Critical Theory MA

Birkbeck, University of London

COURSE OVERVIEW

This MA Critical Theory gives you the opportunity to explore the provocations of various waves of critical theory in relation to culture. You will examine a multitude of critical theoretical approaches - with an emphasis on the contributions of the German critical tradition from Kant through Marx to the Frankfurt School, and all those thinkers following in its wake. You will also consider the crossings of politics and aesthetics and theory’s acknowledgement of, and resistance to, social injustice.

Culture is understood here in its broadest sense, and you will explore it in relation to contestations around topics such as:

science and technology

materialism

ecological crisis

migrancy

global and planetary forms

sexuality

gender.

You will consider how the insights and analyses of twentieth- and twenty-first-century critique relate to numerous forms, including literature, print culture, painting, film, photography, music and digital formats such as touchscreens, gaming or virtual environments. You will gain confidence in your ability to use constructive, explorative dialogue and debate to seek answers to complex questions.

This MA Critical Theory offers you a selection of option modules which allow you to focus more specifically on such questions raised within the compulsory modules. These option modules also give you the chance to think across a wide range of cognate subjects and build up areas of expertise.

CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY

Our graduates are trained to be effective researchers with good communication skills and an ability to critically assess a wide range of textual and other cultural materials.

You will find graduates of the MA Critical Theory following career paths in the following roles or areas:

journalism

arts and filmmaking

arts administration or research

digital technologists

human rights work and the advocacy sector

law and business professions

publishing