Cultural Studies Thesis

[Claribel Szwaja]

Thiscollection represents undergraduate student work from the Cultural Studies major, an interdisciplinary liberal arts program with concentrations in Urban Studies, Media and Popular Culture Studies or Literary Studies, offered through the School of Liberal Arts & Sciences at Columbia College Chicago.

The Cultural Studies major at Columbia College Chicago cultivates critical and creative thinking, writing, reading, and speaking skills by analyzing the values, ideas, and belief systems that inform cultural projects and everyday practice. The capstone project is the final course for the Cultural Studies major where students produce a substantive research-based thesis of academic or professional writing on a topic area of their choosing.

The Master of Arts (MA) in English offers a wide range of coursework in literature, cultural studies, rhetoric, and composition, that prepares students for Ph.D. programs, to teach at the secondary or college level, or work in publishing or technical writing.

Writing an AMCS honors thesis is one way to fulfill the major's capstone requirement; it allows students to complete an extended study of a cultural topic with the close input of faculty from a variety of disciplines, and it provides both a support system and an audience of peers for that study. To qualify for honors thesis work, AMCS majors need to have met both the capstone project qualifications and also complete the following before proposing their Honors Thesis:

Our humanities and analytical-based, cross-disciplinary Bachelor of Arts degree program in global cultural studies will give you an understanding of the complexities of the world, along with the critical thinking and communication skills needed to make agile, confident and informed decisions in the workplace.

Full-time students are expected to complete all degree requirements within two years of admission (although, under special circumstances, a third year may be allowed). Full-time students normally complete the course requirements and gain approval of a thesis proposal in the first year, then finish and defend the thesis in the second year. Part-time students are expected to complete the degree within four years, and the timing of the completion of specific requirements is by individual arrangement.

There is no fixed language requirement, but students are expected to demonstrate competence in such foreign languages (and other technical skills) as are necessary for the research project they propose. Subject to the availability of appropriate supervisors, and with Program approval, theses may be written in French.

An exploration of current conceptual issues in the humanities and social sciences. Each year's sessions are organized around a broadly common theme, designed to generate discussion among, and about, a multiplicity of differing perspectives. Formal presentations by visiting speakers and Trent faculty before an open audience alternate with workshops for those taking the seminar for credit. Students are required to write and present a thesis proposal as part of the second term requirements of CUST-5000Y.

The core half-year courses involve intensive readings of key thinkers and texts, covering such areas as (post)modern philosophy, cultural and social theory, gender theory, and political philosophy. The specific list of (three or four) half courses from which to choose varies from year to year.

The elective is intended to provide background and support for the thesis. The particular choice is worked out in consultation with the Director and the student's Supervisory Committee. There are four options: (1) a graduate course offered at Trent; (2) a graduate reading course (CUST-5900H) arranged with a member of the Program faculty; (3) a specially tailored version of an upper year undergraduate course; and (4) under special circumstances, an appropriate course given at another university.

Once the supervisory committee has confirmed that the thesis may proceed to examination, the Program Director establishes a committee to participate in the examination and defence, consisting of a Chair, the supervisor, at least one member of the supervisory committee and at least one other member, internal or external to the University who is not a member of the supervisory committee; and determines the date, place and time of the defence.

Once the thesis is approved along with any revisions, students need to submit the thesis to Graduate Studies. It is the responsibility of students to familiarize themselves with the Principles Governing Submission and Examination of Theses/Dissertations as outlined in the Trent Calendar and to ensure that they have completed all the requirements for the degree. This includes the submission of the thesis to the Graduate Studies Officer for final approval and its binding and/or microfilming, once it has been approved

The Chinese major is designed to equip students with a solid foundation in cultural and linguistic literacy, an in-depth understanding of the Chinese literary tradition, and critical awareness of contemporary cultural issues through studies of literature, film, and other cultural products.

The major in Chinese requires nine courses in the Program beyond Chinese 4, plus one in a related field. Those who place out of language courses still need to complete ten approved courses. At least one course from categories B must be a seminar approved by the Chinese program director. If qualified, a student may opt to do an honors thesis.

Working closely with your supervisor(s), you'll pursue independent research leading to a thesis. This will be an original, significant, and creative contribution to knowledge in visual and cultural studies.

If you'd like to study on a postgraduate programme at Edinburgh College of Art, you must apply through EUCLID, our online application system. You can find out how to do this on the University of Edinburgh website, where you'll also be able to:

Common to all research programmes are a set of research aims, a research context, a research process and a research product/outcome. The research proposal should include reference to all of these elements. All applicants for postgraduate research programmes must submit a research proposal.

When I was an undergraduate, I interned for the Forum for African Women Educationalists in Zimbabwe and, upon graduating, I lived in Harare for three years. During this time, I became fascinated both with the image of the 'American abroad' and with the way the U.S. has historically used 'development' work for imperialist aims.

In the broadest scope, my thesis asks: where did the trope of the 'ugly American' come from and why might its origin matter? To answer this, I return to the 1958 novel The Ugly American, considering how the memory of 'the ugly American' may unlock a key piece of the relationship between U.S. imperialism, imperial anxiety, and the self-representation of American identity.

Turning to these scenes of anxiety, this thesis argues that the bodies of the development workers in the novel emerge as sites of performative memory, where queer anxieties around the destabilization of identity deepen and problematize the self-representation of American Exceptionalism.

I have known about this award since I started the MALS program, and it was something I aspired to throughout my time at Dartmouth. Receiving it is bittersweet. It marks both the end of a journey in which I have learned and grown a lot, and a validation of the work that I have chosen to pursue.

I chose Dartmouth for two reasons. First, for the cultural studies track in the Masters of Liberal Studies(MALS) program. There are very few MA programs in cultural studies, MALS not only has a cultural studies track but excellent cultural studies advisors and flexibility to direct one's plan of study. The second reason I chose Dartmouth was for the unprecedented number of teaching assistant(TA) opportunities. I knew I wanted teaching experience and during my time at Dartmouth I have been able to TA over ten courses and co-lecture one, receiving invaluable pedagogical mentorship in every case.

The Critical-Cultural Studies track of the M.A. program is led by dynamic faculty who work closely with graduate students as they develop their degree plans, theses, or exams. Seminar courses provide students with unique opportunities to engage in critical discussion and cultural debate with faculty and peers.

The track is designed for students who wish to develop their critical thinking, research, and writing skills, and it offers students a solid foundation for a Ph.D. program or careers in a variety of sectors, including national media industries, non-profits, and NGOs).

The track encourages an interdisciplinary approach in course selection. In exceptional cases, additional faculty are drawn from outside departments such as English, History, Journalism, Information Science, and Women's Studies, or complimentary media studies programs to serve on students' theses projects.

Theses completed by graduate students following the Critical-Cultural Studies track traverse issues of history, representation, multiculturalism, film theory, discursive analysis, television studies, and digital media studies.

The mission of the Department of African Cultural Studies is to provide research and teaching in the languages and expressive cultures of Africa and Africans around the world. Our faculty specialize in literature, music, film, critical applied linguistics, drama, critical theory, diaspora studies, and new media.

The department is the only one of its kind in the United States. For those learning to conduct research in African expressive cultures, it offers curricula leading to both the master of arts degree and the doctor of philosophy degree. Our students come from all over the world, including many African countries.

Graduate admissions is a two-step process between academic programs and the Graduate School. Applicants must meet the minimum requirements of the Graduate School as well as the program(s). Once you have researched the graduate program(s) you are interested in, apply online.

3a8082e126