Cultural Studies

University of British Columbia

Canada, Vancouver

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University of British Columbia

Canada , Vancouver

Key Facts

Program Level

Bachelor

Study Type

Full Time

Delivery

On Campus

Application Fee

CAD 125

Campuses

Okanagan

Program Language

English

Start & Deadlines

Next Intake Deadlines15-May-2023

Apply to this program

Go to the official application for the university

Duration 4 year(s)

Tuition Fee

CAD 46,296 / year

Next Intake 15-May-2023

Cultural Studies

About

You can study intense specialization in a single field.

Cultural Studies offers an interdisciplinary approach to traditional humanities and social sciences, encouraging you to examine specific concerns, such as the construction of racial, gender, national, class, and sexual identities, issues of social change, and the experience of power.

You'll study how different disciplines constitute knowledge and experiment with different approaches to knowledge production that may have more impact in the real world. For example, a student in a third-year documentary and docudrama course might submit a short essay and post an original film to YouTube in lieu of a typical research term paper.

Experiential learning and research

The first of its kind in western Canada, the Cultural Studies program offered by the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies seeks to approach questions of identity, power, and justice from an intercultural and global perspective. It gives you the ability to structure your degree in a way that fosters linkages between disciplines.

In your third or fourth year, you'll have the option of taking Community-Engaged Research in Cultural Studies (CULT 499), a course that links experiential learning with the development of writing, research, and analytical skills. You'll have the opportunity to engage with various community partners in a team-based setting to complete projects that support these groups.

Explore media and popular cultures, global cultural studies, and critical and cultural theory through courses in internet culture, film and television, activism, globalization, human rights, and more. You'll graduate with the knowledge and skills required for a wide variety of professions.

Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4

CULT 100 - Media and Popular Cultures in Global Context
Introduction to media and cultural studies in a global context, specifically the critical analysis of cultural texts, cultural industries, and media audiences.
CULT 101 - Cultural Studies Practices
Key concepts and methods across the history of cultural studies including analysis of consumer society, identity, space, and memory.
ENGL 112 - Studies in Composition
Study and application of the principles of university-level discourse, with emphasis on processes of research-based writing. Essays and exercises are required. or
ENGL 151 - Critical Studies in Literature
Introduction to literature with a focus on literary criticism. It therefore draws from a range of styles and periods as well as introducing students to a variety of critical approaches. At least 35% of class time will be dedicated to instruction in university-level essay writing and research. or

CULT 235 - Introduction to Contemporary Japan Through Pop Culture
A thematic exploration of contemporary Japanese society through popular culture narratives (such as manga, anime, film, and video games) in English translation.
CULT 215 - Cultural Industries
An introductory critical study of cultural industries such as television and popular music.
CULT 210 - Reading Screens
Introduction to film and other screen-based media as narrative, with a focus on both formal and ideological elements.
CULT 230 - Foundations: Reading Across Borders
English literature and culture produced outside Britain and North America. Attention will be given to legacies of imperialism as well as notions of culture and difference with particular emphasis on the standpoint and perspective of the reader in relation to the text.
CULT 270 - Reading Popular Culture
Introduction to the critical analysis of contemporary popular culture forms such as architecture, video games, television, and popular fiction and cultural practices such as consumerism, participation in subcultures and social networking, from within the context of modernity.

GWST 336 - Feminist Cultural Studies
Theories of the representation of gender in contemporary culture in the context of contemporary feminist thought and current theoretical methodologies in cultural studies.
CULT 320 - Creative Activism: Art, Media, and Social Justice
Examination of the convergence between social justice movements, activist media, and artistic practice.
CULT 346 - Human Rights, Literature, and Culture
Examines war, conflict, struggles for social justice, and the ideal of human dignity in relation to narrative, discourse, and representation.
INDG 306 - Indigenous Land Rights
Legal theories under British Law or its historical derivations that have been used to justify the colonization of Indigenous peoples. Legal arguments and anthropological evidence raised by Indigenous groups to challenge those theories. Particular reference is paid to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.
HIST 351 - History of Gender and Sexuality in Latin America
Role of gender and sexuality from colonial period to the present. Role of the family and community in reinforcing sexual and gendered roles.

CULT 405 - Reading Gothic Film
The gothic/horror film as a genre that provides insight into cultural narratives regarding gender, sexuality, race, and class. Films may be approached from a number of critical perspectives, including psychoanalytic, feminist, and cultural theories.
CULT 437 - Postcolonial Studies
Examines colonialism, decolonization, and globalization, as they relate to literature and other modes of cultural production, using a cross-cultural framework. Topics vary from year to year. No more than 9 credits in total will be granted for CULT 437, ENGL 437, or any combination thereof.
CULT 401 - Topics in Media Studies
CULT 410 - Asian Cinema
Specific Asian directors, genres, and/or cross-regional topics in film studies. In English.
CULT 480 - Performance Studies
Seminar in the interdisciplinary field of performance studies, broadly conceived as the investigation of aesthetic, ritual, and everyday life performance practices.

Disciplines

Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies

Requirements

Entry Requirements

Graduation from a university-preparatory program at a senior secondary school: General Secondary Education Certificate (Tawjihi). Certificates must be official. Photocopies are acceptable if certified by school principal, head, or counsellor. Notarized copies are not acceptable.

Career

As a Cultural Studies graduate, you will be an empowered critic and theorist of historical and contemporary cultural activities, and possess the ability to generate learning that influences society. You'll be prepared to live in a world where writing, reading, coding, and decoding are employable skills in high demand. Work in marketing, advertising, publishing, or web design, or continue your education to pursue a career in law or social work.

Program graduates

Communications and Marketing Advisor, Capilano University
Cultural Operations Manager, Sncewips Heritage Museum
Advisor, International Programs and Services, UBC's Okanagan Campus
Blogger, ANOKHI Magazine
Social Media Intern, Jugni Style

Related programs

- - Name
  - Campus
  - Length
- - Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Social Justice
    - Vancouver
    4 years
  - Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies
    - Okanagan
    4 years
  - Indigenous Studies
    - Okanagan
    4 years
  - Media Studies
    - Vancouver
    4 years

Fee Information

Tuition Fee

CAD 46,296

Application Fee

CAD 125

How to Apply

As you complete the online application, keep the following tips in mind:

Start early and take your time. Once you begin the application, you will be able to save it and return to it later – but only up until the deadline. Once you have submitted your application to UBC, you will not be able to edit it. Since the online application can sometimes time out if left open for too long, we recommend working on your personal profile questions outside of the application (where you can run them through a spell-checker) then copy and paste them into your application.
Let the online application guide you. You’ll be asked to provide only the information we need based on your degree choice(s), your previous education, and other factors.
Tell us your full academic history. It’s important to include all of the high schools, colleges, and/or universities you have attended. Don’t leave anything out!
Be accurate. UBC has a number of methods in place to authenticate information provided in the application. These methods include, but are not limited to, contacting references, verifying academic records, and requesting additional documentation to verify your personal profile. If an application is found to contain untrue or incomplete information, UBC may, at its discretion: withdraw an offer of admission; require you to withdraw from UBC; subject you to academic discipline; or share the information provided with other post-secondary institutions, law enforcement agencies, or other third parties.
Use an email address you check frequently. Once you have submitted your application, UBC will communicate with you primarily by email.
Note your UBC student number. Write down your UBC student number somewhere safe. You’ll need it in future correspondence with UBC.