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Academic Program - Cultural Studies
Introduction
We offer you considerable choice in the design of your course of study, including selection of concentrations,  specializations and minor fields. Working closely with faculty advisors, you devise a schedule of classes that gives you intellectual depth in Cultural Studies as well as one other traditional humanities field. Cultural studies courses are also an attractive option if you are obtaining a degree in the social sciences, in policy planning, or working toward a dual degree with an MBA.
Advising
Each student is assigned an advisor upon entering the program. A student may change advisors, but the initial assignment guarantees immediate coordination and planning for each student. Advisors also work with students in selecting faculty committees for the M.A. and Ph.D. exams, research papers, and dissertations.
Concentrations and Graduate Certificate
In addition to the stand-alone Master's and Ph.D. in Cultural Studies detailed below, the department offers a concentration in Media Studies a concentration in Museum Studies and a graduate certificate in Africana Studies. The Museum Studies concentration is also part of our Applied Humanities programs. Examples of student work are available from our in-house journal.
Master of Arts
Course Requirements: MA students are required to take 40 units in graduate course work. Twelve of these units are required courses: two semesters of Introduction to Cultural Studies (CLST 300 and CLST 301), and one semester of an approved range of Method courses. The remaining 24 units are completed in courses offered by the Cultural Studies Department and/or by approved courses taught by the faculty of The Claremont Colleges. For residence and other general requirements, see the Degree Regulations section in the Academic Bulletin.
Language Requirement
The M.A. candidate must demonstrate reading proficiency in one language other than English.
Other Requirements for M.A.
While completing course requirements, each student is expected to make an original contribution to a field of inquiry within cultural studies. This contribution may be a research paper or other form of cultural production that includes an analytic component (e.g., performance and interpretation, exhibition and analysis).
The MA degree may also be awarded to students who have advanced to candidacy for the doctorate, or to those who have not passed the qualifying examinations at the doctoral level but have met the standards for a MA degree. A comprehensive list of requirements is given in the departmental handbook.
Accelerated (4+1) program
Undergraduate majors in Media Studies at the Claremont Colleges have the opportunity to complete a Masters in Cultural Studies with a concentration in Media Studies that begins during their undergraduate training and is finished with one year of study at the Cultural Studies Department at CGU.
This joint B.A./M.A. Accelerated (4+1) Degree in Cultural Studies is open to Claremont College undergraduate students majoring in Media Studies through the Intercollegiate Media Studies Department (IMS).
During the Sophomore or Junior year of undergraduate study, and after declaring a major in Media Studies, students may declare their intention to pursue the 4+1 Joint Degree. At this point, they should contact their IMS undergraduate advisor as well as the Chair of the Cultural Studies Department at CGU to discuss the application process and their course selection.
Interested students must apply the fall or spring of their junior year and may use the remaining semesters at their undergraduate institutions to complete up to 16 pre-baccalaureate graduate units. Upon the receipt of his/her undergraduate degree, the student becomes a full time student at Claremont Graduate University for the remaining year of study.
Like the regular M.A. in Cultural Studies, the 4+1 program is a 40-unit program. The requirements for the accelerated degree are listed below.
During Junior and Senior year of undergraduate study:
16 pre-baccalaureate graduate units (4 courses). These courses may be graduate courses at CGU or IMS undergraduate courses with a graduate/undergraduate (G/U) designation.
These courses must be taken in addition to the Media Studies major requirements. Students cannot double count these courses.
(Students may choose to take fewer than 16 units in their undergraduate semesters, but this may delay their progress and require them to stay at CGU an additional semester to complete the 40 units required for the M.A.)
During 5th year of study (at CGU):
Remaining 24 units, which can include up to 2 additional graduate/undergraduate (G/U) courses at the Claremont Colleges.
Required courses for the M.A. in Cultural Studies with a Concentration in Media Studies (Total of 40 units)
2 sections of “Introduction to Cultural Studies” 8 unit
One Research Methods Course
(either CS 355: Visual Research Methods
or HUM 340: “Digital Methods for Humanities Research” 4 units
4 Courses in Media Studies (at CGU or Claremont Colleges G/U courses) 16 units
3 additional courses that can include any CGU graduate elective
courses, a Media Studies internship for 2 or 4 units, or an
“M.A. Thesis Research” independent study for 2-4 units. 12 units
Students also have the option of taking courses during the summer before or after their 5th year. This will, however, depend on appropriate courses being available and financial aid is often not available during the summer.
Additional Requirements:
In order to receive the M.A., students must complete a final research paper of publishable quality or equivalent form of cultural production that includes an analytic component (e.g., performance and interpretation, exhibit or analysis).
Application Procedures:
Interested students must submit a standard CGU application form (available at http://www.cgu.edu/pages/3823.asp), three letter of recommendation from faculty members, and a research writing sample (maximum 30 pages.) The general standard for admission is a minimum 3.25 GPA. GRE scores are required for admission, but you do not need to have taken your GRE scores before you apply in your junior year. GRE scores must, however, be sent to CGU by February 1 of your senior year in order to be eligible to continue at CGU the following fall.
Partial list of Media Studies Courses:
The Eye and the Gaze (Henry Krips, CGU)
Transnational Media Theory (Eve Oishi, CGU)
Experiential Development of Public Media Art Festivals (Anne Bray, CGU)
Topics in Media Theory: Postmodernism (Kathleen Fitzpatrick, Pomona College)
Writing Machines (Kathleen Fitzpatrick, Pomona College)
Learning from You Tube (Alexandra Juhasz, Pitzer College)
Media and Sexuality (Alexandra Juhasz/Ming-yuen Ma, Pitzer College)
Feminist Documentary (Alexandra Juhasz, Pitzer College)
Television Genres (Tracy Biga Maclean, Pitzer College)
Sound Theory, Sound Practice (Ming-yuen Ma, Pitzer College)
Theories of the Visual (Jennifer Friedlander, Pomona College)
Body, Representation, Desire ((Jennifer Friedlander, Pomona College)
Constructing/Dismantling the Body (Lauri Mullens, Pomona College)
Film Theory (J. Morrison, Claremont McKenna College)
Doctor of Philosophy
Course Requirements. Students accepted into the Ph.D. program in cultural studies are required to complete 72 units of course work. Twelve of these units are required courses: two semesters of CLST 300 Introduction to Cultural Studies and one semester of a range of approved Methods courses. The remainder of the units are completed in courses offered by the Cultural Studies Department or by approved courses taught by the graduate faculty of The Claremont Colleges. Up to 24 units of transfer credit for relevant graduate work completed at another university may be accepted. For more detailed information regarding transfer of credit, residence requirements and other requirements, see the section on Degree Regulations in the Academic Bulletin.
Transdisciplinary Requirement
Doctoral students entering in Fall 2006 and after must satisfy the 4-unit transdisciplinary course (T-course) requirement during their second year of study at CGU. For more information, please see the T-course page.
Language Requirement
The Ph.D. candidate must demonstrate reading proficiency in two languages other than English, or in one language other than English and one research tool.
Other Requirements for Ph.D.
While completing course requirements, each student is expected to make an original contribution to a field of inquiry within cultural studies. This contribution may be a research paper or another form of cultural production that includes an analytic component (e.g., performance and interpretation, exhibition and analysis). A comprehensive list of requirements is given in the departmental handbook.
Qualifying Examinations
A demonstration of competence in three fields: (1) cultural studies, (2) an area of specialization, and (3) some other professional area in the humanities. The selection of fields must be approved by the student's supervisory committee.
Students are examined in each field. The three written examinations are followed by an oral defense and review. The entire examination process must be completed within one semester. In the event that a student fails a field examination, the examining committee for the three fields decides whether the student may be permitted to re-take an examination. Failure on a re-examination, written or oral, disqualifies the student from further graduate study at Claremont Graduate University, except in extraordinary cases as recommended by the examining committee and approved by the dean of faculty. When feasible, re-examinations are given by the same faculty members.
Dissertation Requirements
Students must submit an acceptable dissertation prospectus for approval by the dissertation committee. This committee, recommended by the cultural studies chair in consultation with the student, consists of no fewer than three members, one of whom serves as dissertation supervisor. Each candidate must prepare an acceptable dissertation under the guidance of the supervisory committee, to be defended in a final oral examination. A draft of the dissertation which takes into account the criticisms of the committee and is acceptable to the committee must be completed by October 1st for students completing the degree at the end of the first semester, and by March 1st for students completing the degree at the end of the second semester. This draft must be in a form suitable for submission to the other readers. Deadlines for completion in final form are listed in the Degree Regulations section of the Bulletin and in the Academic Calendar.
Cultural Studies Faculty
The faculty includes not only core Cultural Studies faculty from Claremont Graduate University (CGU), but also active faculty members from the other Claremont Colleges - Claremont McKenna College (CMC), Harvey Mudd College (HMC), Pitzer College (PIT), Pomona College (POM), Scripps College (SCR), and the affiliated Claremont School of Theology (CST) - in disciplines such as English, Comparative Literature, History, Sociology, Art History, Anthropology, Music, Religion, Modern Languages, and Gender/Feminist Studies. Please click here - Cultural Studies Faculty - to find out more about our core, active, and adjunct faculty.
Admissions
Applications for fall admission should be received by February 1. Applications received after this date will be evaluated on a space-available basis.
For complete information on applying to the Cultural Studies graduate program at Claremont Graduate University, please visit the Prospective Students section of this website.
To apply to the Cultural Studies Department at Claremont Graduate University, go to the:
- Thinking of Applying page for prospective Arts & Humanities students; or
- Go directly to the CGU How to Apply page to access the Online Application or to download a paper copy of the application.
Financial Aid
Institutional financial assistance is available in the form of fellowships. Applications submitted by February 1 have priority for the awarding of aid, although aid may be awarded to late applicants on the basis of available funds.
Federal aid, in the form of loans and work study, is awarded on the basis of financial need. In addition, students may actively seek opportunities for financial support which might be available to them from foundations and other institutions.
Please contact the Cultural Studies Department for further information on Institutional/Department aid.
You may, also, contact the Office of Student Financing, Claremont Graduate University, 160 East 10th Street, Claremont, CA 91711, by telephone 909.621.8337, by fax: 909.607.7285, or by email: finaid@cgu.edu.
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