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Humanities and Cultural Studies Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2023 2023.

Dreaming to Get Out the “Sunken Place” : Fantasy, Film, and the Inner-White- I(Eye) , Jordan Battle

The 'Charm and Distinction' of Proverbs: The Duality of the Gem Analogy in Erasmus's Adagia , Blythe Broecker Creelan

Selective Framing and Narrative as Anthropocentric Agents in Yellowstone: America’s Eden , Breanna Lee Hansen

Losing the Streaming Wars: What Netflix loses in Television Narrative and Participatory Fan Cultures , Annabelle G. Naudin

Reading Rent: Interracial Relationships and Racial Hierarchies , Susanna A. Perez-Field

From Counter-Strike to Counterterrorism: How the Cheater Reconfigures Our Understanding of Asymmetric Warfare , Enya C. Silva

Motherhood in the Multiverse: Melodrama and Asian American Identity in Everything, Everywhere, All at Once , Aditya Sudhakaran

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Surviving a Broken System: Synergies between Solidarity Economies and Sustainable Development Goals , Julie Beach

Digital Realness: Queer Intimacy in ContraPoints , William S. Beaman

Complex Identities: Putting Casey Plett’s Fiction in a Trans and Religious Studies Context , Catherine Brown

Ambient Athleticism: Politicizing Akira’s Accelerationist Olympiad , Thomas G. Chaplin

Harmony of Difference: Theorizing Rashid Johnson's New Universalism in the Grids of Antoine's Organ , Mark Fredricks

_Las Vidas Negras_: Examining Identity Among Afro-Latinos in the US in the twilight of Black Lives Matter , Victor Garcia

Pronk Poppenhuis: Establishing and Destabilizing Agency Among Seventeenth-Century Burgher Wives in the Dutch Republic , Emily M. Gregoire

Conquistas and Chronicles: A Social History of the Fernando de Soto Expedition of Conquest, 1538-1543 , Morgan Norman Greig

Queering the Weeki Wachee Mermaid and Its Renewed Aesthetic Value , Jacqueline D. Merveille

Visions of Entanglement and Escape: In-Visible Voice in the Films of Terrence Malick and George Lucas , Michael Lee Taber

The Hybridization of Home: Establishing Place Between the Garrison and the Wilderness in Mary Rowlandson's (1682) Captivity Narrative , Brooke M. Weltch

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Montage Music Videos: Racial Utopianism vs. Abstract Cowboys and the Question of Cultural Montage , Alan E. Blanchard

The Value of Sleep : Aura and Aesthetics of Cohabitation in Juha Lilja's Revision of Warhol , Christopher Costabile

Threatened by the Outback: Landscape and Ecology in the Australian New Wave , Richard T. Dyer

Restarting Plural Modernity: The Lyrical Tradition of the Hometown in Kaili Blues , Huadong Fan

Bad Bunny’s Purplewashing as Gender Violence in Reggaeton: A Feminist Analysis of SOLO DE MI and YO PERREO SOLA , Dairíne Hoban

From Mythology to Pop Culture: Myth, Representation, and the Historiography of the Amazon Warrior Woman in Ancient Art and Modern Media , James William Poorman

Four Hollywood Film Adaptations of Little Women : Identifying Female Subjectivity in Characters, Plots, and Authorship , Haiyu Wang

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Lost Without a Connection: Analyzing Netflix's Maniac in the Digital Streaming Age , Eric Bruce

Redefining Representations of Trauma & Modes of Witnessing in Damon Lindelof’s The Leftovers , Mariana Delgado

Roots in Antiquity: A Comparative Study of Two Cultures , Lara Younes Freajah

Neo-Colonial Elites’ Linguistic Violence and Monolingual Haitian Creole Speakers: Language Ideology, The Politics of Linguistic Pluralism, the Crisis of National Identity and Culture in Haiti , Frantzso Marcelin

Recurring Scream : Trauma in Wes Craven's Slasher , Ben Muntananuchat

I'm Going Digital: Potentials for Online Communities Through Internet Remix , Justin N. Nguyen

The Concept of Freedom in American Literature at the Dawn of the Nation , Mykhailo Pylynskyi

How Audiovisual Composition Reveals Gendered Limitations and Possibilities in Lady Bird in the Wake of #MeToo , Chandler Micah Reeder

Horror’s Aesthetic Exchange: Immersion, Abstraction and Annihilation , Ashley Morgan Steinbach

Roots of Coded Metaphor in John Dee's Monas Hieroglyphica , Joshua Michael Zintel

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Blaxploitation’s Revolutionary Sexuality: Rethinking Images of Male Hypersexuality in Sweetback & Shaft , Austin D. Cook

Plasticity in Animated Children’s Cartoons: The Neoliberal Transforming Bodies and Static Worlds of OK KO and Gumball , Rachel E. Cox

Baltimore Mobility: The Wire , Local Documentary, and the Politics of Distance , Richard M. Farrell

Mobilizing Images of Black Pain and Death through Digital Media: Visual Claims to Collective Identity After “I Can’t Breathe” , Aryn Kelly

Adaptations of Ovid’s Metamorphoses in Late Medieval France: Material and Moral Recontextualization in the Tapestry of Narcissus at the Fountain , Morgan J. Macey

The Peruvian minstrel: an analysis of the representations of blackness in the performance of El Negro Mama from 1995 to 2016 , Ana Lucía Mosquera Rosado

An Ecology of Care: Training in Dependence and Caretaking in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt , Elizabeth Rossbach

Anti-Fascist Aesthetics from Weimar to MoMA: Siegfried Kracauer & the Promise of Abstraction for Critical Theory , Maxximilian Seijo

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Poetics of Sixteenth-Century Widowhood: Vittoria Colonna’s Use of Gender and Grief as a Means of Social and Spiritual Transcendence , Sarah Conner

Performing "Hurt" : Aging, Disability, and Popular Music as Mediated Product and Lived-Experience in Johnny Cash's Final Recordings , Adam Davidson

The Promised Body: Diet Culture, the Fat Subject, and Ambivalence as Resistance , Jennifer Dolan

The Revival Western and , Kevin Thomas McKenna

Concerning Virtual Reality and Corporealized Media: Exploring Video Game Aesthetics and Phenomenology , Matthew Morales

"He Didn't Mean It": What Kubrick's , Kelley O'Brien

Failing to Move Forward: Journalism, Media, and Affect in David Fincher's , Nicholas Orlando

Eliminating the Uncertainty of Hong Kong in 1990s: Tsui Hark’s Once Upon a Time in China (1, 2, 3) , Zhanwen Peng

A Woman's Place in Jazz in the 21st Century , Valerie T. Simuro

Cool Moms & Cool Media: Returning to , Morgan Wallace

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Get Ye A Copper Kettle: Appalachia, Moonshine, and a Postcolonial World , Christopher David Adkins

The Dislocated Spectator's Relationship to Enchanted Objects in Early Film and Modernist Poetry , Rachel Christine Ekblad

Playing-With the World: Toy Story's Aesthetics and Metaphysics of Play , Jonathan Hendricks

Distinguishing Patterns of Utopia and Dystopia, East and West , Huai-Hsuan Huang

"There's a real hole here": Female Masochism and Spectatorship in Michael Haneke's La Pianiste , Morgan J. Jennings

"You want it all to happen now!": The Jinx, The Imposter, and Re-enacting the Digital Thriller in True Crime Documentaries , Brett Michael Phillips

The Palazzo Medici and its Polyvalent Message: Cosimo de Medici Navigates the Shifting Meaning of Pride , Lisa Morgan Thieryung

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Family Life in Carver City- Lincoln Gardens , Lisa K. Armstrong

The Apocalypse Narrative and the Internet: Divided Relationships in New Natures , Brooks Scott Benadum

Digital Integration , Jacob C. Boccio

A Tourist Performance: Redefining the Tourist Attraction , Brandy Lee Kinkade

To Utopianize the Mundane: Sound and Image in Country Musicals , Siyuan Ma

Heavy South: Identity, Performance, and Heavy Music in the Southern Metal Scene , Michael A. Mcdowell

The Apatow Aesthetic: Exploring New Temporalities of Human Development in 21st Century Network Society , Michael D. Rosen

Constructing the West: The Hired Hand and McCabe & Mrs. Miller and the Challenge of Public Space , Eric Ward Ross

Negotiating the Delta: Dr. T.R.M. Howard in Mound Bayou, Mississippi , William Jackson Southerland

Longshoremen's Negotiation of Masculinity and the Middle Class in 1950s Popular Culture , Tomaro I. Taylor

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Genre, Justice & Quentin Tarantino , Eric Michael Blake

A Gramscian Analysis of Roman Bathing in the Provinces , Diana Danielle Davis

Muckraking and C.O.B.Y (Cry of Black Youth): Uncovering a History of Organizing in Belle Glade , Raymond A. Hamilton

Abjection, Telesthesia, and Transnationalism: Incest in Park Chan-wook's Oldboy , Daniel L. Holland

"Tell Me, Where am I From?": A Study of the Performance of Geek Identity at Comic Book Conventions , Eric Kahler

Tell Sir Thomas More We've Got Another Failed Attempt: Utopia and the Burning Man Project , Gracen Lila Kovacik

Finding a Home: Latino Residential Influx into Progress Village, 1990-2010 , Christopher Julius Pineda

Auteurs at an Urban Crossroads: A Certain Tendency in New York Cinema , Rene Thomas Rodriguez

The US Response to Genocide in Rwanda: A Reassessment , Camara Silver

From White City to Green Acres: Bertha Palmer and the Gendering of Space in the Gilded Age , Barbara Peters Smith

He_rtland: The Violence of Neoliberalism , Hector Sotomayor

Let's Go to the Carnival: Hybridization of Heterotopian Spaces in the Films of Kevin Smith , Anthony L. Sylvester

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Sobering Anxieties: Alcohol, Tobacco, and the Intoxicated Social Body in Dutch Painting During the True Freedom, 1650-1672 , David Beeler

Four Women: An Analysis of the Artistry of Black Women in the Black Arts Movement, 1960s-1980s , Abney Louis Henderson

The Black Experience in the United States: An Examination of Lynching and Segregation as Instruments of Genocide , Brandy Marie Langley

The Problems and Potentials in Haunted Maternal Horror Narratives , Sarah Laura Novak

"Die Mauer im Kopf": Aesthetic Resistance against West-German Take-Over , Arwen Puteri

Masculinity, After the Apocalypse: Gendered Heroics in Modern Survivalist Cinema , Sean Michael Swenson

Caribbean Traditions in Modern Choreographies: Articulation and Construction of Black Diaspora Identity in L'Ag'Ya by Katherine Dunham , Viktoria Tafferner-Gulyas

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

Spectatorial Shock and Carnal Consumption: (Re)envisaging Historical Trauma in New French Extremity , Christopher Butler

Collecting Stardust: Matter, Memory, and Trauma in Patricio Guzman's Nostalgia for the Light , Nora Szegvari

Refiguring Indexicality: Remediation, Film, & Memory in Contemporary Japanese Visual Media , Janine Marie Villot

The Sopranos Experience , Eli Benjamin Weidinger

The Black Freedom Struggle and Civil Rights Labor Organizing in the Piedmont and Eastern North Carolina Tobacco Industry , Jennifer Wells

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Out of Our Depth: Hyper-Extensionality and the Return of Three-Dimensional Media , Justin Alan Brecese

More than Words: Rhetorical Devices in American Political Cartoons , Lawrence Ray Bush

Postcolonial Religion and Motherhood in the Novels by Louise Erdrich and Alice Walker , Kateryna Chornokur

Butterbeer, Cauldron Cakes, and Fizzing Whizzbees: Food in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series , Leisa Anne Clark

The Early Works of Velázquez Through a Phenomenological Lens , Elyse June Cosma

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Cultural Studies Graduate Theses and Projects

All theses or projects completed by Cultural Studies students are listed below by date. Click on the title of a thesis or project to see its abstract, and to view or request to see the whole work. 

PhD Graduates

Name	Title of Final Project or Thesis
Daphne Brouwer
Sean Callaghan
Teresa Carlesimo
Sebastian De Line
Simge Erdogan O'Connor
Rena Karanouh
Sunny Kerr
Michael Lukaszuk
Tanya Lukin-Linklater
Prerna Subramanian

Name	Title of Final Project or Thesis
Bronwyn Jaques
James Kwatang-Yeboah
Robin McDonald
Lorinda Peterson
Laura Phillips
Samia Saad
Colin Simonds
Tanzina Tahereen

Name	Title of Final Project or Thesis
Daniel Asante
Rawaa Bakhsh	
Andre Basheir
Yasmine Djerbal
Sydney Hart
El Jones
Miles Howe
Golam Rabbani
Natasha Stirrett
Ellyn Walker

Name	Title of Final Project or Thesis
Julia Chan
Kaziwa Dylan
Stefy McKnight
Morgan Oddie
Lindsay Rodgers
Lib Spry
Maya Stitski
Galen Watts

Name	Title of Final Project or Thesis
Mohamed Abdou
Taylor Currie
Sarindar Dhaliwal
Milad Dokhanchi
Mimi Gellman
Jamie Jelinski
Lois Klassen
Jennifer Lemche
Spencer Revoy
Adam Saifer
Daniel Vena
Amanda White

Name	Title of Final Project or Thesis
Pia Banzhaf
Leah Decter
Elizabeth Diggon
Ian Fanning
Steven Maynard
Freddy Monasterio-Barso
Shawn Newman

Name	Title of Final Project or Thesis
Tabasum Akseer
Michael  Gauthier
Reena Kukreja
Nicholas Montgomery
Erin Sutherland
Ayca Tomac
Deniz Zorlu

Name	Title of Final Project or Thesis
Ian Alexander Cuthbertson
Lisa Figge
Meaghan Frauts
Lara Fullenwieder

Name	Title of Final Project or Thesis
Shelley Aylesworth-Spink
Jaspreet Bal
Jessica Marion Barr
Mansoor Behnam
Zaira Zarza Blanco
May Chew
Karl Hardy
Jessica Jacobson-Konefall
A.W Lee
Noel K. McDermott
Barbara Meneley
Sharday Mosurinjohn
Joanne Rotermundt-de la Parra

Name	Title of Final Project or Thesis
Jobb Arnold

MA Graduates

Name	Title of Final Project or Thesis
Paul Clifford
Tianna Edwards
Em Harmsen
Christopher Hemer
Melissa Morris
Evalyn Parry
Xavier Philippe-Beauchamp

Name	Title of Final Project or Thesis
Dylan Chenier
Darrell Christie
Antoine Devroede
Angela Shi
Maite Simard

Name	Title of Final Project or Thesis
Lubna Alarda
Chloée Godin-Jacques
Paul Hanlon
Shoni Nerenberg	Brief Exploration of American State Militarism and White Supremacy and its Relationship to Contemporary Non-State-Sanctioned White Supremacist Organizing in the US Military
Isabelle Semmelhack
Isaac White
Rebecca Wissink
Roy Zheng

Name	Title of Final Project or Thesis
Usman Ahmed	Chinese-Canadian relations: Highlighting the Unifying Past, Tense Present, and Uncertain Yet Hopeful Future (From an Insider’s Perspective)
Danae Elon
Megan LaPierre
Rebecca Marquez
Barbara Constance Matthews Wiedmaier
Lea Mauas
Lauren Paparousis
Isabel Whitehead	Siding with the Bad Guys: Villainous Protagonists in Crime Media

Name	Title of Final Project or Thesis
Alejandro Bascope Alipaz
Emma Bass
Joshua Hawley
Lisa Ravensbergen
Xenia Reloba de la Cruz
Dana Sidebottom
Daniel Simpson
Rachel Wyatt

Name	Title of Final Project or Thesis
Natalia Equihua Bracho
Daphne Brouwer
Priscila de Oliveira Falcao
Lauren Jaques
Nichol Kaiser
Emma Konst
Michelle O'Halloran
Gözde Öncil
Ky Pearce
Sylvie St-Jacques	Protesting after the Fall: An analysis of how Qualitative and Participatory Action Research methods can support a deeper understanding of the student protest movement at UKZN

Name	Title of Final Project or Thesis
Adil Ahmed
Maria Kyres
Chengcheng Ma	Deadpool Playing Myth: An Analysis of the "Secondary Narrative" in Deadpool's Promotional Images
Julia Blakey
Andrea Ried
Victoria Sicilia
Kristen Cochrane

Name	Title of Final Project or Thesis
Kala Bechard
Jessica Davey-Quantick
Bronwyn Jaques
Junyu Ke
Katherine Kopiak
Nicole MacDougall
Carina Magazzeni
Stéfy McKnight
Dalia Thamin
Andrew Rabyniuk
Galen Watts
Shalon Webber-Heffernan

Name	Title of Final Project or Thesis
Pansee H. Abou El Atta
Jessica Burgess
Elena Cecchetto	Visual Entrapment in Colonial Discourse: Perpetuation of New Racism through Forms of Stereotyped Bodies in Food Products Logos
Filza Naveed
Lorinda Peterson
Lisa Pietersma	“A Shimmer in Depth”: Farming, Memory, and the Domestic Rural Aerial
Karen Raddon

Name	Title of Final Project or Thesis
Craig Berggold
Paul Ebbs
Adam Lewis
Smita Mitra	Can the Baul Speak? Development Hegemony and Baul cultural production in West Bengal
Christine Shu	Wooing the Domestic Audience: Recent Trends in Contemporary Taiwan Cinema
Emily Tamfo	AIDS, Citizenship & Multiculturalism: An Analysis of Canadian HIV/AIDS Media Discourses and Representations
Jennifer Turner	From Swimming to Singing: Life after High Performance Sport – Exploring the Embodied Experience of a Female in Sport and Music

Name	Title of Final Project or Thesis
Nicole Bedford
Julie Bourassa	Radio, What’s New? Exploring the Meaning of Web-Based Radio in Canada
Mohammad Dokhanchi	Islamic Governmentality –Was Foucault wrong about Iran?
Alia Elmasry	The why now question: Egyptian revolution and the role of visual media (Aperture)
Amy Freier
Colin Hastings
Raissa Killoran
Nafisa Murji	Multiplicity in Cinema: Filmic Representations of South Asian Canadian Experiences
Sarah Stanley

Name	Title of Final Project or Thesis
Gianna Aldrovandi	Screened Latinas: The Changing Stereotypes of Latinas in Modern American Television
Sara Aly	“Reviving the Islamic Spirit Convention”: Re-Thinking Muslim Religious Diasporic Identity
Zhi Lei	The Portrayal of Vancouver's Chinatown as a Porous and Transgressive Contact Zone in Contemporary Chinese Canadian Fiction
Cynthia Mykytyshyn	“Where the Wild Things…Aren’t?”
Aida-Sofia Rivera-Sotelo
Fumi Sakata
Erin Sutherland
Victoria Millious	Babes, Booby Traps and Milk Banks: Healthism and the ontology of breastfeeding

Name	Title of Final Project or Thesis
Ellyn Clost
Meredith Dault
Carissa Di Gangi
Claire Grady-Smith
Nadia Franceschetti
Ciara Murphy
Sharday Mosurinjohn
Jessica Parker	Exhibiting Nationalism: Representations of Israel in the Permanent Exhibition of the Museum of the Jewish Diaspora

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MA Cultural Studies

Content navigation menu, why study ma cultural studies at goldsmiths.

The MA Cultural Studies offers an interdisciplinary approach to the study of contemporary to culture, politics and society.

• Explore Cultural Studies’ impact and influence on a wide range of research interests, not only in the English-speaking world but also internationally. The programme teaches you a range of methodologies that you can then apply in your own writing and research. It gives you a background in the tradition/s of Cultural Studies.
• Examine the effect of media technologies, racialisation and gendering on the production, circulation and consumption of popular culture. Topics include music scenes, the prison industrial complex, national boarders, and neoliberalism, for example. Approaches include representation, embodiment and decolonisation.
• Discover your own path through the fields of Cultural Studies, and apply what you have learned to your own research in the form of your chosen dissertation topic on which you will receive appropriate guidance and support from your supervisor.
• Media, Communications and Cultural Studies (MCCS) is an extremely broad and open-minded department – even by Goldsmiths' standards – and we are committed to making your interests as welcome as possible. We are a large and highly interdisciplinary department, and the themes of cultural studies run through the research interests of many academics within it. These span the fields of music, film, digital media, aesthetics, cultural industries, gender and queer studies, postcolonialism, journalism, political economy, critical race studies, and critical theory.
• Immerse yourself in a postgraduate environment shared by numerous creative practice-based MA programmes, such as MA Filmmaking , MA Journalism , and MA Script Writing . You will also share interests and activities with students from several sister programmes, such as MA Race, Media and Social Justice , MA Postcolonial Culture and Global Policy , and MA Culture Industry .
• Participate in extra-curricular activities with field trips to the Stuart Hall archive for instance and  Sound System Outernational (SSO) events. These offer opportunities to meet up with students on other programmes, and become involved in Lewisham’s local music scene.
• Our department has been ranked second in the UK for 'world-leading or internationally excellent' research (Research Excellence Framework, 2021) and 16th in the world (third in the UK) in the 2024 QS World Rankings for communication and media studies.
• Study in one of London’s liveliest and most diverse communities. You will study in a stimulating critical and creative research-led environment, which will prepare you for employment in a range of culture-related professions.

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Professor Julian Henriques .

1 year full-time or 2 years part-time

Entry requirements

You should have (or expect to be awarded) an undergraduate degree of at least 2:1 standard in a relevant/related subject. You might also be considered if you aren’t a graduate or your degree is in an unrelated field, but you have relevant experience and can show you can work at postgraduate level.

Home - full-time: £9630 Home - part-time: £4815 International - full-time: £18560

Media, Communications and Cultural Studies

As a postgraduate Cultural Studies student, you have the opportunity to develop the theoretical skills and methodological tools to engage with the critical contemporary issues as they are expressed in popular culture. You engage with some of the key theorists and the significant debates in the Cultural Studies tradition, from its inception in Britain dating from the 1970s to its current concerns in the USA and internationally.

The programme enables you to apply a Cultural Studies approach to particular examples, case studies, events and consumer technologies and to larger-scale institutions or economic and political systems. Cultural Studies permits close analysis of topics such as race, youth, music, fashion, and creative economies, as well as embracing the history of sexuality, emotions and affect, national identities and popularism and the cultural dynamics of precarity and austerity, art, and cultural expression for the new feminist activism. The analysis the Cultural Studies approach offers is geared towards intervention in current debates.

Course structure

This is a programme which in the first compulsory course offers a different topic each week permitting the exploration of various methodologies and approaches. The first five weeks will present you with work from the Birmingham tradition and beyond to the present day, including neo-nationalism, race and ethnicity, policing and the prison system, gender and popular feelings, and the rise of queer theory.

The second five weeks turn to media technologies, sonic cultures, gender and social media and more broadly issues of cultural production and consumption. The second compulsory course provides an intense engagement with questions of cultural theory, capitalist society, new activisms, and the politics of protest and assembly.

The programme’s modules can include the different ways in which culture itself is to be understood in terms of technologies, practices, subjectivities and capitalist social formations. Options modules are available within the department at either 15 or 30 credit levels. Further option modules can also be taken in the Anthropology, English and Creative Writing, History, Politics and Sociology departments. As if not enough, students are also encouraged to ‘audit’ modules – attend lectures (but not seminars), without enrolling for assessment.

What you'll study

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Module title	Credits
Cultural Studies and Capitalism We will consider the evolution of cultural studies from its early focus on capitalism and class relations, to its integration of such critiques into a still-expanding range of areas of concern, e.g. in terms of gender, race, sexuality, postcolonialism and posthumanism. We will engage with key concepts and paradigms from cultural theory that have sought to understand the cultural dimension and functioning of capital, such as commodity fetishism, gift exchange, debt, neoliberalism, information capitalism, and post-natural ecology. We will ask how contemporary global phenomena such as the rise of digital networking, climate change and financial crisis transform the relationship between capitalism and culture. In exploring these themes and phenomena, the module considers some of the ways modern critical approaches such as Marxism, feminism, decolonial thought/praxis and critical posthumanism have addressed capitalism, and pays particular attention to the roles of fiction and imagination in both the functioning and critique of capitalism.   -->	30 credits
Doing Cultural Studies One of the key features that marks out a Cultural Studies methodology against other approaches is it proclivity for starting from particular instances and a specific conjuncture, rather than a grand theory. This is not to say that theory is unimportant, on the contrary, concepts of hegemony, representation and identity have been central to the approach. The approach of this core course taking particular topics in the Cultural Studies field is designed to lay the foundations for the second core course, Cultural Studies and Capitalism, that takes a broader more systemic approach. -->	30 credits
MA Cultural Studies Dissertation (Methodology and Research) The module is taught by a lecture series that runs across all three terms, and by one-to-one supervision from January onwards. The lecture series begins by introducing you to the varying ideas about, and definitions of, research as they are found across the social sciences, arts and humanities. You'll learn about different approaches to knowledge creation, including questions of objectivity and standpoint, the idea of `action' research, and more practical questions of reliability, validity and sampling. You'll also learn about different ways of thinking about research ethics, and about decolonial approaches to research design. You'll then be helped to apply these ideas and devise your own research question and topic, which forms the substance of Milestone 1. This formatively assessed piece of work is submitted at the end of the Autumn term and enables the allocation of a personal supervisor for the rest of the academic year. -->	60 credits

You will take option modules to the value of 60 credits chosen from across Goldsmiths' departments. There are several  Media modules  available to you on this programme.

You may also be able to take modules from across many other departments, such as:

• Anthropology  
• English and Creative Writing
• Visual Cultures

Please note that module availability can change from year to year, and not all modules listed may be open to you. Your final selection will depend on the spaces available and timetable compatibility.

How you'll be assessed

Depending on the options chosen assessment consists of coursework, extended essays, presentations, practice-based projects or essays/logs, group projects and/or reflective essays. 

All assessed work is accompanied by some form of feedback to ensure that your work is on the right track. It may come in a variety of forms ranging from written comments on a marked essay to oral and written feedback on developing projects and practice as you attend workshops.

You should have (or expect to be awarded) an undergraduate degree of at least upper second class standard in a relevant/related subject. 

You might also be considered for some programmes if you aren’t a graduate or your degree is in an unrelated field, but have relevant experience and can show that you have the ability to work at postgraduate level.

International qualifications

We accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the  qualifications we accept from around the world .

If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or  equivalent English language qualification ) of  6.5 with a 6.5 in writing and no element lower than 6.0  to study this programme. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of  courses that can help prepare you for postgraduate-level study .

How to apply

Apply directly to Goldsmiths using our online application system

You apply directly to Goldsmiths using our online application system. 

Before submitting your application you’ll need to have:

• Details of  your academic qualifications
• The  email address of your referee  who we can request a reference from, or alternatively a copy of your academic reference
• Copies of  your educational transcripts   or certificates
• A  personal statement  – this can either be uploaded as a Word Document or PDF, or completed online. As well as telling us about your own interests and ambitions, please include in your personal statement why you want to study this particular MA Cultural Studies programme at Goldsmiths in the Media, Communications and Cultural Studies department. What are the particular parts of the programme that interest you? Which staff research area are you most interested in?  Please also see our guidance on writing a postgraduate statement

You'll be able to save your progress at any point and return to your application by logging in using your username/email and password.

When to apply

We encourage you to complete your application as early as possible, even if you haven't finished your current programme of study. It's very common to be offered a place that is conditional on you achieving a particular qualification. Late applications will only be considered if there are spaces available.

Find out  more about applying .

Fees and funding

Annual tuition fees.

These are the PG fees for students starting their programme in the 2024/2025 academic year.

• Home - full-time: £9630
• Home - part-time: £4815
• International - full-time: £18560

If your fees are not listed here, please check our postgraduate fees guidance or contact the Fees Office , who can also advise you about how to pay your fees.

It’s not currently possible for international students to study part-time under a student visa. If you think you might be eligible to study part-time while being on another visa type, please contact our Admissions Team for more information.

If you are looking to pay your fees please see our guide to making a payment .

Funding opportunities

Football writers association (fwa) bursary.

The aim of the FWA Bursary  is to encourage those students who come from backgrounds that are underrepresented in the industry.

Explore the Goldsmiths scholarships finder to find out what other funding you may be eligible for.

Paying your fees

Find out about  paying your tuition fees .

If you are a UK student you may be eligible for a  postgraduate loan .

Meanwhile our  Visit the scholarships finder  can also offer advice on finding work during your studies.

Additional costs

In addition to your tuition fees, you'll be responsible for any additional costs associated with your course, such as buying stationery and paying for photocopying. You can find out more about what you need to budget for on our study costs page .

There may also be specific additional costs associated with your programme. This can include things like paying for field trips or specialist materials for your assignments. Please check the programme specification for more information.

Where this degree can take you

Around half of students completing this programme progress to PhD level, and others go into practical work – in the creative industries and in NGOs in a great number of countries.

Find out more about  employability at Goldsmiths . 

High-level knowledge of cultural research; transferable skills within social and critical theory, aesthetics and performance, communication and multimedia; ethnography skills; critical appreciation of current debates in the media, the culture industries and the wider contemporary cultural environment.

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Home > Arts and Sciences > American Studies > American Studies ETDs

American Studies Theses, Dissertations, and Masters Projects

Theses/dissertations from 2023 2023.

Original Intent; Original Dissent , Joan Astridl Lasswell Albrecht

A Spectral Return: Non-Metaphorical Ghosts, Monsters, And Hauntology , Kit Bauserman

The Cost Of Curls: Discrimination, Social Stigma, And Identity Oppression Of Black Women Through Their Hair , Sydney Baylor

Empire Of Fashion: Luxury, Commerce, And Identity In The Viceroyalty Of New Granada , Laura Beltrán-Rubio

Healing Culturally Induced Trauma From Marvin’s Room To The Indian Boarding School , Angie Jocelin Leiva

Mapping The Contemporary American Public Sphere With Habermas, Deleuze, And Soderbergh , Hunter Main

The American Anthropocene: Spectral Literary Ecologies In Post-1945 Narratives , Zarah Quinn

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Refraction: The Prism Of Cultural Identity And How It Is Impacted By Grief And Storytelling , S. Aanjali Allegakoen

“So Pious An Institution”: Religion, Slavery, Education, and the Williamsburg Bray School , Nicole Catherine Nioma Brown

Colonial Apprehension: Hawaiian Indigeneity In U.S. American Popular Culture, 1945-1980 , Leah Kuragano

Famine, Trial, War: The Daily Worker during the Great Depression , Henry Hemple Prown

God's Not Dead, But Billy Graham Is: Media And Mourning In American Evangelicalism , Colleen Kirkland Rodgers

When Black Girls Fly: An Exploration Of Black Girls’ Multimedia Fantasy Narratives As Sites Of Legacy, Lineage And Creative Freedom , Ravynn KaMia Stringfield

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Have Your Cake: Constructing A Confectionery Vernacular In The Great Depression , Sarah Elisabeth Adams

Two Sides Of The Same Token: An Examination Of Segregation, Memory, And White Supremacy In Contemporary Church Schools , Vania B. Blaiklock

Scheherazade At Ground Zero: Muslim Women’s Agency, Identity, And Space In Euro-America From The 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition To The Islamic State , Alexandra M. Brandon

From Ship To Sarcophagus: The USS Arizona As A Navy War Memorial And Active Burial Ground / “A Date Which Will Live In Infamy”: Community Engagement At Pearl Harbor National Memorial And Museum , Shannon L. Bremer

“I Fixed Up The Trees To Give Them Some New Life:” Queer Desire, Affect, And Ecology In The Work Of Two Lgbtq+ Appalachian Artists/The Wildcrafting Our Queerness Project/The Queer Appalachia Preservation Project , Maxwell Mason Cloe

Constructing The Modern Warrior: The U.S. Army And Gender , Hyunyoung Moon

Women In The Wilderness: An Exploration Of How Women Interacted, Adapted, And Thrived In The American Environment , Elizabeth Rall

(Dis)Embodied Professionalisms: Doctors & Scientists In U.s. Literature, 1895-1935 , Shaun F. Richards

“All The Work, Without The Workers”: Robotic Labor In The American Imaginary , Khanh Van Ngoc Vo

Are You Black First Or Deaf First: Binary Thinking, Boundary-Policing, And Discursive Racism Within The American Deaf Community , Micayla Ann Whitmer

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

"Surgical And Rigorous (Yet Always Fun)": Science, Sport, And Community In American Birding, 1950-1980 , Matthew Hayden Anthony

Fabric Makes The Woman: Rural Women And The Politics Of Textile Knowledge , Alison Rose Bazylinski

For Children Of The Sun Who Deserved Better When Pickaninnies Were Not Enough: The Celebration Of Childhood Within The Brownies' Book , Felicia Bowins

The Association For The Preservation Of Virginia Antiquities And The Weaponization Of Nostalgia In The Service Of White Identity , Sachi Carlson

Settler States Of Ability: Assimilation, Incarceration, And Native Women's Crip Interventions , Jessica Cowing

Ghosts In The Museum: The Haunting Of Virginia’s Public History , Mariaelena DiBenigno

Pest-Humanism: Race, Nation, And Sexuality In The Non/Human Imaginary , Lindsay Dealy Garcia

The Waiting Man: Enslaved Male Domestics In Virginia, 1619-1800 , Cathleene Betz Hellier

Becoming Paul Motian: Identity, Labor, And Musical Invention , Brian Edward Jones

Mother Of Dragons: White Feminist Imperialism In HBO's Game Of Thrones , Abigail Kahler

Beyond The Podium: A Critical Analysis Of Three Online Learning Tools , Julia Kott

Insurgents On The Bayou: Hurricane Katrina, Counterterrorism, And Literary Dissent On America’s Gulf Coast , Jennifer Nicole Ross

"I Feel Your Pain": Service-Learning Programs And The Liberal Narrative Of Empathy , Molly Shilo

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Injury & Resistance: Centering HIV/AIDS Histories in Times of Queer Equality , Jan Huebenthal

Italy's American West: Brava Gente, American Indians, and the Circulation of Settler Colonialism , Tyler Norris Taylor

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

The Art of Plantation Authority: Domestic Portraiture in Colonial Virginia , Janine Yorimoto Boldt

Terra Sacra: Lethal Environments and the Modern American War Novel , Frank Anthony Fucile

“Terrible in its Beauty, Terrible in its Indifference”: Postcolonial Ecocriticism and Sally Mann’s Southern Landscapes , Laura Keller

“When I Put on My Firespitter Mask”: Jayne Cortez’s (R)Evolutionary Musical Poetic Collaborations , Renee Michelle Kingan

Of Mammies, Minstrels, and Machines: Movement-Image Automaticity and the Impossible Conditions of Black Humanity , Joseph Frank Lawless

Performative Circulations of St. Martín De Porres in the African Diaspora , James Patrick Padilioni, Jr.

Producing The Latina Disney Princess , Ashley Sarah Richardson

Byting Out the Public: Personal Computers and the Private Sphere , Nabeel Siddiqui

The Lonely Ones: Selfhood and Society in Harry Stack Sullivan's Psychiatric Thought , Taylor S. Stephens

Taking it to the Streets: Race, Space, and Early D.c. Punk , Ashleigh Mae Williams

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Folk into Art: John Fahey, Modernism and the American Folk Revival , Lisa Carpenter

Material Literacy: Alphabets, Bodies, and Consumer Culture , Wendy Korwin-Pawlowski

Race and Culture in the Early-Twentieth-Century United States and Colonial Hawaii , Leah Kuragano

"I Figured You Were Probably Watching Us": Ex Machina and the Performativity of Lateral Surveillance , Kayla Danielle Meyers

The Sacred Ginmill Closes: Heavy Drinking, White Masculinity and the Hard-Boiled Detective in American Culture , David Camak Pratt

Escaping through the Past, Haunted by the Future: Confronting America through Child of God and the Underground Railroad , Zarah Victoria Quinn

Refining the Desert: The Politics of Wealth, Industrialization, and Environmental Risk in the Twentieth-Century Texas Oil Industry , Sarah Stanford-McIntyre

Black Capes, White Spies: An Exploration of Visual Black Identity, Evolving Heroism and 'passing' in Marvel's Black Panther Comics and Mat Johnson's Graphic Novel, Incogengro , Ravynn K. Stringfield

Reading Bodies: Disability and American Literary History, 1789-1889 , Amanda Stuckey

Songsters and Film Scores: Civil War Music and American Memory , Ari Marie Weinberg

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Selling Race in America: Ideologies of Labor, Color, and Social Order in Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century Advertising Imagery , Meghan Bryant

Oh Shenandoah! The Northern Shenandoah Valley's Black Borderlanders Make Freedom Work during Virginia's Reconstruction, 1865-1870 , Donna Camille Dodenhoff

District and Capital: The Art of Modern Washington , Seth Feman

Morbid Love: American Decadence in the 1890s , Nicolette Gable

Capitalist Architecture in a Posthumanist World , Lindsay Garcia

"What Would Jesus Do?": Modern Revival in the Marketplace, 1896-2000s. , Jennifer L. Hancock

Putin' on for Da Lou: Hip Hop's Response to Racism in St. Louis , Travis Terrell Harris

The Politics of Empire: The United States and the Global Structure of Imperialism in the Early Twenty-First Century , Edward P. Hunt

Uniting Interests: The Economic Functions of Marriage in America, 1750-1860 , Lindsay Mitchell Keiter

New South(Ern) Landscapes: Reenvisioning Tourism, Industry, and the Environment in the American South , John Barrington Matthews

Cameras at Work: African American Studio Photographers and the Business of Everyday Life, 1900-1970 , William Brian Piper

Creolized Histories: Hybrid Literatures of the Americas , Apostolos Rofaelas

Affective Economies of Activism: Reimagining Anti-Lgbtq Hate Crime , Helis Sikk

Living in the Past: Community and Change in Historical Commemorations at Plymouth, Williamsburg, and Salem , Jenna Simpson

Radiant Exposure: The Art and Spectacle of the X-Rayed Body in American Visual Culture , Lita Tirak

Uncanny Objects: The Art of Moving and Looking Human , Khanh Van Ngoc Vo

Between Third Reich and American Way: Transatlantic Migration and the Politics of Belonging, 1919-1939 , Christian Wilbers

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

The Economics of Loyalty: Robert Bonner, the "New York Ledger", and Sentimental Capitalism. , Kathryn Conner Bennett

The Corporate Person: How U.S Courts Transformed a Legal Phantom into a Powerful Citizen , Zachariah J. DeMeola

African American Civil Rights Museums: A Study of the R.R Moton Museum in Farmville, Virginia , Christina S. Draper

The Black Gothic Imagination: Horror, Subjectivity, and Spectatorship from the Civil Rights Era to the New Millennium. , Mikal J. Gaines

Performing Jane: a cultural history of Jane Austen's fans in America , Sarah G. Glosson

"Members, Don't Git Weary": Max Roach, "Treme", and the Sound of Resistance , Brian Edward Jones

Artful Manipulation: The Rockefeller Family and Cold War America , Julia Kaziewicz

Making the Bronx Move: Hip-Hop Culture and History from the Bronx River Houses to the Parisian Suburbs, 1951-1984. , Kevin Waide Kosanovich

Staging the Asian American in Hong Kong: Examining Transcultural Performances of Asian American Identity in Hong Kong English Language Amateur Theatre Productions of "Thoroughly Modern Millie" and "Yellow Face" , Iris Eu Loa Mein

Understanding "Roadkill" through an Animal Method , Linda Angela Monahan

The Life and Legacy of Marie Couvent: Social Networks, Property Ownership, and the Making of a Free People of Color Community in New Orleans. , Elizabeth Clark Neidenbach

Poor and Dead and Much Involved: The Afterlife of Private Debt in Post-Revolutionary Virginia. , Jackson Norman Sasser

Fears in Concrete Forms: Modernity and Horror in the United States; 1880-1939. , Kevin C. Valliant

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Seeing (for) Miles: Jazz, Race, and Objects of Performance , Benjamin Park anderson

"Strength for the Journey": Feminist Theology and Baptist Women Pastors , Judith Anne Bledsoe Bailey

Entertaining Education or Purely Entertainment: A Case Study of the Yorktown Victory Center , Jordan Margaret-May Ecker

Ruins Reframed: The Commodification of American Urban Disaster, 1861-1906 , Zachary Michael Hilpert

Thoroughly Modern: African American Women's Dress and the Culture of Consumption in Cleveland, Ohio 1890-1940 , Deanda Marie Johnson

'I Get a Kick Out of You': Cinematic Revisions of the History of the African American Cowboy in the American West , Stephanie Anne Maguire

"Genuine made-in-Americans" : living machines and the technological body in the postwar science fiction imaginary, 1944-1968 , Kimberly Lynn Mann

Race, Childhood, and Native American Boarding Schools: A Case Study of the Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute , Tyler Norris

"For How Could We Do without Sugar and Rum?": The Semiotics of Abolitionist Aesthetics , James Patrick Padilioni

Obscured Conflations, (Un)Bending Frames: Considering the Concept of "Truth" in the Politics and Rhetoric of the Religious Right , Anna Catharine Rosenkranz

'The Scar Must Remain': Memory and the First World War in the Ruth Fielding and Beverly Gray Series , Anna Murell Thompson

The Dalai Lama in American Documentaries: Symbol, Politics and American Mirroring , Shuting Zeng

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Thesis resources and forms, thesis proposal guidelines.

Click here to download a PDF of the thesis proposal information included here. If you are interested in seeing sample proposals, please contact the Graduate Director.

Requirements

Thesis proposals are 3 to 4 pages, not counting the accompanying bibliography. Full-time students defend their proposals early in the fall term of their second year.

The thesis proposal consists of the following:

• Paragraph 1 / Statement of Purpose Describe the central problem or question your thesis investigates. Explain why this problem or question matters for your field or subfield. Name the original materials you have selected to examine this problem or question. Include a working thesis.
• Paragraph 2 / Context Situate your thesis in relevant aesthetic, social, and historical contexts. Why are these contexts important for the problem or question your thesis pursues? How do they contribute to the significance or consequences of your investigation?
• Paragraph 3 / Related Literature Explain your project’s relationship to existing scholarship in your field or subfield. You need not cite individual thinkers; rather, summarize dominant approaches to your problem or question and situate your work within them. How does your thesis corroborate and / or challenge these approaches? How would you describe the value of your contribution the field or subfield?
• Paragraph 4 / Original Materials Describe the texts you plan to deploy as evidence for your argument—i.e., the novels, poems, philosophical or scientific texts, artworks, songs, films, video games, etc. that sustain and develop your thesis statement. What ideas or themes do these texts investigate? How would you characterize their form or style? Why are they suited to the problem or question posed by your thesis?
• Paragraph 5 / Theoretical Literature Name and describe the theoretical concepts that most influence your approach to your thesis. Why are these best suited to the problem or question it analyzes? You need not cite individual thinkers; rather, summarize the terms or strategies your project adopts from them.
• Preliminary Bibliography Provide a working bibliography for your project, including contextual, related, original, and theoretical sources. Distinguish items you have read from those you have not.

Thesis Timeline

American studies, film studies, and humanities concentrations.

T hesis timeline information

Graduate Thesis Committee Form

Discuss your anticipated thesis topic with a faculty member who would be an appropriate major professor for the project. They should be someone with whom you have taken courses and who knows your work well. If you are having trouble developing a topic or finding an appropriate major professor, consult the Graduate Adviser.

Choose a major professor who has graduate faculty status in HCS. In consultation with the major professor, select two additional HCS faculty members to serve on your thesis committee. Discuss your thesis project with these faculty members and ask them if they are willing to serve on your committee. NOTE: It is possible to have a committee member from outside HCS. Consult your major professor and the Graduate Adviser to this end.

Once three members agree to serve on your committee, complete the Graduate Student Supervisory Committee Appointment Form , acquire faculty signatures, and submit it to the Graduate Adviser, who forwards it to the Office of Graduate Studies.

If you are a full-time student, complete STEP 1 during the spring semester of your first year.

Write your thesis proposal in close consultation with your major professor, using the department’s Thesis Proposal Guidelines . HUM 6815: Research Seminar, taken during the fall semester of your second year, provides a framework for completing this document.

If you are a full-time student, begin work on your thesis proposal in the summer between your first and second years, registering for HUM / AMS 6915: Directed Research and/or HUM / AMS 6971: Thesis, as appropriate.

After your major professor approves your thesis proposal, they schedule an oral defense of with the members of your committee. Submit the thesis proposal to your committee at least one week prior to the defense.

Following a successful defense, your major professor completes the  MA Proposal Defense Form and submits it to the Graduate Adviser.

If you are a full-time student, plan to defend your thesis proposal early in the fall semester of your second year. NOTE : You are not permitted to apply for graduation or defend your thesis in the same semester that you defend your thesis proposal.

Write the thesis with your major professor’s guidance and regular input from your committee members. Thesis projects are 25 to 40 pages long . Keep the Graduate Adviser informed of your progress and regularly share drafts of your thesis with your major professor.

NOTE : While you are not required to meet with your committee members as often as your major professor, you must give them opportunities to read, comment, and make suggestions to the document throughout the writing process. The thesis must be acceptable to all committee members before the defense is scheduled.

Register for at least 2 credit hours during the term you wish to graduate.

Attend to the following deadlines:

• Registering with ETD : early January
• Applying for Graduation : early February
• Submitting Thesis to ETD : mid-March

Visit the ETD Resource Center regularly for important dates and information regarding thesis submission. Consult the Graduate Adviser with any questions. NOTE : Thesis defenses must be completed at least one week prior to the ETD submission deadline.

When you are prepared to defend your thesis, your major professor schedules the oral defense . Share the final draft of your thesis with your committee members at least one week prior to the defense. Defenses are open to the public and other faculty members and students are encouraged to attend.

The thesis must include an ETD-approved Title Page . Complete the ETD Certificate of Approval and bring it to the defense for your committee to sign. Following the defense, forward the certificate to the Graduate Adviser who signs and returns it to you. Submit the completed form to the Office of Graduate Studies along with the required Plagiarism Check .  

Your major professor brings the Successful Defense Form and MA Thesis Defense Rubric to the defense. Following the defense, they forward the defense form to the Graduate Adviser and the rubric to the Graduate Coordinator.

If you are a full-time student, plan to defend your thesis proposal early in the spring semester of your second year. NOTE : Students who wish to postpone their thesis defense to the summer or fall term must consult with their major professor and the Graduate Adviser

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Master of Arts in Digital Studies of Language, Culture, and History

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Department Website: http://digitalstudies.uchicago.edu

Faculty Director: David Schloen

Associate Director: Brooke Luetgert

Digital Studies Faculty Board

The University of Chicago’s program in Digital Studies of Language, Culture, and History provides a one-year Master of Arts curriculum intended for full-time students who have a bachelor’s degree in the humanities or in a related discipline such as history, anthropology, or linguistics. A two-year Master of Arts program has been added beginning in Autumn 2024.  In addition, a  joint BA/MA  and undergraduate Minor  in Digital Studies are offered to students in the College of the University of Chicago, and a Graduate Certificate  in Digital Studies is available to graduate students in other programs of the University. The MA in Digital Studies qualifies as a STEM Designated Degree Program under the regulations of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

The Digital Studies program at the University of Chicago responds to the growing demand for academic rigor in the loosely defined field of digital humanities and the need to certify technical competence in this area. The program equips students of the humanities to pursue careers that utilize their skills in research, writing, and critical thinking in tandem with the use of software for the study of human languages and cultures, past and present.

The Digital Studies  faculty and staff  represent a wide range of academic fields, including linguistics, literary studies, media studies, history, philosophy, anthropology, archaeology, art history, visual arts, musicology, and religious studies. They share a common interest in understanding the impact of digital technology and in using digital tools to represent, analyze, and preserve the products of human language and culture. Collectively, their work shows how digital studies encompass the full range of human activities, from everyday speech and writing to historical documents and literary texts, and include music and art as well as mundane objects, places, and institutions.

The core courses  and electives in Digital Studies (DIGS) are designed to foster, not just technical skills in coding and data analysis, but an understanding of the history of computing and its cultural impact from the perspective of the humanities. Students in these courses are introduced to computer programming and the use of software libraries via three widely used programming languages: Python, R, and JavaScript. Learning to code in these languages is the gateway for students to understand and use cutting-edge digital tools and data standards to manage, analyze, and publish information, with emphasis on the kinds of data commonly encountered in the humanities, including texts, images, maps, and other media.

The general MA in Digital Studies entails six core courses  and three electives . A thesis is not required for degree completion in the one-year program. The two-year program offers four specialized concentrations in which additional courses in a particular subject area are taken and students complete a thesis project in that area. 

Degree Requirements

Information about degree requirements can be found here: https://digitalculture.uchicago.edu/teaching/masters-program/

The Master of Arts in Digital Studies of Language, Culture, and History program welcomes a cohort of students dedicated to exploring humanistic knowledge in the digital realm. 

Information on How to Apply

The application process for admission and financial aid for all graduate programs in the Humanities is administered through the divisional Office of the Dean of Students. The Application for Admission and Financial Aid, with instructions, deadlines and department specific information is available online at: http://humanities.uchicago.edu/students/admissions .

Questions pertaining to admissions and aid should be directed to [email protected] or (773) 702-1552.

International students must provide evidence of English proficiency by submitting scores from either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). (Current minimum scores, etc., are provided with the application.) For more information, please see the Office of International Affairs website at https://internationalaffairs.uchicago.edu , or call them at (773) 702-7752.

Further information is available at https://digitalstudies.uchicago.edu/application

Contact Information

[email protected]

(773) 702-1552

Digital Studies Courses

DIGS 30000. Approaches to Digital Humanities Using Python. 100 Units.

This course introduces students to (1) current work in digital humanities with examples of the software applications being used and the computational research being done in literary, historical, linguistic, and cultural studies; and (2) the principles and practices of computer programming using the Python programming language. (Taught remotely via Zoom in the Summer Session; undergraduate only.)

Instructor(s): Clovis Gladstone     Terms Offered: Summer Equivalent Course(s): DIGS 10000

DIGS 30001. Introduction to Computer Programming Using Python. 100 Units.

This course provides an introduction to computer programming and computational concepts using the Python programming language. Students are also introduced to the use of Visual Studio Code as an industry-standard source code editor. This course is a prerequisite for most of the other Digital Studies (DIGS) courses. Students enrolled in one of the Digital Studies programs (MA, joint BA/MA, undergraduate minor, or graduate certificate) who have previously passed an equivalent college-level course in computer programming with a grade of B (3.0) or higher may petition the Associate Director of Curriculum and Instruction of the Forum for Digital Culture for an exemption from taking this course and permission to take an additional elective course instead.

Instructor(s): Clovis Gladstone     Terms Offered: Autumn Equivalent Course(s): DIGS 20001

DIGS 30002. Introduction to Statistics Using Python. 100 Units.

This course provides an introduction to statistics and computational data analysis using Python and Jupyter Notebook. It is a prerequisite for "Data Analysis II: Data Visualization and Machine Learning" (DIGS 20004/30004) in the Winter Quarter. Topics covered include probability, distributions, and statistical inference, as well as linear regression and logistic regression. Students will gain additional practice in Python coding and will learn how to use Python libraries for statistics and plotting. The textbook for this course is OpenIntro Statistics, which is available online, free of charge. Students enrolled in one of the Digital Studies programs (MA, joint BA/MA, undergraduate minor, or graduate certificate) who have previously passed an equivalent college-level course in statistics with a grade of B (3.0) or higher may petition the Associate Director of Curriculum and Instruction of the Forum for Digital Culture for an exemption from taking this course and permission to take an additional elective course instead.

Instructor(s): Brooke Luetgert     Terms Offered: Autumn Equivalent Course(s): DIGS 20002

DIGS 30003. Data Management for the Humanities. 100 Units.

This course introduces concepts and techniques related to the representation and management of digital data with emphasis on the forms of data encountered in the humanities. Topics covered include: (1) digital text encoding using the Unicode and XML standards, with attention to the TEI-XML tagging scheme of the Text Encoding Initiative; (2) digital typefaces ("fonts") for displaying encoded characters; (3) digital encoding of 2D images, 3D models, sound, and video; (4) database models and querying languages (especially SQL for relational databases and SPARQL for non-relational RDF-graph databases), with attention to methods for integrating and querying the kinds of semi-structured and heterogeneous data characteristic of the humanities; (5) ontologies, the Semantic Web, and related technical standards; and (6) cartographic concepts (e.g., coordinate systems and map projections) and the basics of geospatial data management using Geographic Information Systems. This course has no prerequisite; i.e., prior knowledge of computer programming is not required.

Instructor(s): Miller Prosser     Terms Offered: Autumn Equivalent Course(s): DIGS 20003

DIGS 30004. Data Visualization for the Humanities. 100 Units.

This course introduces best practices for analyzing large and complex data sets using Python and gives students a basic understanding of machine learning. Topics covered include data visualization, social network analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), and the k-nearest neighbors (KNN) algorithm. The objective is to make students familiar with these methods and aware of their potential in linguistic, cultural, and historical research.

Instructor(s): Brooke Luetgert     Terms Offered: Winter Prerequisite(s): DIGS 20001/30001, “Introduction to Computer Programming with Python” (or an equivalent course in computer programming) and DIGS 20002/30002, “Data Analysis I: Introduction to Statistics” (or an equivalent course in statistics). Equivalent Course(s): DIGS 20004

DIGS 30005. Data Publication for the Humanities. 100 Units.

This course introduces software techniques and tools for building Web browser apps written in HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript with emphasis on user interfaces for presenting information to researchers and students in the humanities. Students will take an active role in evaluating approaches and outcomes of existing digital publications. Topics covered include: (1) the use of application programming interfaces (APIs) to integrate into Web apps the various analysis, visualization, and database services provided by external systems; (2) the transformation of data into formats appropriate for publication on the Web; and (3) the nature of data in the humanities as pertains to digital publication.

Instructor(s): Miller Prosser     Terms Offered: Spring Prerequisite(s): DIGS 20001/30001, “Introduction to Computer Programming with Python” (or an equivalent course in computer programming). Equivalent Course(s): DIGS 20005

DIGS 30006. Artificial Intelligence and the Humanities. 100 Units.

In this course we will look at artificial intelligence (AI) from the perspective of the humanities both to assess the impact of AI on the creation and study of cultural materials and to question its presuppositions. The first part of the course will survey the history of the attempts made over the years to create AI using computational methods and the philosophical critiques of those attempts. Attention will be paid both to symbolic AI that employs explicit digital representations of human knowledge and reasoning and the quite different paradigm of connectionist AI that employs neural networks and predictive models. In the latter part of the course, we will discuss the recent development of "generative AI" systems (e.g., ChatGPT) that use large "foundation models" to create remarkably human-like text and images and we will experiment with these systems via hands-on exercises. We will consider the benefits and drawbacks of such tools for research in the humanities and discuss their social and cultural impact more generally.

Instructor(s): Jeffrey Tharsen     Terms Offered: Spring Equivalent Course(s): DIGS 20006

DIGS 30007. History and Theory of Computing for the Humanities. 100 Units.

This course surveys (1) the history and theory of digital computing, (2) the ways computers have been used in the humanities, (3) recent theoretical debates surrounding the contested concept of "digital humanities," (4) the philosophical issues raised by digital knowledge representation and artificial intelligence, and (5) the ethical and public policy issues raised by the pervasive use of digital technology in present-day societies.

Instructor(s): David Schloen     Terms Offered: Winter Prerequisite(s): DIGS 20001/30001, “Introduction to Computer Programming with Python” (or an equivalent course in computer programming) and DIGS 20003/30003, “Data Management for the Humanities.” These prerequisites may be waived in some cases with the instructor’s consent. Equivalent Course(s): DIGS 20007

DIGS 30008. Thesis Preparation. 000 Units.

This course is intended for students in the two-year version of the Digital Studies MA program, who will normally enroll in it in the Spring Quarter of their second year, when they are completing their MA thesis projects.

Instructor(s): n/a     Terms Offered: Spring

DIGS 30021. Digital Archaeology. 100 Units.

This course introduces students to a variety of computational methods used in archaeology and art history for the digital representation and analysis of cultural sites, buildings, landscapes, and artifacts. Relevant concepts and techniques are taught by means of both explanatory lectures and hands-on exercises. Software tools used in the course include ArcGIS and QGIS for geospatial data and map-creation; Agisoft Metashape for photogrammetry and 3D modeling; OCHRE for integrated multimedia data management; and Python software libraries for image analysis, feature recognition, and statistics. Gamification and the use of augmented reality and virtual reality in archaeology are discussed briefly; these topics are covered in detail in DIGS 20041/30041, "Digital Media I: Game Design with Unity," and DIGS 20042/30042, "Digital Media II: Extended Reality with Unity."

Instructor(s): David Schloen     Terms Offered: Spring Prerequisite(s): DIGS 20001/30001, “Introduction to Computer Programming with Python” (or an equivalent course in computer programming), DIGS 20002/30002, “Data Analysis I: Introduction to Statistics” (or an equivalent course in statistics), and DIGS 20003/30003, “Data Management for the Humanities.” These prerequisites may be waived in some cases with the instructor’s consent. Equivalent Course(s): DIGS 20021

DIGS 30031. Digital Texts I: Corpus Building and Corpus Statistics. 100 Units.

The purpose of this course is to introduce students in the humanities to digital methodologies for the study of texts. Students will not only learn how to construct a digital text collection but also how to process text as data. Among the various digital approaches which will be introduced in class are concordances (retrieving occurrences of words), semantic similarity detection (finding similar passages across texts), sentiment analysis, and stylometry (analysis of literary style). The course will highlight how these approaches to text can provide new avenues of research, such as tracing intellectual influence over the longue durée, or uncovering the distinguishing stylistic features of an author, work, or literary movement. Students need no prior knowledge of such methods, and the course will aim at providing both the basics of computer programming in Python and giving students the necessary tools to conduct a digital humanities project. The source material for the course will be drawn from literary sources, and students will be free (and encouraged) to use texts which are relevant to their own research interests. Students will need to bring a laptop to class.

Instructor(s): Clovis Gladstone     Terms Offered: Winter Equivalent Course(s): RLLT 24550, DIGS 20031, RLLT 34550

DIGS 30032. Digital Texts II: Natural Language Processing and Deep Learning. 100 Units.

This course builds on DIGS 20031/30031, "Digital Texts I: Corpus Building and Corpus Statistics," by introducing students to advanced computational methods for studying texts, including deep learning (AI), with emphasis on the needs of research in the humanities. Students will evaluate these methods and gain practical experience in applying them. Prerequisites: DIGS 20001/30001, "Introduction to Computer Programming with Python," DIGS 20004/30004, "Data Analysis II: Data Visualization and Machine Learning," and DIGS 20031/30031, "Digital Texts I: Corpus Building and Corpus Statistics," or equivalent prior preparation.

Instructor(s): Jeffrey Tharsen     Terms Offered: Spring Prerequisite(s): DIGS 20001/30001, “Introduction to Computer Programming with Python,” DIGS 20003/30003, “Data Management for the Humanities,” DIGS 20004/30004, “Data Analysis II: Data Visualization and Machine Learning,” and DIGS 20031/30031, “Digital Texts I: Corpus Building and Corpus Statistics.” Note(s): Prerequisites may be waived by permission of the instructor for students who have sufficient background in the subject. Equivalent Course(s): DIGS 20032

DIGS 30035. Introduction to Cultural Analytics. 100 Units.

This course introduces students to the emerging field of cultural analytics - a field that sits at the intersection of cultural studies, information science, and the computational social sciences. At root, the field is oriented around questions of how to study the cultural past and present (whether text, image, or sound) with the aid of data-driven methods, and what such methods imply for our understanding of human culture. The course will begin with a look at how past scholars wrestled with the problem of applying numbers to cultural objects, and some of their initial attempts to do so. We then move to survey the wide variety of scholarship happening today under the influence of new digital technologies and vast new information infrastructures. How have scholars across different humanistic fields adopted new computational tools? What methodological and theoretical problems has this raised? What new discoveries has it yielded? Finally, the course will consider new research directions opened up by recent advances in artificial intelligence and the increasing convergence of cultural production with online platforms that are global in reach (e.g., TikTok, Wattpad, Netflix, Spotify). Students will engage with these questions through primary readings, attempts to replicate past studies, and by designing their own research proposals.

Instructor(s): Long, Hoyt      Terms Offered: Spring Note(s): Some programming experience preferred, but not required

DIGS 30041. Digital Media I: Game Design with Unity. 100 Units.

Part one of a two-course sequence, this making-oriented course provides an introduction to the principles, practices, and techniques of game design. Students will develop several small games, gaining hands-on experience with C# and the Unity development platform. The course takes a "ground up" approach: starting with the fundamentals of object- and component-oriented programming, then using those fundamentals to build complex, interactive experiences. While the course focuses on Unity, an introduction to software design patterns and an emphasis on a rapid feedback/iteration cycle will provide tools that translate to other game engines and creative computing projects. Through critique and the close examination of case studies from prior art, students will cultivate their critical eye and articulation, equipping them to discuss, assess, and refine games at various stages of development.

Instructor(s): Cameron Mankin     Terms Offered: Winter Prerequisite(s): DIGS 20001/30001, “Introduction to Computer Programming with Python” (or an equivalent course in computer programming). Note(s): Undergraduate MAAD students attempting to join the course should fill out this form to join a shortlist: https://airtable.com/appF7rAlnH3zoRdB4/shrfuB9cVwZC1b5hc. ONLY undergraduates who fill out the form will be considered for the course. Please do NOT send consent requests before filling out the form. Equivalent Course(s): MAAD 20041

DIGS 30042. Digital Media II: Extended Reality with Unity. 100 Units.

Part-two of a two-course sequence, this course teaches students how to develop extended reality (XR) environments using the Unity platform. The course emphasizes the creation of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) environments, allowing students to gain hands-on experience. Additionally, students will discuss development with their instructor and peers, assisting them in refining their skills and ideas while creating. By the end of the quarter, students will clearly understand the process of transforming ideas into final products, equipping them with the necessary tools for future XR endeavors.

Instructor(s): Crystal Beiersdorfer     Terms Offered: Spring Prerequisite(s): DIGS 30041/MAAD 20041, “Digital Media I: Game Design with Unity” (or an equivalent Unity course approved by the instructor). Note(s): Undergraduate MAAD students attempting to join the course should fill out this form to join a shortlist: https://airtable.com/appF7rAlnH3zoRdB4/shrfuB9cVwZC1b5hc. ONLY undergraduates who fill out the form will be considered for the course. Please do NOT send consent requests before filling out the form. Equivalent Course(s): MAAD 20042

DIGS 49900. Reading and Research. 100 Units.

Reading and Research

Instructor(s): David Schloen     Terms Offered: Spring

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Cultural Studies

Master of Arts (Thesis only) Specialisation (formal) Year: 2021

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Associate Professor Chris Healy

Email: clhealy@unimelb.edu.au

The masters degree is designed for students to develop advanced skills in carrying out independent and sustained research in cultural studies. The thesis should demonstrate a critical application of specialist knowledge and make an independent contribution to existing scholarship in the area of research. Candidates may advance to the Doctor of Philosophy degree after successful completion of the masters or may apply to convert to the PhD at an earlier stage. An honours grade of at least H3 (65%) must be attained to qualify for the award of the masters degree.

Intended learning outcomes

Students who complete the Master of Arts (Thesis only) in this area of specialisation should:

• produce a research thesis on a topic of their own choice;
• demonstrate capacity for independent research;
• acquire the ability to mount a sustained scholarly argument;
• gain mastery of scholarship in their chosen field; and
• gain familiarity with appropriate methods of cultural analysis and research.

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Sorenson Language and Communication Center (SLCC) 1214

The Cultural Studies Concentration challenges students to develop methods of inquiry, research, and critique that explore historically-created social institutions and cultural processes which shape the world and deaf ways-of-being. Students will gain a breadth of knowledge through multi-disciplinary perspectives while also gaining a depth of inquiry through an extended project in which they will pursue an area of interest through an academic thesis, a creative project, or applied advocacy project. This concentration prepares students for advanced studies towards a doctoral or another terminal degree. Students in this Concentration are required to be on campus.

Admissions Procedures and Requirements

Applicants for the M.A. in Deaf Studies must complete the application procedures and meet the requirements for graduate study at Gallaudet University. 

	February 15

Program Specific Requirements:

• Three letters of reference
• ASL Essay: Personal Statement. In video format, submit a personal statement of interest in the program. This essay will be used for 2 purposes. It will give help us understand your personal interest in our program and will also be used to determine your proficiency in ASL. Why are you applying for this degree? What do you hope to gain from the degree? What are your professional interests after you graduate?
• Transcripts
• ASLPI 3 or above
• GPA 3.0 or above.

Recommended Prior Coursework:

• Introduction to Deaf Culture
• Introduction to ASL Structure

Courses & Requirements

Summary of Requirements

All students admitted to the program must complete the following core courses with grades of B or higher.

Semester I (Fall)

This course will introduce students to the most commonly-used research methods in Deaf Studies, particularly textual analysis, and ethnographic interviews. Students will be guided by the instructor in the processes of developing research questions, methodologies, data collection and analysis.

Students must be matriculated in the Deaf Studies MA program.

The course serves as an introduction to graduate study in Deaf Studies. Students are guided in reflecting on the past, present, and future of Deaf Studies scholarship. Exploring the historical trends and debates in Deaf Studies, we seek out foundational questions about deaf lives and communities, including identities, power, culture, and framing from interdisciplinary perspectives. Leading with stories and lived experiences, students connect theory with practice in preparation for subsequent courses within the Deaf Studies Master's Program. The course also aims to develop critical reading and writing skills important to graduate level scholarship.

Matriculated in DST MA Program

This course begins by exploring key issues faced by minority language communities, with special emphasis on the world's linguistic diversity, language endangerment, and revitalization. After gaining a broad understanding of the dynamic intersections of language, culture and power, students will examine the historical role of language ideologies relating to signed languages, beginning with classical thought and continuing through the formation of deaf education in the 18th century and the medicalization of deaf bodies in the 19th and 20th centuries. In the end, students should be able to identify and explain intersections of philosophical, linguistic, educational, medical, scientific, and anthropological discourses which influenced the vitality of sign languages and deaf communities in the 21st century. Developing awareness of this phonocentric heritage helps to equip students in developing strategies for linguistic and cultural revitalization of sign languages and deaf communities.

A seminar course for graduate students on global themes in Deaf Studies. This course offers an examination of interdisciplinary attempts to construct deaf lives. Using a thematic approach, this course pulls together the themes of race, disability, citizenship, and empire. The course explores the notion of the Other to better understand various dynamics of structural power that meets at the intersection of deaf lives. How does race, disability, and other forms of Otherness interface with deaf ways of being? We interrogate the challenges of the archive in excavating knowledges about other deaf lives. Students will discuss scholarship in critical race theory, colonialism, orientalism, and indigeneity. This course aims to animate questions and new modes of critique.

Semester II (Spring)

This three credit course is designed as a guided research course to support students' progress with their individual thesis research topics and methodologies within the field of Deaf Studies. This course is the second of two courses that provide students with experience in preparing their thesis proposals. Students will select their methodology, conduct a literature review, gather preliminary data if applicable, and complete the necessary steps to gain approval for their data collection procedures, such as IRB approval and CITI certification. Students will be introduced to ethical conduct in research, the Institutional Review Board procedures, and grant writing. They will complete and defend their thesis proposals at the end of this course.

This course is designed as a thorough exploration of the literary practices influenced by cultural traditions in the deaf community. Attention will be given to the unique face-to-face nature of signed literature and its numerous traditional forms as well different types of cultural productions, including online media. Students will become versed in the stylistics, poetics, and cultural contexts of signed literature in its live as well as video-text formats.

This class will explore the historical, medical, social, political, philosophical, and cultural influences that have constructed the categories of ''normalcy'', ''disability'' and ''deafness''. Building on the writing of Michel Foucault and critical work in the field of disability studies, this course will inquire into the institutions that have enforced standards of normalcy, throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries to the present. Primary attention will be paid to the rise of medical authority in the West, the history of eugenics, and contemporary bioethical issues confronting disability and deaf communities.

This course links theory with debates and issues central to contemporary deaf lived experiences situated in locations throughout the world. This course draws from foundational texts in the social sciences and humanities, as well as more recent theoretical directions and avenues of inquiry in Deaf Studies. Throughout this course, we will consider major theoretical perspectives as they have been applied in Deaf Studies. These perspectives will be discussed in terms of their historical precedents and their applicability to contemporary deaf lived experiences. Our aim is to understand the ways in which Deaf Studies scholars use specific concepts, their paths of inquiry and methodology, as well as contemplate future directions for scholarship in Deaf Studies. We will keep returning to the same question: where is-or could be-Deaf Studies today and how does-or could it-work as critique? In short, we will be critiquing Deaf Studies and thinking of it as critique in itself.

Permission of the Department

Semester III (Fall)

This course investigates the role of vision and the senses, sensory practices and sensory politics in the deaf community through its visual-tactile nature. By drawing on new theoretical approaches in the study of the senses, this course will explore representations and visual culture, the theory and the politics of sensory perceptions; and the cultural practices of architecture, museums, memorials, film, video, sign literature and resistance art. Through discussions, projects, and presentations, students will gain and articulate a critical understanding of the role of the senses in art and deaf space within a phonocentric world.

This course will provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the contemporary transnational Deaf public sphere. Students will study the origination and spread of international meetings among Deaf people and the concurrent formation of transnational Deaf networks. Students will study key concepts and review case studies in transnational studies which will then be used to interrogate the nature of interconnections between Deaf communities across the globe.

Students must be enrolled in the Concentration in Language and Human Rights or permission of the instructor

This course provides a multicultural perspective of community organizing for social change in parallel in understanding the deaf community's past and ongoing campaigns for equal rights from an advocacy perspective. Topics covered include organization structure, politics, ethics, inclusion, systematic challenges, and more.

Enrolled in the Deaf Studies MA program

The Deaf Studies Master's Project is a required, culminating project which demonstrates student's exemplary achievement as a Master's student. Under the supervision of Department faculty, students will develop projects that significantly advance knowledge in one of three concentrations: Cultural Studies, Language and Human Rights or Early Language Advocacy. Students may elect to produce a traditional Master's thesis, a creative project, or an applied advocacy project. During the first semester, students will develop and defend their project, including a demonstration of the project's significance, appropriate research methodologies and a detailed plan of action.

Students must have successfully completed the first year of the DST MA program.

Semester IV (Spring)

This course allows the opportunity to offer courses on a variety of topics of concern to Deaf Cultural Studies.

Completion of first year DST MA curriculum or permission of instructor

The Deaf Studies' Masters Project II is a required, culminating project which demonstrates students' exemplary achievement as a Master's student. Under the supervision of Department faculty, students will develop projects that significantly advance knowledge in either Cultural Studies, Language and Human Rights and Early Language Advocacy. Students may elect to produce a traditional Master's thesis, a creative project, or an applied advocacy project. During the second semester, students will present and defend their project. All students take DST 781 for 3 credits. In the event students do not complete their thesis at the end need of DST 781, they enroll in 781 a second time as a one-credit course.

Students must have successfully completed the first year of the DST MA program and DST 780

Choose one from the following:

This course focuses on the field of inquiry known as Critical Pedagogy, which examines the role that education plays in shaping and transmitting the ideology of those in power. This course also inquires into the use of education as a means of resistance and emancipation. Particular focus will be given to the disparate conditions relating to the education of those populations considered to be in the margins, i.e.,class, race, ethnicity, gender, and disability.

This course focuses on further analysis of relevant laws and policies when it comes to sign language rights, particularly for young Deaf children. Topics include legislative process, regulations writing, power of position statements/policy papers, analysis of federal and state laws. The benefits of mobilization and sociopolitics including the use of framing in media will also be discussed.

Matriculation in the Deaf Studies program

This course focuses on an analysis of relevant U.S. laws and policies when it comes to sign language rights, particularly for young deaf children. Topics include: legislative process, writing of state and federal regulations, power of position statements/policy papers, and an analysis of federal and state laws. Students will learn about community mobilization in the context of sociopolitical movements, with practical use of framing arguments for public consumption.

Students must be enrolled in the Deaf Cultural Studies Master’s Degree program or permission of the instructor.

This course traces the development of the human rights of deaf people within the wider context of the emergence of the concept of universal human rights after WWII. The formation of international institutions such as the United Nations, and the growth of international nongovernmental organizations dedicated to human rights work has allowed non-state actors significant opportunities to develop and use human rights tools to protect particular minorities. The emergence of the concept of linguistic human rights has been applied to signing communities and the concept promoted in the Convention on the Human Rights of Peoples with Disabilities. The concept and the Convention will be examined in depth and applied to the linguistic human rights of contemporary Deaf communities.

This course provides students with a survey of the concept of linguistic human rights. First included as an international right in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, linguistic human rights has become an important concept for identifying and furthering the rights of peoples based on languages. Students will examine the historical and theoretical underpinnings to this concept as it emerged within human rights discourse and tools which have been developed from this concept to further human rights aspirations based on language. The course will look at how this concept has been - and continues to be - used with deaf communities.

Students will undertake an internship in a placement and role that is suited to their professional pursuits. These may include serving as Teaching Assistants, Research Assistants within the University or an off-site placement determined by the Department and student.

1st year core curriculum complete

This course will introduce students to the history of the American Deaf community. While recent studies in social history have challenged our notions of race, class, and gender, historians have not yet fully addressed a fundamental component in our historical identity: physical ability and its underlying concept of normality. A close study of Deaf history offers one approach to this issue, and students will confront some of the specific issues facing this minority group. Particular attention will be paid to the ways in which deafness has been interpreted within the mainstream community, as well as how the Deaf people expressed and preserved their cultural identity. By studying the changes in this group and its relation to hearing society, this course also raises broader issues of cultural identity in the United States.

Will acquire knowledge and develop methods of critique and research relating to the historical, cultural, and linguistic dimensions of Deaf communities.

Graduates from the MA Program in Deaf Studies will produce graduate-level ASL and English texts that demonstrate knowledge of, and critical inquiry into, key concepts of Deaf studies.

Students in concentration studies will work toward individual, institutional and ideological change through leadership, advocacy, and dissemination of new perspectives on Deaf communities and signed languages.

Students in concentration studies will be prepared to undertake further work in research, teaching, or related scholarly and creative activities in higher education.

Information

M.a. in deaf studies requirements.

Completed application form. See Application Instructions to learn how. A non-refundable application fee of $75. A minimum 3.0 grade point average (on a four-point scale) in all previous undergraduate and graduate study. (Occasionally, applicants with a GPA lower than 3.0 may be admitted conditionally upon...

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Cultural Analysis (Arts and Culture)

The two-year Research Master's programme Cultural Analysis is dedicated to the interdisciplinary analysis of culture at large, including art, literature, cinema, and new media.

An interdisciplinary analysis of culture

Since its beginnings in 2001, the Research Master's programme Cultural Analysis has rapidly gained a leading reputation in the field and is constantly attracting growing numbers of high-level applicants from around the world. The programme is dedicated to the interdisciplinary analysis of culture at large. Cultural phenomena such as works of art and literature, cinema and new media, popular culture, as well as social belief and value systems are examined and analysed. Emphasis is placed on textual, visual and historical details in the context of the social, political or aesthetic movements that underpin them. Their implied normativity and the ways in which identity, difference and otherness are negotiated across the cultural spectrum are questioned.

Unique in the Netherlands

Leading reputation in the field

36 ECTS electives

Additional research activities

Why study Cultural Analysis at the UvA?

The University of Amsterdam's (UvA) Cultural Analysis research programme is unique in the Netherlands and one of the leading programmes of its kind worldwide. Its curriculum reflects the research activities of the Amsterdam School for Cultural Analysis (ASCA).

Degree certificate

Cultural Analysis is an accredited degree programme of Arts and Culture. After successful completion of this programme, you will receive a legally accredited Master’s degree in Arts and Culture and the title Master of Arts (MA).

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Cultural Studies: Culture and Organization

Masters programme.

How are art and culture organized? Why and how are art, creativity and diversity important to ideas and practices of organization and entrepreneurship? How are urban creative spaces and industries designed and atmospherically experienced? And how do digital media change the way we work and interact?

This cut­ting-edge Masters pro­gram­me is de­di­ca­ted to the re­la­ti­onship bet­ween cul­tu­re, the arts and or­ga­niza­t­i­on. Uniquely, it is both theory-driven and practice-based, combining dialogical teaching with fieldwork-based learning.

The pro­gram­me in­tro­du­ces cul­tu­ral and so­cio­lo­gi­cal theo­ries as cri­ti­cal len­ses for stu­dy­ing con­tem­pora­ry or­ga­niza­t­i­on and or­ga­ni­zing. On this ba­sis, stu­dents learn to en­ga­ge empirically and analytically with or­ga­niza­t­io­nal and en­tre­pre­neu­ri­al prac­tices in dif­fe­rent sec­tors, sys­tems, fiel­ds and in­dus­tries of arts and cul­tu­re.

As a distinct feature, the Cul­tu­re and Or­ga­niza­t­i­on Masters is situated at the in­ter­sec­tion of the or­ga­niza­t­i­on of cul­tu­re and the arts and what is cal­led the ‘cul­tu­ra­liza­t­i­on’ of or­ga­niza­t­i­ons. With mo­du­les de­di­ca­ted to cul­tu­ral and ar­tis­tic fiel­ds, in­sti­tu­ti­ons and di­gi­tal net­works, the programme studies cul­tu­re and organization as an em­pi­ri­cal set­ting and through field work. The pre­sent and fu­ture prac­tices of work and or­ga­niza­t­i­on are in­ves­ti­ga­ted in their ur­ban, in­sti­tu­tio­nal and net­wor­ked con­texts. Cul­tu­re and the arts, and cul­tu­ral theo­ry, are the­re­fo­re stu­di­ed as cri­ti­cal agents for un­der­stan­ding and shaping our organizations and so­cie­ty.

• The Programme
• Regulations

Teaching Personnel

Studying abroad, career prospects, impressions of the programme, admission requirements and application, additional links, international students, at a glance, contact and counselling.

Culture and Organization – The Programme

Master thesis/masters forum.

The cour­ses in­tro­du­ce stu­dents to cul­tu­ral so­cio­lo­gy, the so­cio­lo­gy of arts and cul­tu­re, the stu­dy of di­gi­tal cul­tu­res and new forms of or­ga­ni­zing and of ma­nage­ment and cul­tu­ral en­tre­pre­neurship. Steeped in the tradition of sociology and cultural studies, the programme takes a pronounced in­ter­na­tio­nal approach and en­ga­ges with up-to-date re­se­arch and methods. The programme is fully taught in Eng­lish; in addition, further elec­tives are of­fe­red in Ger­man.

The Masters pro­gram­me ap­proa­ches cul­tu­re in two ways – as an em­pi­ri­cal set­ting and as a cri­ti­cal and con­cep­tu­al lens. Stu­dents learn to stu­dy and un­der­stand dif­fe­rent in­sti­tu­ti­ons and or­ga­ni­za­ti­ons in cul­tu­ral and ar­tis­tic sec­tors (from ur­ban mo­ve­ments to the crea­ti­ve in­dus­tries and net­work cul­tu­re). Importantly, they learn to in­ves­ti­ga­te dif­fe­rent or­ga­niza­t­io­nal mo­des, en­tre­pre­neu­ri­al and so­ci­al prac­tices and tech­no­lo­gies and dis­cour­ses that shape the­se in­sti­tu­ti­ons and or­ga­niza­t­i­ons through fieldwork-based and artistically inspired approaches. Em­ploy­ing a broad un­der­stan­ding of cul­tu­re as a lens, the Masters also mobilizes cul­tu­ral and so­ci­al theo­ries in or­der to cri­ti­cal­ly re­flect on how or­ga­niza­t­io­nal prac­tices and dis­cour­ses are shaped by cul­tu­ral and tech­no­lo­gi­cal trans­for­ma­ti­ons.

This com­pre­hen­si­ve ap­proach to cul­tu­re and or­ga­niza­t­i­on is ba­sed on long­stan­ding re­se­arch tra­di­ti­ons and cur­rent re­se­arch pro­jects at Leu­pha­na Uni­ver­si­ty. The pro­gram­me is run by the Fa­cul­ty of Hu­ma­nities and So­ci­al Sci­en­ces in cooperation with the Fa­cul­ty of Management and Technology, and with local and international partners in the cultural and university sectors.

There are four components to the Cul­tu­re & Or­ga­niza­t­i­on pro­gram­me. In the core area of stu­dy, stu­dents explore key to­pics in the field of or­ga­niza­t­i­ons and or­ga­ni­zing cul­tu­re and the arts, cul­tu­ral en­tre­pre­neurship, di­gi­tal me­dia and cul­tu­ral so­cio­lo­gy.

There are also three com­ple­men­ta­ry com­po­n­ents: elec­ti­ves, in­te­gra­ti­on modules and  Com­ple­men­ta­ry Stu­dies . The elec­tives al­low stu­dents to both fo­cus and broa­den their stu­dy of cul­tu­re and or­ga­niza­t­i­on, e.g. with mo­du­les on or­ga­niza­t­i­on theo­ry, di­gi­tal cul­tu­res, cri­ti­cal stu­dies, queer studies, art theory, en­tre­pre­neurship or busi­ness stu­dies. The in­te­gra­ti­on modules for cul­tu­ral stu­dies bring to­ge­ther stu­dents from all Masters pro­gram­mes at the Fa­cul­ty of Hu­ma­nities and So­ci­al Sci­en­ces and familiarise them with the his­to­ry and me­thods of and cur­rent de­ba­tes in cul­tu­ral theory. Com­ple­men­ta­ry Stu­dies enables stu­dents to take clas­ses bey­ond their im­me­dia­te field of stu­dy in or­der to broa­den their un­der­stan­ding of key con­tem­pora­ry chal­len­ges for cul­tu­re and so­cie­ty. Together, these four components prepare students for wri­ting their re­se­arch-ba­sed Masters dis­ser­ta­ti­on.

Here you can find further information on the course content of the Masters programme Cultural Studies: Culture and Organization .

Du­ring the fourth se­mes­ter of their Masters pro­gram­me, stu­dents em­bark on their dis­ser­ta­ti­on. Dis­ser­ta­ti­ons link ad­van­ced theo­ries to an in-depth en­ga­ge­ment with core em­pi­ri­cal pheno­me­na of cul­tu­re and or­ga­niza­t­i­on. A de­di­ca­ted Masters Fo­rum brings all stu­dents to­ge­ther with teaching staff and is a space in which stu­dents can pre­sent their work in pro­gress, learn about me­thods, and re­cei­ve peer-to-peer feed­back. As a collec­tive pro­cess or­ga­ni­zed around dissertation-wri­ting, stu­dents will sha­re their ex­pe­ri­en­ces and re­cei­ve re­gu­lar sup­port from peers and teaching staff: the dissertation is not simply an individual challenge.

Study Regulations and Subject-Specific Schedule

The following link provides access to documents which set out the general conditions for examinations, an overview of the curriculum, as well as detailed and legally binding regulations.

General Assessment Regulations and the Subject-Specific Schedules

Programme Director

• Prof. Dr. Timon Beyes

Deputy Programme Director

• Prof. Dr. Armin Beverungen

You can integrate a stay abroad into your studies in the 3rd or 4th semester, either as part of the Erasmus programme + or with one of our non-European partners. There are around 30 faculty-related exchange programme s to choose from. You can find more information on the partner universities on the pages of the International Center.

In addition, there are programme-specific international cooperations such as the European Haniel Program on Entrepreneurship and the Humanities (bringing together students and faculty from Bristol, Copenhagen, Lüneburg, Paris, St.Gallen and Venice), and an annual joint seminar with the Universiy of St. Gallen’s programme in Management, Organization Studies and Cultural Theory (MOK). Further specific international cooperations are in preparation.

Culture, Language, Literature

As part of a German-Italian partnership with the University of Genoa, students can choose to spend the second year of their Masters at the Università degli Studi di Genova and acquire two Masters degrees in two years on the basis of a specially coordinated curriculum. Click here for the programme Culture, Language, Literature

The Masters pro­gram­me gives stu­dents an un­der­stan­ding of the way in which or­ga­niza­t­i­on fun­da­men­tal­ly con­di­ti­ons cul­tu­re and so­cie­ty, and it teaches me­tho­do­lo­gi­cal and analytical skills for re­se­arch into the discourses, practices and technologies of organization. The programme provides practice-based knowledge of, and competencies for, organizing culture, and teaches stu­dents trans­fe­ra­ble skills in com­mu­ni­ca­ti­on and teamwork. All of the­se ca­pa­bi­li­ties and skills are in high de­mand in a wide range of oc­cupa­ti­ons.

The pro­gram­me is sui­ta­ble both for stu­dents seeking to pur­sue an aca­de­mic ca­re­er and for tho­se who would like to take on responsible roles in the cul­tu­ral and crea­ti­ve in­dus­try, in the arts, in the me­dia, in the pu­blic sec­tor, in ur­ban de­ve­lop­ment or in foundations and charitable organizations.

Qua­li­fied stu­dents with a par­ti­cu­lar­ in­te­rest in re­se­arch have the option of si­mul­ta­neous­ly re­gis­tering for the Doc­to­ral Track. Com­bi­ning the Mas­ters and doc­to­ral pha­ses of­fers stu­dents a unique op­por­tu­ni­ty to join the scho­lar­ly com­mu­ni­ty at very ear­ly sta­ge.

You can find all information about the admission requirements, the application and the selection procedure on our  "Apply" page .

Please note that in the selection process for the study programme Culture and Organization , all applicants with degrees considered to be consecutive will be individually interviewed from 20th - 21st June or 11th and 12th July 2024. The purpose of this interview is to obtain a personal impression of your interest and your motivation as well as your suitability for the Master's programme in Culture & Organization. Hereby, you can achieve up to 18 additional points in the selection process and thus improve your prospects of a study place in Lüneburg. The 20-minute interviews are conducted online and in English. Invitations to the interviews are sent out by email approximately one week before the interviews.

• European Haniel Program
• Community Art & Culture (TrICo project)
• DFG Research Training Group "Cultures of Critique"
• Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
• Centre for Digital Cultures
• Automating the Logistical City
• Platform for Research in Sound- & Techno-Culture, Auditory Media, Sound Studies and Musicology out of Bounds
• Kunstraum of Leuphana University Lüneburg

The study programme matches your interests? Then you will find further information for prospective international students on residence and social matters, such as visa, residence permit, health insurance or finding accommodation, on the following pages. Please note that the information for incoming exchange students and international degree-seeking students differs slightly.

Information for incoming exchange students

Information for international degree-seeking students

Degree awarded : Mas­ter of Arts, MA Application deadline: EU degrees: 1 June / Non-EU degrees: 1 May Type of programme : The­ma­tic re­le­van­ce Study places: 25 Start date : Every win­ter term, Oc­to­ber Extent : 120 ECTS Duration : 4 se­mes­ters Language : Eng­lish, some electives in German Location : Lüne­burg Semester contribution ca. 320 EUR

First contact point

The Information Office (Infoportal) is your contact point for

• general information on the application procedure
• initial questions about the study programmes offered at Leuphana
• making an appointment with the Graduate School Student Counselling Service .

Information Office

Building 8, Ground Level Fon + 49.4131.677-2277 studierendenservice @ leuphana.de

By telephone Mon - Thu 9 am - 4 pm Friday 9 am - 12 noon

Campus opening hours Mon - Thu 9.30 am - 12 noon + 1 pm - 2.30 pm Fr 9.30 am - 12 noon

Student Counselling

To make an appointment with our Student Counselling Service, please make an appointment on our website .

Appointments are usually available in the following time slots (CET/ CEST): Wednesday 2 - 4 pm Thursday 4 - 6 pm

Sample Topics

Literature and Culture: Great Britain (Prof. Feldmann)

Topics for Bachelor and Master theses

1. the following is a list of titles chosen for bachelor or master theses. it is meant as a guideline for finding a suitable topic of your own:.

Beeton’s Book of Household Management as Self-Help Manual for the Victorian Housewife

Blurring Identity Boundaries: The Liminality of Gender and Race in Jackie Kay’s Trumpet and Why Don’t You Stop Talking

Lost in Austen as a Post-Modern Re-Creation of Pride and Prejudice

Commercial Aesthetics: Representations the Female Body in Victorian Advertisements

Domestic Spaces in Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886) and Stoker’s Dracula (1897)

Transcending the Eyes: Marginalised Discourses of Perception in Mayhew’s London Labour and the London Poor

The Representation and Function of the Female Body and Motherhood in Richard III

Negotiating ‘Irishness’ in Transnational Spaces between an (Imagined) Homeland and the Diaspora

Negotiating Identity in Brontë’s Wuthering Heights and its 1992 Film Adaptation

Travelling the Slum: Voyeurism and the Sensational in Mayhew’s London Labour and the London Poor

Gothic Fiction and Representations of Science: Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde  and H.G. Wells’  The Time Machine

‘A brave man’s blood is the best thing on this earth when a woman is in trouble’: Types of Masculinity in Bram Stoker’s Dracula

‘Uneasy Lies the Head that Wears a Crown’: Zur Darstellung englischer Königinnen in zeitgenössischen Spielfilmen

Chick Lit zwischen Tradition und Innovation – ein Vergleich von Erzählerinnen, Protagonistinnen und Milieus am Beispiel von Helen Fielding und Janet Evanovich

‘Tedious virtue, fascinating evil’? Forms and Functions of the Villain in Gothic Melodrama

Detecting the Neo-Victorian: The Detective as an Element in the Intertextuality in Victorian and Neo-Victorian Crime Writing

Kulturelle Differenzen und Identitäten in zeitgenössischer britischer Literatur und Film

Konstruktionen städtischer Armut in der 2. Hälfte des 19. Jahrhunderts

Neue Helden braucht das Land? Zur Darstellung von Arbeiterklasse und Männlichkeit im Kontext der Neuformulierung eines Mythos im Britischen Film der 1990er Jahre

Konzepte der Liebe in William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew und in filmischen Adaptionen

2. Here are some additional fields you might want to consider when choosing a topic:

Popular culture and popular myths

Popular cultural practices, such as tourism

Forms of canonization and popularization

The ‘cultural work’ of texts and their ideological functions

The intersections of categories of difference (e.g. gender, class, ethnicity, religion, age…)

The interplay of discourses in texts (e.g. scientific, economic, political…)

Discourses of gender and sexuality

Home > FACULTIES > Information & Media Studies (FIMS) > MEDIASTUDIES-ETD

Media Studies Theses and Dissertations

This collection contains theses and dissertations from the Department of Media Studies, collected from the Scholarship@Western Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Theses/Dissertations from 2024 2024

Networks of Resistance: A Regional Analysis of Extractive Conflicts in Central America , Giada Ferrucci

Arts-Informed Storytelling: How Arts-Informed Research was Used with Six Indigenous Peoples in London, Ont. , Percy Sherwood

Theses/Dissertations from 2023 2023

Witnessing Conspiracy Theories: Developing an Intersectional Approach to Conspiracy Theory Research , David Guignion

Canadians Redefining R&B: The Online Marketing of Drake, Justin Bieber, and Jessie Reyez , Amara Pope Ms.

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Instagram Influencers and their Youngest Female Followers , Amanda Jenkins

A descriptive analysis of sport nationalism, digital media, and fandom to launch the Canadian Premier League , Farzan Mirzazadeh

Influencer Engagement Pods and the Struggle Over Measure in Instagram Platform Labour , Victoria J. O'Meara

Radiant Dreams and Nuclear Nightmares: Japanese Resistance Narratives and American Intervention in Postwar Speculative Popular Culture , Aidan J. Warlow

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

More barriers than solutions: Women’s experiences of support with online abuse , Chandell E. Gosse

Heavy Metal Fundraisers: Entrepreneurial Recording Artists in Platform Capitalism , Jason Netherton

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Resistant Vulnerability in The Marvel Cinematic Universe's Captain America , Kristen Allison

Unwrapping the Toronto Christmas Market: An Examination of Tradition and Nostalgia in a Socially Constructed Space , Lydia J. Gibson

Trauma, Creativity, And Bearing Witness Through Art: Marian Kołodziej's Labyrinth , Alyssa Logie

Appropriating Play: Examining Twitch.tv as a Commercial Platform , Charlotte Panneton

Dead Men Walking: An Analysis of Working-Class Masculinity in Post-2008 Hollywood Film , Ryan Schroeder

Glocalization in China: An Analysis of Coca-Cola’s Brand Co-Creation Process with Consumers in China , Yinuo Shi

Critiquing the New Autonomy of Immaterial Labour: An Analysis of Work in the Artificial Intelligence Industry , James Steinhoff

Watching and Working Through: Navigating Non-being in Television Storytelling , Tiara Lalita Sukhan

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Hone the Means of Production: Craft Antagonism and Domination in the Journalistic Labour Process of Freelance Writers , Robert Bertuzzi

Invisible Labour: Support-Service Workers in India’s Information Technology Industry , Indranil Chakraborty

Exhibiting Human Rights: Making the Means of Dignity Visible , Amy J. Freier

Industrial Stagecraft: Tooling and Cultural Production , Jennifer A. Hambleton

Cultural Hybridity in the Contemporary Korean Popular Culture through the Practice of Genre Transformation , Kyunghee Kim

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Regarding Aid: The photographic situation of humanitarianism , Sonya de Laat

The Representation of the Canadian Government’s Warrantless Domestic Collection of Metadata in the Canadian Print News Media , Alan Del Pino

(Not) One of the Boys: A Case Study of Female Detectives on HBO , Darcy Griffin

Pitching the Feminist Voice: A Critique of Contemporary Consumer Feminism , Kate Hoad-Reddick

Local-Global Tensions: Professional Experience, Role Perceptions and Image Production of Afghan Photojournalists Working for a Global Audience , Saumava Mitra

A place for locative media: A theoretical framework for assessing locative media use in urban environments , Darryl A. Pieber

Mapping the Arab Diaspora: Examining Placelessness and Memory in Arab Art , Shahad Rashid

Settler Colonial Ways of Seeing: Documentary Governance of Indigenous Life in Canada and its Disruption , Danielle Taschereau Mamers

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Finding Your Way: Navigating Online News and Opinions , Charlotte Britten

Law and Abuse: Representations of Intimate Partner Homicide in Law Procedural Dramas , Jaime A. Campbell

Creative Management: Disciplining the Neoliberal Worker , Trent Cruz

No hay Sólo un Idioma, No hay Sólo una Voz: A Revisionist History of Chicana/os and Latina/os in Punk , Richard C. Davila

Shifting Temporalities: The Construction of Flexible Subjectivities through Part-time Retail Workers’ Use of Smartphone Technology , Jessica Fanning

Becoming Sonic: Ambient Poetics and the Ecology of Listening in Four Militant Sound Investigations , David C. Jackson

Capital's Media: The Physical Conditions of Circulation , Atle Mikkola Kjøsen

On the Internet by Means of Popular Music: The Cases of Grimes and Childish Gambino , Kristopher R. K. Ohlendorf

Believing the News: Exploring How Young Canadians Make Decisions About Their News Consumption , Jessica Thom

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Narrative Epic and New Media: The Totalizing Spaces of Postmodernity in The Wire, Batman, and The Legend of Zelda , Luke Arnott

Canada: Multiculturalism, Religion, and Accommodation , Brittainy R. Bonnis

Navigating the Social Landscape: An Exploration of Social Networking Site Usage among Emerging Adults , Kristen Colbeck

Impassioned Objects And Seething Absences: The Olympics In Canada, National Identity and Consumer Culture , Estee Fresco

Satirical News and Political Subversiveness: A Critical Approach to The Daily Show and The Colbert Report , Roberto Leclerc

"When [S]He is Working [S]He is Not at Home": Challenging Assumptions About Remote Work , Eric Lohman

Heating Up the Debate: E-cigarettes and Instagram , Stephanie L. Ritter

Limitation to Innovation in the North American Console Video Game Industry 2001-2013: A Critical Analysis , Michael Schmalz

Happiest People Alive: An Analysis of Class and Gender in the Trinidad Carnival , Asha L. St. Bernard

Human-Machinic Assemblages: Technologies, Bodies, and the Recuperation of Social Reproduction in the Crisis Era , Elise D. Thorburn

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Evangelizing the ‘Gallery of the Future’: a Critical Analysis of the Google Art Project Narrative and its Political, Cultural and Technological Stakes , Alanna Bayer

Face Value: Beyond the Surface of Brand Philanthropy and the Cultural Production of the M.A.C AIDS Fund , Andrea Benoit

Cultivating Better Brains: Transhumanism and its Critics on the Ethics of Enhancement Via Brain-computer Interfacing , Matthew Devlin

Man Versus Food: An Analysis of 'Dude Food' Television and Public Health , Amy R. Eisner-Levine

Media Literacy and the English as a Second Language Curriculum: A Curricular Critique and Dreams for the Future , Clara R. Madrenas

Fantasizing Disability: Representation of loss and limitation in Popular Television and Film , Jeffrey M. Preston

(Un)Covering Suicide: The Changing Ethical Norms in Canadian Journalism , Gemma Richardson

Labours Of Love: Affect, Fan Labour, And The Monetization Of Fandom , Jennifer Spence

'What's in a List?' Cultural Techniques, Logistics, Poeisis , Liam Cole Young

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

Distinguishing the 'Vanguard' from the 'Insipid': Exploring the Valorization of Mainstream Popular Music in Online Indie Music Criticism , Charles J. Blazevic

Anonymous: Polemics and Non-identity , Samuel Chiang

Manufacturing Legitimacy: A Critical Theory of Election News Coverage , Gabriel N. Elias

The Academic Grind: A Critique of Creative and Collaborative Discourses Between Digital Games Industries and Post-Secondary Education in Canada , Owen R. Livermore

We’re on This Road Together: The Changing Fan/Producer Relationship in Television as Demonstrated by Supernatural , Lisa Macklem

Brave New Wireless World: Mapping the Rise of Ubiquitous Connectivity from Myth to Market , Vincent R. Manzerolle

Promotional Ubiquitous Musics: New Identities and Emerging Markets in the Digitalizing Music Industry , Leslie Meier

Money, Morals, and Human Rights: Commercial Influences in the Marketing, Branding, and Fundraising of Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch , Danielle Morgan

If I Had a Hammer: An Archeology of Tactical Media From the Hootenanny to the People's Microphone , Henry Adam Svec

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Watching High School: Representing Disempowerment on Teen Drama Television , Sarah M. Baxter

Will Work For Free: Examining the Biopolitics of Unwaged Immaterial Labour , Brian A. Brown

Social Net-working: Exploring the Political Economy of the Online Social Network Industry , Craig Butosi

Watching the games: Critical media literacy and students’ abilities to identify and critique the politics of sports , Raúl J. Feliciano Ortiz

The Invisible Genocide: An Analysis of ABC, CBS, and NBC Television News Coverage of the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda. , Daniel C. Harvey

It's Complicated: Romantic Breakups and Their Aftermath on Facebook , Veronika A. Lukacs

Keeping Up with the Virtual Joneses: The Practices, Meanings, and Consequences of Consumption in Second Life , Jennifer M. Martin

The (m)Health Connection: An Examination of the Promise of Mobile Phones for HIV/AIDS Intervention in Sub-Saharan Africa , Trisha M. Phippard

Born Again Hard : Transgender Subjectivity in Paul Chadwick's Concrete , Justin Raymond

Communicating Crimes: Covering Gangs in Contemporary Canadian Journalism , Chris Richardson

Online Social Breast-Working: Representations of Breast Milk Sharing in the 21st Century , Cari L. Rotstein

Because I am Not Here, Selected Second Life-Based Art Case Studies. Subjectivity, Autoempathy and Virtual World Aesthetics , Francisco Gerardo Toledo Ramírez

Day of the Woman?: Feminism & Rape-Revenge Films , Kayley A. Viteo

Theses/Dissertations from 2011 2011

"Aren't They Keen?" Early Children's Food Advertising and the Emergence of the Brand-loyal Child Consumer , Kyle R. Asquith

Immediacy and Aesthetic Remediation in Television and Digital Media: Mass Media’s Challenge to the Democratization of Media Production , Michael S. Daubs

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Språkvelger

Course - master's thesis in cultural heritage management - kulmi3090, course-details-portlet, kulmi3090 - master's thesis in cultural heritage management, examination arrangement.

Examination arrangement: Master's thesis with oral adjusting examination Grade: Letter grades

Evaluation	Weighting	Duration	Grade deviation	Examination aids
Master's thesis with oral adjusting examination	100/100

Course content

The master's thesis gives the candidate opportunity to study in depth a certain relevant topic and to carry out research on the basis of certain issues. The topic of the master's thesis is chosen in collaboration with the academic supervisor and should be related to the trainee period. The thesis is written under supervision which gives opportunities for academic discussions, orally and in writing. The thesis should be approximately 15.000-22.000 words.

Master’s theses that are written in Norwegian or Scandinavian must include an abstract in English. Master’s theses that are written in a non-Scandinavian language must include an abstract in Norwegian.

Learning outcome

A candidate who passes this course is expected to have the following learning outcome according to the course curriculum, defined as knowledge and skills:

The candidate:

• Has by writing a master's thesis acquired thorough knowledge of and a theoretical approach to some issues within the field.
• Has by writing a master's thesis achieved broad and intimate knowledge of a specific field of cultural heritage management.
• Has been trained in applying cultural heritage theory in analysing questions of relevance for the field of cultural heritage work.
• Has experience in completing a major academic text of high standards regarding form and analytic level.

Learning methods and activities

The thesis is written under academic supervision. The grade given on the thesis is finalised after an oral exam. Please see link for the number of hours of supervision eligible for your master's thesis https://innsida.ntnu.no/wiki/-/wiki/Norsk/Masteravtale+HF

Specific conditions

Admission to a programme of study is required: Cultural Heritage (MKULMI)

Required previous knowledge

Requires admission to the Master's programme in cultural heritage management, and the completion of three semesters (90 ects.) of the Master's programme in cultural heritage management.

Course materials

Version: 1 Credits:  30.0 SP Study level: Second degree level

Term no.: 1 Teaching semester:  SPRING 2025

Language of instruction: Norwegian

Location: Trondheim

• Cultural Heritage Management
• Aud Ingeborg Mikkelsen Tretvik
• Insa Müller
• Jon Olav Hove
• Karl Mattias Bäckström

Department with academic responsibility Department of Historical and Classical Studies

Examination

Examination arrangement: master's thesis with oral adjusting examination.

Room	Building	Number of candidates

• * The location (room) for a written examination is published 3 days before examination date. If more than one room is listed, you will find your room at Studentweb.

For more information regarding registration for examination and examination procedures, see "Innsida - Exams"

More on examinations at NTNU

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Master of Arts in Cultural Studies M.A.

Notice – international study permits.

According to the January 22, 2024 IRCC news release, applicants pursing master’s and doctoral degree programs are not included in the intake cap on international student study permit applications that the Government of Canada has  recently announced . IRCC noted that current study permit holders will not be affected.

IRCC has confirmed that applicants to master's and doctoral programs  are exempt  from providing an attestation letter from the province or territory where they plan to study. 

Create and Critique.

In Cultural Studies at Trent, you will explore the very foundations of the systems of belief that will determine our future. This program offers an environment that encourages the kind of creative and critical thought that will prepare you for the challenges of the workplace, and for the opportunities of a rewarding life of cultural and political inquiry. Working with your fellow students and professors as part of a closely-knit community, you will read and reflect in your coursework, and then write a critical or creative project to take your thinking to the next level.

Program options include a new one-year major research paper stream, or the traditional two-year thesis stream. The program invites proposals for academic projects, as well as for projects invested in research-creation, in which your own artistic production plays a major role.

• Prepare yourself for a career that requires informed, creative and dynamic perspectives or for Ph.D. studies.
• Study beyond disciplinary boundaries and collaborate with experts in their fields.

Cultural Studies M.A. Website

Application deadline.

• International Applicants: September 2024 - CLOSED
• Domestic Applicants: September 2024 - Deadline February 1*, 2024

*Applications will continue to be received up until April 1 or until all positions have been filled.

Program Options

• Full time studies or Part-time Studies
• Thesis or major research paper option. Research-creation projects also welcome
• 2-year thesis or 1-year major research paper stream
• 1 – 2 years full time 
• September intake only

​Admission Requirements 

• Honours degree (a four year undergraduate bachelor's degree) with at least B+ (77%) in the last two years of full-time study, or last ten full academic credits

A GRE test score is not required for admission into this program 

Required Documents

Transcripts.

Post-secondary transcripts and graduation certificates (where applicable) of all previous undergraduate and graduate work are required.  This includes transcripts for courses taken on a Letter of Permission, for transfer credit, or on an exchange program.   Transcripts must show all course work completed and grades received.   If applicable, evidence of degree completion is required.  Transcript must include a grading scale or transcript legend.

Please note: Transcripts are  not  required to be official and final when applying to the School of Graduate Studies.   Official transcripts are  only  required to be submitted if an applicant receives an offer of admission.

Previous or current Trent University students do not need to submit a transcript for degree and course work completed at Trent University.   Transcripts must be submitted for any course work completed at another institution – i.e.) study abroad, letter of permission, transfer credit.

Two Letters of Reference

Academic references are preferred; however, professional references will be accepted. Links for your referees to submit an online reference will be sent directly to the referees you have provided on your application. We recommend you contact your referees prior to submitting an application to confirm their availability and contact information. If your referee does not receive the link, you can suggest that your referee check their junk email folder and email setting.  The email may have unintentionally been blocked by their email server.

Proof of English Language Proficiency

Proficiency in English usage, both written and oral, is essential to pursue graduate studies at Trent University. It Is required for applicants to demonstrate an adequate level of English proficiency, regardless of their citizenship status or country of origin. Applicants who completed two or more years of post-secondary education at a university in Canada, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom, and the USA are exempt from this requirement. If you have completed two or more years of post-secondary education at a university where the primary language of instruction is English, the School of Graduate Studies is prepared to consider alternate proof of English language proficiency.

For detailed information about English Language Proficiency requirements, see International Applications . 

Plan of Study           template

Typically 1-2 pages, outlining applicant's objectives in a graduate program. Any specific research interests (if known), relevant experiences, and/or career aspirations can be included. If a potential supervisor has been discussed, please identify this in your plan of study.      Template

A Writing Sample

Submit a sample of your writing of about 20 pages or less. Writing samples preferred format is PDF. Hard copies will not be accepted. Good choices for writing samples include:  an undergraduate essay, lab report, research report, journal article, a chapter from a masters thesis, or a published article. 

Additional information: 

Proof of citizenship (ie. copy of passport or birth certificate) will be requested, only if an offer of admission is made..

Program contact information:

For any program specific inquiries or current application status, please contact the program directly: 

Email : [email protected]  

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Thesis topics

All finished and accepted diploma and MA theses as well as PhD-Theses can be found in our u : theses database . You can use it to check whether your thesis is (too) similar to others that have already been registered. Also note that you can find all theses from our faculty here (Philological and Cultural Studies), not just the ones from our department. You can filter for a particular supervisor under "Erweiterte Suche". The u:theses database lists all theses from 2008 onwards.

Below you can also find a list of all thesis topics that have been registered and/or written at our department since roughly 1990. This list has been updated until 2021, but will not be updated any longer. For theses after 2021, please consult the u:thesis database.

If you are looking for a specific thesis, you can find it via  u:search  or the online catalogue of the University library. All theses are also available in print at the English and American Studies Library.

Administration of thesis topics

Please note that the registration of thesis topics and all related administrative matters (such as changing your topic or supervisor) are handled by the SSC Philological and Cultural Studies.

To look for specific words or phrases, use the CTRL+F function of your browser.

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IS graduate Miri Abel embraces interdisciplinary learning

This summer, Miri Abel proudly crossed the stage to receive her Bachelor of Arts degree, with double majors in International Studies and Indigenous Studies.  

Prior to coming to the Coast Salish Territories (Vancouver) in 2019, Abel spent a transformative gap year in Senegal. Her mind was burning with complex questions about cultural differences between communities, colonial and Indigenous histories, and how language shapes us and the world around us. Abel discovered that the interdisciplinary program at the School for International Studies offered the perfect environment to explore these intricate topics.

“International Studies gave me a platform to conduct research in many disciplines, ranging from African history to Indigenous forms of development,” she explains.

Motivated by a sense of responsibility to learn about the peoples whose territories she occupied, Abel eagerly enrolled in Indigenous Studies courses. “I believe Indigenous Studies is one of the few majors that requires a self-reflective and intense look at one's beliefs, status, and positionality in the world.” 

It seemed Indigenous Studies was the perfect complement to her International Studies education. Every new International Studies theory, policy, or form of development she encountered was critically examined through an Indigenous Studies lens, allowing her to challenge Western-centric perspectives. 

Similarly, she applied what she learned in IS to her studies on Indigenous forms of governance and development. She wondered, "How would the Haudenosaunee Great Law of Peace be (mis)understood by global entities like the UN? What are the dangers and benefits of trying to advocate for Indigenous rights in global institutions like the World Bank?"

 She credits her teachers for making her undergraduate journey memorable and impactful. “Instructors like Amyn Sajoo, Christopher Gibson, Megan MacKenzie, Sumercan Bozkurt-Gungen, Michael Hathaway, and Jason Stearns celebrated my diverse and complex understandings of the world and encouraged me to continuously bring them into dialogue.” 

One standout moment in her academic career was taking IS 325 Social Movements in a Changing Africa with Jason Stearns. In that class, she delved into African histories, the impacts of colonialism, and the ways in which African societies mobilize for political change. 

Stearns' gift for teaching greatly benefited her, particularly during her final presentation on Y'en A Marre, a political movement in Senegal. “My time in Senegal allowed me to gain a particular interest in their work, and with Jason's help, I was able to reach out to the leaders and conduct an interview in Wolof, the Indigenous language I learned in Senegal.”

Abel notes the power of student agency in shaping the discipline of International Studies. Whether a high school graduate about to enroll at SFU or a seasoned fourth-year student, her advice is to ask the difficult questions that no one has a clear answer to. 

“Your experiences and ideas move IS forward into a more well-rounded discipline that prioritizes a complex understanding of the world,” Abel remarks, “not just what has been deemed correct over the last few decades.”

Looking ahead, Abel will be pursuing her Master of Arts in International Studies at SFU starting in Fall 2024. She is keen to explore how the discipline can evolve by incorporating Indigenous communities as sovereign nations rather than as colonial subjects. 

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Meet the 2024 Winners of Major Scholarships

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Each year, graduate students in McGill's Department of Integrated Studies in Education (DISE) apply for external scholarships to support their research studies. These are prestigious scholarships awarded to top-ranked graduate students across Canada. We are very pleased to announce that three graduate students from McGill's Language Education program have won this year's major scholarships:

Albert Maganaka has won the SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship for his research on the Impact of Church-based ESL Programs on the English Proficiency of Adult Immigrant Learners. His doctoral study, under the supervision of Dr. Caroline Riches , seeks to reveal the objectives, motivations, and perceptions of students in these religiously-affiliated language programs, with a focus on curriculum, instructional methods, teacher qualifications, and teaching styles. The SSHRC Fellowship enables Albert to examine how religious institutions influence language education. His research aims to contribute to the dynamic field of English language teaching, providing valuable recommendations for improving church-run and similar adult ESL programs. These insights are expected to benefit future learners and the educational landscape at large. Albert’s inspiration stems from his extensive work in the immigration sector, where he assists newcomers in integrating into Canadian society through language education. Despite churches’ vital role in immigrant settlement and integration in Canada, their contributions remain relatively uncharted. Albert’s research bridges this gap, shedding light on place-based education within church-run ESL programs, ultimately enriching our understanding of community-based language learning.

Kiana Kishiyama has won the Canada Graduate Scholarship – Masters Program (SSHRC CGS-M) (Joseph-Armand Bombardier Graduate Scholarship). Her MA research, supervised by Dr. Angelica Galante , is titled Reclaiming identity through language learning: Examining the lived experiences among adoptees in Canada . Kiana’s work is largely inspired by her own lived experiences with her heritage language learning as an international adoptee. Through her research, she hopes to document the heritage language learning-related experiences of international adoptees throughout Canada and how those experiences intersect with their identities. While little research has been conducted in this area, Kiana hopes to pioneer this investigation and contribute to the small yet impactful body of literature on heritage language learning by international adoptees.

Cris Barabas , an incoming third year PhD student in educational studies and this year’s runner-up of the department’s Emerging Scholar Award has recently won both the Canada Graduate Scholarship (SSHRC CGS-D) and the Fonds de recherche du Québec-Société et culture (FRQSC) doctoral awards. He is supervised by Dr. Amir Kalan and his doctoral research proposal is tentatively titled The Sociomateriality of Literacies in Community Centers: A Study of Immigrant Youth’s Entanglements and Becomings . His thesis will apply a posthumanist approach and theoretical framings to further understand immigrant youth’s engagements with literacies and becomings with (new) identities, language(s), institutions, and the land. Barabas has also successfully completed his tenure as the Principal Editor of the Journal of Language and Literacy Education at the University of Georgia.

Congratulations to this year's winners of these prestigious scholarships. We wish you success in your research journey!

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