Overview

Cultural Studies is an interdisciplinary field that understands culture not just as textual or artistic products such as books, music or films, but as the dynamic ways people make sense of the world, participate in social life and to one another. A major in Cultural Studies introduces you to study of a wide variety of cultural forms and practices, cultivating critical thinking and analytical skills needed to understand and intervene in social, political and scholarly debates.

Culture shapes how we understand who we are and the world we share. Cultural Studies explores the cultural aspects of topics, including youth, race, class, nation, gender, sexuality, consumption, everyday life, popular media and the environment. You will develop the capacity to analyse cultural practices, representations, identities and the operation of power.

Cultural Studies draws on the fields of Anthropology, Education, History, Literary Studies, Media and Communications, Philosophy, and Sociology, and engages closely with Law, Politics, and the physical sciences. It has notably influenced disciplines like Literary Studies and Sociology, particularly through its insistence on the importance of studying the contemporary, the popular, and the everyday.

About the major

A major in Cultural Studies will allow you to examine texts, institutions and practices in relation to systems of power, and will provide you with a range of tools to analyse how meanings are produced, circulated and contested across different contexts. You will learn how to think analytically, question taken-for-granted assumptions and social norms, and communicate these ideas clearly and persuaively.

Through the major, you will develop an informed and critical understanding of contemporary cultural issues and everyday experiences. You will develop research skills and ethical scholarly practices, as well as the ability to approach different perspectives with intellectual generosity and critical engagement. You will also develop cultural competence across different contexts, and learn to communicate your ideas clearly and persuaively through writing and thoughtful discussion.

Students particularly interested in cultural diversity can also pursuing a minor in Diversity Studies, coordinated by the Discipline of Gender and Cultural Studies. 

Understanding the social significance of cultural issues will prepare you for further research and a wide range of careers. Graduates with majors in Cultural Studies go on to work in the arts, heritage and cultural sectors, education, government, NGO, law, and media and communications. Cultural Studies also complements study in other fields across the Humanities and Social Sciences, as well as degrees in Business, Education, Psychology, Law, and the sciences, because all fields of professional practice have cultural dimensions.

Requirements for completion

The Cultural Studies major and minor requirements are listed in the Cultural Studies unit of study table.

Honours

The honours program gives students an opportunity to refine their thinking to a very high degree, pursuing an independent research topic that will be of deep interest to them. The thesis is an extended piece of research on an approved topic of the student's choosing and is written under the individual supervision of a member of staff who will be an active researcher in their own right. The thesis gives students the experience of formulating and conducting a substantial piece of independent research, working closely with a supervisor who helps to bring their reflections and research into sharper focus. It is thus a key means of demonstrating the attributes required for further study.
The honours year consists of:

• 18,000-20,000 word thesis on a topic devised by the student in consultation with a supervisor appointed by the discipline;
• GCST4200 Arguing the Point, a unit which provides training in thesis research and writing and includes a series of practical research skills;
• Participation in an honours mini-conference where constructive peer review is given and received on a 20 minute thesis presentation; and
• A seminar unit SOFH4001 Breakthroughs in the Humanities
• The final assessment involves 60% thesis and 40% coursework (20% GCST4200 + 20% SOFH4001).

Honours admission requirements

Admission to Honours is via the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) and requires the completion of a major in Cultural Studies with an average of 70 percent or above.

Prior to commencing, you will need to ensure you have completed all other requirements of the Bachelor of Arts or other bachelor degree, including Open Learning Environment (OLE) units. 

Requirements and units of study for honours can be found on the Cultural Studies honours units of study page.

Contacts and further information