Mass Media
• Postcolonialisms
• Culture Industries
• Visual Cultures

All students are assigned a personal tutor as well as a dissertation tutor to guide them through their coursework.

Information about our research interests and publications is available at http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/clas/research/index.aspx

Assessment

All taught modules are assessed by a 5,000-word assignment, submitted towards the end of the semester in which the module is
taught. Students also submit a 20,000-word dissertation, usually in early September. There are no examinations.

Additional Entry Requirements

Candidates whose first language is not English must achieve an overall score on the British Council IELTS test of at least 7 with no less than 6 in each element; or a TOEFL score of 600 with at least 4.5 in the Test of Written English (TWE); or a TOEFL score iBT score of 100, with no less than 19 in any element. Test results should be no more than two years old.

Careers

Written coursework encourages the development of the scholarly tools required for doctoral research, and many of our graduates go on to pursue further studies at doctoral level. The course also provides students with a high degree of cultural awareness and literacy useful for careers in the media, advertising and public relations.

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This programme brings cultural studies into today's global age, offering both an integral grounding in cultural theory and an active engagement with media, technology, aesthetics, and geopolitics in their contemporary and historical forms.

The MA in Cultural Studies specialises in advanced cultural and critical theoretical exploration of culture as developed up to the present day within a global context.

An intensive study in cultural studies and cultural theory

The Masters provides an intensive study in cultural theory and in substantive cultural studies. Specialising in advanced theoretical inquiry, our course of study will give you a groundwork in cultural analysis that allows you, as it has countless graduates of the programme, to pursue further research in the field as well as a variety of cultural work in the world at large.

You will have the opportunity to shape your programme of study in accordance with your own interests and select from a wide range of modules taught by internationally recognised research staff.

Innovative and interdisciplinary

Your experience on the MA will be driven by our commitment to innovative and interdisciplinary methods, practice-led research, and meaningful engagement with culture and politics.

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This programme is not currently running, but may be reinstated in future.

Programme description

This programme takes an innovative, interdisciplinary approach to the study of contemporary culture and cultural theory.

Adopting transcultural perspectives, we encourage investigations into the questions of identity and representation; the urban realm as a site of intense cultural production; and instructive tensions between spatial, textual, visual and material forms that both shape and are shaped by cultural contexts, specific practices, various image and media technologies and theoretical debates.

In engaging with the complexities of visual knowledge and the technological mediations of images, texts and objects, the programme encourages critical reflections and research methodologies in which image and visual practice contribute to the research corpus and serve as critical tools of investigation.

In exploring social and political conditions in which cultural expressions take place, especially the local and global processes of transformation and contestation, the programme offers a unique focus on the diverse manifestations of material cultures and cultural landscapes.

Multidisciplinary and critical comparative approaches are key facets of the discipline of cultural studies and we welcome students coming from varied academic backgrounds and cultural traditions.

Programme structure

The programme combines seminar and tutorial work with group discussions, class presentations, essays and longer research projects (dissertations).

Both core courses and some option courses employ innovative pedagogies that encourage critical and theoretical reflection through engagement with visual production, visual essays and multimedia presentations.

Option courses are drawn from architecture, history of art and other Schools within the wider University.

Learning outcomes

By following this programme students will benefit from the following learning outcomes:

Acquire a thorough grounding in key terms, debates and theories framing urban cultural and visual studies.

Expand and refine critical appreciation of current developments and discourses related to urban cultural studies and visual culture.

Acquire and/or further develop their capacity to think in both images and texts, and explore theoretical questions through the engagement in spatial and visual practices.

Acquire and /or further develop their abilities and skills for curating and presenting visual and spatial research.

Gain critical, analytical, interpretative and representational skills that are transferable to both academic and other professional settings.

Throughout the programme, your learning will be supported by guest seminars and critical reviews, film screenings, exhibitions, workshops, field trips and events and directed towards events hosted by the University and other cultural institutions within the city.

Career opportunities

This programme is an ideal stepping stone towards advanced study in cultural studies and any related field. This in itself could lead to an ongoing academic career, or a role in education. You may otherwise take the critical, analytical, interpretive and representational skills and apply them in almost any professional setting.

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Undertaking an MPhil in media and cultural studies provides you with access to a wide range of professional and academic opportunities including quality-assured supervision and regional, national and global links with creative and cultural industries.

You will become part of the Media and Cultural Studies team contributing to a vibrant learning community. During your studies you will have the opportunity to present papers at conferences, write articles for academic journals and contribute articles to edited collections alongside other publications. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to enrol on a nationally recognised Teaching in Higher Education qualification, allowing you to host undergraduate and postgraduate seminars.

We are a leading research unit at Newcastle University with a strong PhD culture. Our research environment supports world-leading, internationally excellent scholarship. Our approach is distinct and interdisciplinary, focusing across theoretical and applied areas.

Delivery

This programme is taught on the Newcastle campus. Attendance is flexible and agreed between you and your supervisors depending on the requirements of the research project.

Facilities

As a postgraduate research student in media and cultural studies you will benefit from dedicated research suites within the School of Arts and Cultures.

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Research profile

Socio-cultural studies attracts people with social science backgrounds who wish to work on interdisciplinary topics, and also those from an arts or humanities background who want to gain skills and experience in social research.

Our PhD students can apply to the Arts & Humanities Research Council and some have already been successful in applications for doctoral research funding to the AHRC.

The MSc by Research in Socio-Cultural Studies may be taken as a stand-alone, one-year course or as a stepping stone to the PhD. It offers training in a range of qualitative methods.

Indicative courses include:

Documents of Life
Research Design
Data Analysis
Sources & Approaches for Historical Research
Research Methods in Literatures, Languages & Cultures
Research Design in Geography
Explanation & Understanding in Social & Political Research
Contemporary Social Theory
Ethical & Political Issues in Social & Political Research

The dissertation element of the degree can take the form of either a small piece of independent research or a detailed proposal for a PhD.

Training and support

You will work with a supervisor on an original research dissertation and participate in advanced sociology research-training workshops, work-in-progress seminars and a writing workshop.

The Graduate School provides a suite of research training courses for social science students across the University. We are developing an exciting package of flexible, web-based training courses as well as training in innovative methods addressing topics such as visual sociology, in line with the increased emphasis on ongoing training throughout your doctoral studies.

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Overview

Whether it is the history of Europe, the development of modern European literature or the art of Rome that fascinates you, the Research Master's specialization are an excellent choice for talented students who want to prepare themselves for an international academic career. Indeed, the diversity of interests of our teaching and research staff will allow you to specialize in almost any subject, and the space we offer within the Master's specialization for research and studies at home and abroad allows you to put together a training programme that perfectly meets your wishes.

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/hlcs

Specialisations

Within the Master's programme in Historical, Literary and Cultural Studies, you can choose between three English-taught Master's specializations:

1. Historical Studies
Students can specialize in any historical theme from antiquity to the present day. Many students specialize in Ancient History, Medieval History, Cultural History from 1500 to the present, the History of Dutch Catholicism, Gender studies, Modern Political History, Globalisation and Presented History. Students, working in small numbers, will pursue their own specialty and discuss developments in contemporary historiography, debate research ideas and critique other's writings and research.

2. Literary Studies
If you have completed your Bachelor's degree in one of the classical or modern languages and have strong ambitions to conduct international research, this programme is your springboard to an academic career in literary studies. The specialization admits students of various languages and literatures, including German, French, Spanish, English (both American and British), Dutch, Ancient Greek and Latin as well as other languages and literary studies. Central to this programme is the attention paid to methods of textual interpretation and New Philology. Students select courses to fit the needs of their specialism and discuss contemporary developments and research ideas. Whether you prefer ancient Greek tragedy, contemporary American literature or Dutch poetry, the new Literary Studies Research Master's is very well suited for talented students wishing to contribute to (inter)national research in this field.

3. Art and Visual Culture
If you are interested in visual and material culture from Antiquity to the present and aspire a career in international scientific research in the fields of art, visual culture or classical archaeology, Radboud University Nijmegen is pleased to offer a two-year research Master's specialisation which offers exactly that. This programme is based on the unique cooperation of the departments of Classical Archaeology, Cultural Studies and Art History, allowing a broad perspective on the visual heritage of western culture from classical antiquity to the present as well as specialist training.

The Research Master's in Art and Visual Culture is designed for highly motivated students who are interested in the art and visual culture of Europe from classical antiquity to the present, and have ambitions for an international career in these fields.

HLCS institute

The HLCS institute greatly values the close interaction between students and top researchers, which is why our courses are open only to small numbers of students working under the supervision of experienced professors. At the start of the first year, you will choose a tutor (always an excellent researcher with relevant expertise) who will personally guide your development as a specialist in your field. Regular meetings with your tutor will ensure the steady increase of your academic skills. They will also offer the opportunity to exchange research ideas at an advanced level. Your tutor will help you apply for international funding to support research trips and the attendance of conferences, as well as guide the preparation of your PhD proposal, which is an integral part of the course programme.

Career prospects

During the Master’s programme you will gain a broad perspective on the humanities in general because of the collaboration between the programmes of Historical Studies, Literary Studies, and Art and Visual Culture. Through your personal Master’s research, you will also have concentrated on a very specific phenomenon in your own field. This combination of broad and specific focus will open a lot of doors for you. Our research programme has produced graduates that are appreciated by employees for their research skills as well as their insightfulness and analytical skills, and who have not only learned how to delve into large quantity of data and master it but also how to place their results in a larger context.

In short, at the end of the programme you’ll:
- Have acquired heuristic research skills at an advanced level.
- Have gained general knowledge of leading perspectives, theories, concepts, and paradigm shifts in the humanities and advanced knowledge specifically for own field.
- Be able to engage in the public debates regarding issues in the humanities.
- Have acquired English academic writing skills and have practiced writing a publishable scholarly article and a proposal for a PhD project.
- Have started to build up a professional international network.

Academia and beyond
This programme is initially intended to prepare its students for an academic career, in particular as PhD researchers. About half of our graduates find such a position in the Netherlands or abroad. The other half also obtain academic positions with research orientated duties. Examples include:
- Researcher at a cultural or scientific organisation or research centre
- Assistant of a senior researcher
- Teacher at an institution for higher education
- Policy-making official in the fields of culture and science
- Editor in the field of historical or cultural scholarship
- Staff member of a publishing company or and text agency, usually with regard to scientific, historical or cultural journals
- Curator of a cultural heritage institution or in the museological sector
- Consultant for a political party

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/hlcs

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Research profile

This transdisciplinary programme supports a range of research topics in visual and urban cultural studies, with an interest in place, identity and memory; cultural translation and semiotic landscapes; materiality of writing and graffiti; photography, visual knowledges and curatorial practices; multimodality in representation of research; critical writing and critical pedagogies; cultural heritage of eastern Europe; and the post-socialist city.

The MSc by Research programme enables you to study cultural phenomena, practices and texts at an advanced level, critically engaging with theories and methodologies of transdisciplinary cultural research. The programme encourages enquiry into visual and urban cultures, visual knowledges and spatial practices, forms and practices of representation, and methodological innovation in cultural analysis.

You are required to complete two courses selected in discussion with your supervisor and providing methodological and theoretical grounding for your research project, and a 20,000-word dissertation based on independent research.

Students’ research projects benefit from academic collaborations across architecture and history of art in ECA, and from co-supervision with staff in sociology, comparative literature, Canadian studies, Chinese cultural studies, social history and religious studies. Students also benefit from our collaborative exchanges and contacts with local and international research networks, cultural and heritage institutions and archives.

Training and support

All of our research students benefit from ECA’s interdisciplinary approach and all are assigned two research supervisors. Your second supervisor may be from another discipline within ECA, or from somewhere else within the College of Humanities & Social Science or elsewhere within the University, according to the expertise required. On occasion more than two supervisors will be assigned, particularly where the degree brings together multiple disciplines.

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The two-year Master's programme in Literary and Cultural Studies is a specialization within the two Research Master's degrees in Literary Studies and in Arts and Culture.

The programme in Literary and Cultural Studies provides you with an advanced investigation of the arts. You will focus specifically on the role the arts play in processes of cultural change. Also, you will study arts and culture in general and specialize in one of these art forms: literature, film, theatre, music, and multimedia forms.

The programme has a multi-disciplinary approach. You will study the arts from perspectives such as history, philosophy and sociology. In addition, the programme is closely related to the multidisciplinary research carried out at the Groningen Research Institute for the Study of Culture (ICOG).

Why in Groningen?

- Intensive supervision by high-quality researchers in small groups
- A challenging multidisciplinary approach
- Partial Talent Grants and Research Assistantships

Job perspectives

As a graduate of this programme, you will have an analytical, critical and independent attitude towards the arts and culture. You will be well prepared for a research career in the areas of literature, arts and culture, both at universities and private research institutes.

Job examples

- Research-oriented career in the public or private sector

It is possible for Research MA students to participate in seminars, courses and summer schools organized by the Dutch national research schools. These 'schools' are organized for the training of PhD students, but some activities are open to or specially set up for you. These events give you, as a Research MA student, the opportunity to deepen your disciplinary profile and to become acquainted with top researchers in your field.

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