Program Overview

Cultural and Critical Studies MA

Overview

The Cultural and Critical Studies MA is part of the Cultural and Literary Studies Suite, a cluster of four MAs that bring together academics, curators, and practitioners who share a commitment to investigating modern and contemporary culture from aesthetic, critical, literary, and experiential perspectives.

Course Structure

The course is modular, with each single module valued at 20 credits, and the dissertation at 60 credits. For the MA, you'll be required to accumulate the total of 180 credits over the course of your degree.

Core Modules

• Capitalism and Culture: Beginning with Marx’s famous account of the commodity in the first chapter of Capital, this module explores a range of theoretical accounts of capitalism and examines their significance to the analysis of different cultural forms.
• Dissertation: Development, execution, and writing-up of an independent research project on a topic chosen by you. You'll attend regular research seminars. Individual supervision will provide topic-specific guidance.
• Problems and Perspectives in Cultural Studies: This module offers an introduction to major theoretical approaches to the study of culture. You'll explore the historical development of the discipline of cultural studies and current developments in the field.

Option Modules

• Digital Cultures: This module addresses one of the most urgent and, at the same time, elusive contemporary issues: the relationship between culture and the rise of digital media.
• Engaging the Archive: Through workshops and seminars, this module introduces you to practical and theoretical issues of using archives for the purposes of research or exhibition.
• Queer Now: Focusing on the 1990s to the present day, this module examines the idea of the “queer”. Examining a range of theoretical, literary, and cultural perspectives on the topic, the module will investigate what queer means and how it has shaped our ideas about sexuality, identity, intimacy, desire, and representation.
• Reading the Nation: This module explores how different literary and cultural forms have been used to construct and contest expressions of nationhood, nationality, and nationalism in diverse cultural and historical contexts from the Global North and South.
• Representing World Cultures: This module examines the issues and practices involved in presenting non-western cultures to a diverse audience through visual practices.
• Urban Cultures: Using a range of theoretical, historical, literary, visual, and other cultural texts, this module explores the idea of urban culture as it has developed since the mid-19th century.
• Victorian Explorations: This module examines ways in which the world and 'other worlds' were formed through literary and cultural representation during the later nineteenth century.
• Work Placement in Cultural Institutions: This module aims to enable students to gain first-hand experience of working within a context relevant to their career objectives; to enhance the opportunities for translating theoretical and practical knowledge into professional skills and to encourage students to make beneficial connections within a professional context.

Entry Requirements

• A minimum of a lower second-class honours degree (2:2) in a relevant discipline.
• If your first language is not English, you should have an IELTS 6.5 with at least 6.0 in all components.
• Applicants are required to submit one academic reference.

Fees and Funding

• UK tuition fee: £9,700 (Price per academic year)
• International tuition fee: £17,500 (Price per academic year)

Teaching and Assessment

• Teaching methods across all our postgraduate courses focus on active student learning through lectures, seminars, workshops, problem-based and blended learning, and where appropriate practical application.
• Our postgraduate courses include a variety of assessments, which typically fall into two broad categories: Practical and Coursework.

Research Groups

• Our research achieves real-world impact and we are proud to claim a rich and diverse profile of high-quality research and knowledge exchange in a wide range of disciplines.
• Find out more about our research groups related to this course: Institute for Modern and Contemporary Culture.

Supporting You

• Our Student Hub is where you’ll find out about the services and support we offer, helping you get the best out of your time with us.
• Study support – workshops, 1-2-1 support, and online resources to help improve your academic and research skills.
• Personal tutors – support you in fulfilling your academic and personal potential.
• Student advice team – provide specialist advice on a range of issues including funding, benefits, and visas.
• Extra-curricular activities – volunteering opportunities, sports and fitness activities, student events, and more.