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MA Critical and Cultural Theory

  • DeadlineStudy Details: MA 1 year full-time; 2 years part-time

Masters Degree Description

Core modules

Critical and Cultural Theory Today

Critical and Cultural Theory has never been more vibrant, nor more urgently needed, than today. Work in all areas of the Humanities has long been inextricably intertwined with critical reflection, often drawing from a multiplicity of disciplines, from philosophy and sociology to literary and visual studies.

This module, typically taught by several members of staff with diverse and complementary expertise, explores key stages in the development of critical and cultural theories, charting recent cultural and literary theory in historically and philosophically located ways. Figures explored in recent years include Byung-Chul Han, Andreas Malm, Jean Baudrillard, Mark Fisher, Theodor Adorno, Gargi Bhattacharya, Stuart Hall, Paul Gilroy, Jasbir Puar, and Gayatri Gopinath.

We explore different, often clashing, critical perspectives on culture, from textual, material, philosophical, and other perspectives. These situated, and often transnational, critical platforms, allow us to both map historical developments in the study of the Humanities. The interaction between aesthetics, culture, and societal issues remains a permanent concern throughout the module.

Dissertation

The Dissertation offers you the opportunity to pursue your own distinct research interests. You can develop any idea you’ve discovered in your modules or write on a completely new topic that has always fascinated you. Our students choose an array of topics within the broadly-conceived boundaries of ‘literary studies’, although we’ll discuss your plans with you to make sure an available member of our teaching staff can support your topic.

Students often use their MA dissertations as springboards to PhD projects and have sometimes gone on to publish parts of their work in scholarly journals.

Optional modules

Optional modules can vary from year to year. Example optional modules may include:

  • Feminist Literary Theory
  • Theory from the Margins: Postcolonialism and the Radical Tradition
  • Fundamentals of World Literature
  • Modernism and Psychoanalysis
  • Petrofiction: Studies in World Literature
  • Queer Theory and Praxis

Entry Requirements

65% in an undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in a related subject.

Applicants are asked to provide a writing sample to demonstrate suitability for the course.

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Fees

For fees and funding options, please visit website to find out more

Programme Funding

We offer a variety of postgraduate funding options for study at the University of Warwick, from postgraduate loans, university scholarships, fee awards, to academic department bursaries.

Student Destinations

Graduates from our courses have gone on to work for a range of employers, including: Deloitte; International Institute for Environment and Development; TeachFirst; The Times; V&A Museum; Yale University Press. They have pursued roles such as: arts officers, producers and directors; higher education teaching professionals; journalists, newspaper and periodical editors; management consultants and business analysts and marketing associate professionals.

Our department has a dedicated professionally qualified Senior Careers Consultant offering impartial advice and guidance together with workshops and events throughout the year. Previous examples of workshops and events include:

  • Understanding Assessment Centres
  • Careers following your English and Comparative Literary Studies Degree
  • Discovering Careers in the Creative Industries
  • Careers in Publishing and Journalism
  • Freelancing
  • Careers in the Public Sector
  • Warwick careers fairs throughout the year

Module Details

Core modules

Critical and Cultural Theory Today

Critical and Cultural Theory has never been more vibrant, nor more urgently needed, than today. Work in all areas of the Humanities has long been inextricably intertwined with critical reflection, often drawing from a multiplicity of disciplines, from philosophy and sociology to literary and visual studies.

This module, typically taught by several members of staff with diverse and complementary expertise, explores key stages in the development of critical and cultural theories, charting recent cultural and literary theory in historically and philosophically located ways. Figures explored in recent years include Byung-Chul Han, Andreas Malm, Jean Baudrillard, Mark Fisher, Theodor Adorno, Gargi Bhattacharya, Stuart Hall, Paul Gilroy, Jasbir Puar, and Gayatri Gopinath.

We explore different, often clashing, critical perspectives on culture, from textual, material, philosophical, and other perspectives. These situated, and often transnational, critical platforms, allow us to both map historical developments in the study of the Humanities. The interaction between aesthetics, culture, and societal issues remains a permanent concern throughout the module.

Dissertation

The Dissertation offers you the opportunity to pursue your own distinct research interests. You can develop any idea you’ve discovered in your modules or write on a completely new topic that has always fascinated you. Our students choose an array of topics within the broadly-conceived boundaries of ‘literary studies’, although we’ll discuss your plans with you to make sure an available member of our teaching staff can support your topic.

Students often use their MA dissertations as springboards to PhD projects and have sometimes gone on to publish parts of their work in scholarly journals.

Optional modules

Optional modules can vary from year to year. Example optional modules may include:

  • Feminist Literary Theory
  • Theory from the Margins: Postcolonialism and the Radical Tradition
  • Fundamentals of World Literature
  • Modernism and Psychoanalysis
  • Petrofiction: Studies in World Literature
  • Queer Theory and Praxis

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