The Graduate Certificate in Cultural Studies
Cultural Studies @ UNC administers a concentration certificate for both MA and doctoral students who wish to augment their field of study with interdisciplinary study in cultural theory and methods. Students are expected to achieve fluency in several critical, cultural theories in relation to a variety of research problems, a reflexive attitude toward theory and methodology that reflect current and historical issues in Cultural Studies, and an ability to conduct interdisciplinary research: to engage perspectives and empirical studies from diverse disciplines rigorously and productively.
Requirements
- Meet with the director of CS@UNC*. To make an appointment, please email uncculturalstudies@gmail.com. You may want to have your cultural studies adviser approved at this meeting.
- Declare intent to complete a graduate certificate by completing the online Declaration Form. It is imperative that we have a record of all students currently completing the certificate in order to administratively legitimate the Certificate’s existence on UNC’s campus.
- Determine your cultural studies adviser. You are required to have a cultural studies adviser while earning the Graduate Certificate in Cultural Studies. It is recommended that you meet periodically with your CS adviser to discuss your course of study and your relationship to the project of cultural studies (especially as it is reflected in your research project and your teaching goals). These meetings are not required and will in no way be monitored. While your CS adviser may be on your MA/PhD committee this is not required. Your adviser must be approved by the director of the graduate certificate.
- Complete 5 required courses including: One (1) graduate-level introduction course to Cultural Studies (Comm 750 or another course approved by the certificate director) ; two (2) theory classes, at least one of which must be outside the student’s discipline; and two (2) interdisciplinary empirically defined/focused classes, at least one of which is outside the student’s discipline. If you are unsure of whether a course meets these qualifications, please contact your cultural studies adviser or the director of CS@UNC*.
- Download and complete the Graduate Certificate Completion Form. This form requires you to list the 5 courses you have taken that complete the above requirements and compose a paragraph (a Statement of Engagement) describing how Cultural Studies fits into your research and teaching programs. Your departmental and cultural studies advisers both need to sign this form.
- Upload and email your completed form and an unofficial transcript to uncculturalstudies@gmail.com. Be advised: you CANNOT receive your certificate until this step is completed.
* The current director of the Graduate Certificate in Cultural Studies is Dr. Larry Grossberg, docrock@email.unc.edu.
Questions? Please Contact Us.
