Arts, Media and Literary Studies

• Innovative research perspectives and methods to analyse the changing forms and roles of the arts, media and literature in our globalizing world
• Solid disciplinary profiling, in a stimulating inter- and multidisciplinary framework
• A cosmopolitan and intellectually stimulating learning environment, with highly qualified staff, excellent international research networks and contacts with professional worlds
• Small groups, with interactive, innovative and intensive coursework.

All students participate in the programme's shared core, comprised of six courses of 5 ECTS (a total of 30 ECTS). Alongside this common core, students build their own disciplinary profile by choosing, in their first year, three or four electives (25 EC in total). They also take a total of 10 ECTS offered by a national research school, which allows them to extend their knowledge to other approaches and establish contact with peers and scholars from other universities.

In their second year, students hone their research skills in three specialization modules (25 ECTS in total). These specialisations can take the form of a tutorial or of research internships, in which students join a research project led by a senior researcher (we strongly advise students to do at least one research internship). Such an internship can also be a project conducted for and with stakeholders in the world of the arts and the media. An internship is typically completed with the writing, publishing and public presentation of a paper or report, at a conference or for targeted professional or broad audiences.

Students are encouraged to spend (part of) the specialization semester abroad, facilitated by the International Office. For all internships, tutorials and international stays, they can draw on the staff's excellent national and international research networks and on a rich range of contacts with stakeholders, such as museums, cultural institutions, archives, municipalities, educational institutions, regional, national and European institutions and policy makers.

As a graduate of this track, you will have an analytical, critical and independent attitude towards the arts and culture. You will be well prepared for a research career in the areas of literature, arts and culture, both at universities and private research institutes.

Participation in Research Colloquia and Activities

Students can participate in activities – guest lectures, research presentations and so on – of the research theme groups within the Research Centre for Arts in Society of the Groningen Research Institute for the Study of Culture (ICOG):

• Art and Institutional Change (contact: q.l.van.den.hoogen@rug.nl)
• Art, Medium, and Moving Images (contact: j.hanich@rug.nl)
• Narrative in/and Art (contact: e.j.korthals.altes@rug.nl)
• Arts, Culture, and Cognition (contact: b.p.van.heusden@rug.nl)
• The Objects of Art + Architecture (contact: m.f.a.kok@rug.nl)
• Beyond Horizons in Cultural Transfer (contact: j.m.l.den.toonder@rug.nl)
• Cultural Landscape (contact: theo.spek@rug.nl)

Research Assistans Programme

If you are a talented and motivated student who started in September with the research master's track Literary and Cultural Studies, you can apply for a paid position of one day a week at the university. Parallel to your courses, you will participate in an (interdisciplinary) project and do research that relates to the theme Sustainable Society.

Read more about the Research Assistants Programme positions.

Staff Selection

Prof. dr. E.J. (Liesbeth) Korthals Altes is Professor of General Literature, director of ICOG and the Director of Studies for the Research Master Literary and Cultural Studies. Her areas of expertise are literary theory (especially narrative theory), values and ethics of literature and arts and Modern French literature. She teaches the first-year course Theory and Methods in the Arts.

Prof. dr. A.S. (Ann-Sophie) Lehmann is Professor of Modern and Contemporary Art and director of the Research Centre Arts in Society. Her research focuses on process-based approaches to visual material culture and includes old and new media, from oil paint to software. She teaches several courses about art in different forms of media.

Dr. J. (Julian) Hanich is Associate Professor of Film Studies and his expertise lies within film and emotion, film and phenomenology, audience/reception studies, genre studies and film aesthetics. Together with prof. dr. M.G. Kemperink, he teaches the first-year course Art and the Emotions: Theory and Practical Research.

Research Schools

It is possible for research master students to participate in seminars, courses and summer schools organized by the Dutch national research schools.

- Research School for Media Studies

- Netherlands Institute for Cultural Analysis (NICA)

- Research School for Literary Studies (OSL)

- Postgraduate School for Art History (OSK)

- Netherlands Research School of Gender Studies (NOG)

These 'schools' are organized for the training of PhD and research MA students. You need to select 10 ECTS (usually 2 x 5 ECTS) from their programme offer. They also organize a variety of research related events and activities, in which you are, in most cases, very welcome as a research master student. These events give you the opportunity to deepen your disciplinary profile and to become acquainted with leading researchers and with peers in your field.