Faculty of Arts Cultural Studies

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Faculty of Arts

Table of Contents

1. Time commitment to study
2. Prerequisites
3. Diploma in Arts (Cultural Studies)
4. Requirements for a major
5. Cultural studies subjects
    5.1. Optional subjects
6. Honours entry
7. Honours requirements
    7.1. Pure honours
    7.2. Combined honours
8. Career opportunities
9. Further study
10. For more information
Subject Lists
    Fourth-year subjects

Convener: Audret Yue (Department of English)

Cultural studies is the interdisciplinary study of the relationships between popular, national, and contemporary global cultures and subcultures as they are experienced in everyday life. A diverse range of subjects address a distinctive set of concerns that include the production and consumption of cultural texts, cultural institutions, media cultures, the social impact of cultural power and its role in the formation of identities.

Cultural studies at the University of Melbourne offers students an exciting and productive environment in which to acquire and develop essential skills in critical reading, analysis, and communication. The program is housed in the Department of English and taught by staff from a number of departments. It has developed from its inception in 1994 to become one of Australia's leading centres for cultural studies teaching and research. Academic staff are leaders in their field and dedicated to maintaining the program's international reputation. Students will benefit directly from the highest standards of research excellence and the commitment of staff to the development and use of innovative teaching practices and technologies such as multimedia. Cultural studies is particularly relevant for students who intend to pursue careers in the media, education, arts policy, advertising, creative industries, multimedia and other related fields. Students interested in expanding their interests and knowledge in cultural studies are provided with an articulated structure of higher degree options to continue their study at the University of Melbourne.

1. Time commitment to study

As well as scheduled contact hours for lectures, tutorial and seminars a considerable additional time commitment is needed to complete the academic requirements of each subject.

A subject-specific time commitment to study will be provided by your lecturer or tutor at the beginning of semester to help you schedule your workload and successfully manage your time during the semester. In addition, general estimates of the total time commitment required to study a 12.5-point single semester subject in the Faculty of Arts can be found on Time commitment to study.

2. Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for first-year cultural studies subjects. The general prerequisite for a second-year subject in cultural studies is the completion of 50 points of first-year study. These must include 25 points of first-year study from anthropology, art history, cinema studies, criminology, cultural studies, English, history, history and philosophy of science, linguistics and applied linguistics, philosophy, political science or sociology.

Students wishing to undertake subjects as part of a major in cultural studies are not required to fulfil the usual departmental prerequisites for second/third-year subjects if they have completed 25 points of first-year study in one of the departments listed above.

3. Diploma in Arts (Cultural Studies)

The Diploma in Arts (Cultural Studies) is only available to students who are currently enrolled in a degree course at the University of Melbourne. It consists of a three-year sequence of study, and adds one year to the duration of your degree.

Students must complete 25 points of first-year subjects and 75 points of second/third-year subjects selected from the lists below. Alternatively, students who have completed appropriate background studies at first year may complete 100 points of second/third-year subjects from the list below.

4. Requirements for a major

A major in cultural studies usually consists of nine 12.5-point subjects, totalling 112.5 points. It comprises:

• two first-year subjects in anthropology, art history, cinema studies, criminology, cultural studies, English, history, history and philosophy of science, linguistics and applied linguistics, philosophy, political science or sociology (25 points); and

• seven second/third-year subjects (87.5 points).

A major in cultural studies must include:

• at least one subject from the list of foundational subjects below; and

• at least four subjects from the list of core subjects below; and

• the remainder from the list of foundational core or optional subjects below.

5. Cultural studies subjects

Students must take at least one of the following foundational subjects as part of their cultural studies major. It is strongly recommended that students planning to major in cultural studies complete all three foundational subjects.

Students must take at least four of the following core subjects toward their cultural studies major.

*Due to varying availability of this subject each year, students wishing to complete a major in cultural studies who have not completed another foundational subject must complete a minimum of five core subjects and a maximum of two optional subjects at second/third year from the lists below.

5.1. Optional subjects

While it is strongly recommended that students wishing to major in cultural studies choose their subjects from the list of foundational and core subjects above, they may include as part of their major up to two subjects from the following list of optional subjects.

You must consult the relevant area of study entries in this Handbook to make sure that you meet the prerequisites, if any, for entry to these subjects. Existing prerequisites may be waived for students undertaking an interdepartmental program. If you do not meet the existing prerequisites, please consult the relevant subject coordinator for permission to enrol.

General enquiries about optional subjects as they relate to the cultural studies program should be directed to the cultural studies convener in the Department of English.

6. Honours entry

The prerequisites for entry to fourth-year honours in cultural studies are:

• completion of all the requirements for the BA;

• completion of a major in cultural studies;

• an average grade of H2B or higher over the second/third-year subjects within the major.

For information on how to apply see Applying for Honours. If the student intends to enrol in a cultural studies honours thesis the application must include a 200-word thesis proposal. Students admitted to the honours program will be interviewed by the honours coordinator to discuss the thesis proposal and appointment of supervisor.

7. Honours requirements

7.1. Pure honours

Students undertaking pure honours in cultural studies must complete:

• 106-512 Cultural Studies Thesis (37.5 points); and

• 106-401 Research Principles and Practices (12.5 points); and

• four honours subjects in cultural studies (50 points) from the list below.

7.2. Combined honours

Students undertaking combined honours in cultural studies and another area of study must complete:

• 106-512 Cultural Studies Thesis (37.5 points); and

• two honours subjects in cultural studies from the list below (25 points), including 106-401 Research Principles and Practices (12.5 points); and

• three honours subjects in the combined area of study (37.5 points).

or

• honours thesis in the combined area of study (37.5 points); and

• two honours subjects in the combined area of study (25 points); and

• three honours subjects in cultural studies from the list below (37.5 points), excluding106-401 Research Principles and Practices.

8. Career opportunities

A degree with a major in cultural studies is an excellent preparation for careers in the arts, in cultural policy, in the media, education, arts policy, advertising, creative industiries, multimedia and other related fields.

9. Further study

There are a number of graduate diplomas and degrees at different levels offered in the area of cultural studies. These include Graduate Certificate in Arts (Cultural Studies); Graduate Diploma in Arts (Cultural Studies); Postgraduate Certificate in Arts (Cultural Studies); Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (Cultural Studies) as well as an MA by thesis and a PhD. Students wishing to apply for entry into the MA program should have an H1 or H2A honours degree (or equivalent) in a related discipline. Details of these courses are available in the Faculty of Arts Postgraduate Handbook and from the Department of English.

10. For more information

Audrey Yue
Department of English
Second Floor, John Medley Building
The University of Melbourne
Victoria 3010
Tel: +61 3 8344 5506/7/8
Web: http://www.english.unimelb.edu.au

Fourth-year subjects

106-512 Cultural Studies Thesis

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