Master's specialization Literary and Cultural Studies

 

 

 

 

The programme and its objectives

The Research MA degree programme in Literary and Cultural Studies will be offered by the Faculty of Arts at the University of Groningen. The aim of the programme is to train students to carry out independent academic research in the field of literary and cultural studies. The degree programme offers an in-depth, integrated training in the academic study of the arts and their function in culture and society (by arts is meant literature, film, drama, music, and the new digital arts) with a focus on knowledge, skills and insight. The Research MA degree programme prepares students for:
 - further study and training with a view to writing a successful PhD thesis
 - a career as an independent researcher in the public or private sector.

The framework for the Research MA in Literature and Cultural Studies: Literature and Performing Arts in Society is the programme run by the Graduate School for the Humanities, which focuses on processes of cultural transformation. The emphasis is on the role of the various arts, including literature, in processes of cultural change, and more generally on the function of the arts and literature in a culture. Students who graduate from Groningen’s Faculty of Arts with a Research MA in Literary and Cultural Studies are uniquely equipped with specialist knowledge of the formal characteristics and historical development of one of the humanities (incl. literature), and with a knowledge of its changing role in relation to the other humanities.

The teaching within this Research MA is linked to the research of the following research groups within the Research School for the Humanities, Groningen:
  - Cultures and identity (national and international)
  - texts (narrative) and textual criticism
  - cultures and context (texts)
  - gender
  - cultures and context (images and music).

The general aim of the Research MA programme is to equip students with the academic and critical skills required to carry out advanced research in a related area, and with the knowledge and competencies required to work in the professional arena and carry out research for a PhD degree.

The Research MA programme hopes to attract students from the Netherlands and abroad. For that reason the language of the Research Master’s courses will be English (unless there are only Dutch students; in that case Dutch or English can be used.).

 

Structure and duration

The Research Master in Literary and Cultural Studies comprises the following:

 Year 1

 Year 2

 

The programme has four elements:

 - In the first year of the MA programme, students follow Core Modules and In-depth Modules. In the second year of the programme, students follow a specialisation programme and write an MA thesis and research proposal in Master’s Thesis Classes.

 - Students choose Core Modules that focus on subject-specific knowledge and skills to match their profile (literature, film, drama, music, the new digital arts), if necessary supplemented by relevant lectures outside the own discipline. In the first year of the Research MA programme, students choose modules totalling 40 ECTS. The core modules are research modules. They concentrate not only on imparting discipline-orientated and subject-specific knowledge and skills but also on conducting research. Every lecture will involve a targeted research assignment which will result in a paper. Students can personalise their own specialisation by choosing certain core modules.

 - The In-depth Modules are compulsory for all Research MA students and provide a sound knowledge of the latest theories and methodologies. The choice is determined by the profile of the Research School for the Humanities, Groningen (concentrating in particular on research into the function of the arts in culture and in processes of cultural change) on the one hand, and on the other by cutting-edge research in the relevant academic discipline. The In-depth Modules (10 ECTS each) consist of:

 (1) a series of lectures and an assignment on theory and methodology in the Arts (literature, drama, film, etc.)

 (2) a theme lecture and assignment on current subjects relating to themes within the research school. In order to gain research and writing experience, an extensive paper (5 ECTS) must be written within an explicit theoretical framework and methodology.

 - In the first semester of the second year, students follow a specialisation programme consisting of 3 courses/tutorials of 10 ECTS each. The aim of this part of the programme is that the students will learn how to conduct research independently. In order to guarantee that the students obtain research training in a structured way and to guarantuee the quality of the supervision this phase consists of three separate components of 10 ECTS each. A list of subjects will be compiled each year, for which students can sign up.

 - The writing of the MA-thesis will be supported by a thesis class, under the supervision of a coordinator (one of the senior members of staff) and will meet once every two weeks for two hours. Parts of the theses will be discussed in this class so that students can receive feedback on their work and have the opportunity to discuss questions and problems. Half of the meetings will be reserved for comments on successful and unsuccessful research proposals. Students will also practice writing their own research proposals (study load: 8 hours) and receive feedback. Students can choose the subject of the proposal themselves. This will probably be closely related to the subject of the thesis. At this stage, the proposals are merely practice proposals.

 

Start date

The programme starts once a year, in september. Admission to the Research MA in Literary and Cultural Studies will be made on the basis of careful selection (see Selection and Admission procedure).

 

Applications and information

For more information about the programme and/or for applications:

Co-ordinator

Ms Ita de Regt

Oude Boteringestraat 34, room 105

tel. : +31-50-3635907

email a.p.de.regt@rug.nl

 

Mailing addres:

Ms Ita de Regt (coördinator research masters)

Faculty of Arts, University of Groingen

Postbus 716

9700 AS Groningen

The Netherlands

or

Mw. Prof.dr. E.J. Korthals Altes (director of studies)

Nieuwe Kijk in 't Jatstraat 26, room 15.220 

Tel. +31-50-3635922

e-mail: E.J.Korthals.Altes@rug.nl

 

Mailing address:

Mevr.prof.dr. E.J. Korthals Altes (director of studies)

Faculteit of Arts, University of Groningen

Postbus 716

9700 AS Groningen

The Netherlands