Master of Arts in Cultural Policy, Relations and Diplomacy

at Goldsmiths, University of London United Kingdom

This degree encourages you to develop an independent critical involvement with works of art and visual culture, to examine changing historical conceptions of art and the artist, and to explore the visual arts in their wider cultural and political contexts.

Why study BA History of Art at Goldsmiths?

• You'll investigate modern and contemporary art, art theory and visual culture from around the world, approaching the subject from a fresh perspective which puts an emphasis on key areas of debate rather than chronology.
• We'll explore visual culture in all forms to broaden your outlook. You’ll not only examine the kinds of artefacts you might see in museums and art galleries, but also those that make up our everyday environment: like architecture, city and landscapes, adverts, TV and film, websites, the body, and street style.
• You’ll study at one of the top creative universities in the UK (Which? University 2018) based in vibrant South-East London, where you’ll discover everything from art spaces and studios to foodie pop-ups and markets.
• Our London location means you can take advantage of the many galleries, art spaces, museums, cultural facilities and specialist libraries the city has to offer.

This exciting, intellectually rigorous programme gives you the opportunity to develop the study of literature from a variety of perspectives through a number of flexible pathways.

The pathways you can take are:

• Pathway in American Literature & Culture
• Pathway in Comparative Literature & Criticism
• Pathway in Literature of the Caribbean & its Diasporas
• Pathway in Critical Theory
• Pathway in Modern and Contemporary Literature
• Pathway in Romantic & Victorian Literature & Culture

These enable you to combine theoretical angles with the close reading of a wide range of texts, from different media (literary, filmic, visual), periods, and cultural, geographic and linguistic backgrounds – though all texts will be studied in English, in English translation, or with English subtitles.

Anthropology and sociology deal with human behaviours in their social context. This degree gives you a comprehensive grounding in these converging subjects, so you'll develop an understanding of their shared traditions and differences in perspective.

Why study BA Anthropology and Sociology at Goldsmiths?

• The degree is divided evenly between anthropology and sociology, so you'll get a solid grounding in both subjects.
• The dynamic nature of the degree means you’ll be able to bring an interdisciplinary angle to any problem, whether that’s arguing your perspective in an essay or coming up with novel solutions in your future career. Our graduates have gone on to work for the UN, World Bank, as well as various NGOs, law companies and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) consultancies.
• In your third year, you’ll be able to choose from a range of option modules, tailoring your learning in a way that suits your interests and aspirations. You might choose to explore topics like gender theory, environmental anthropology, or borders and migration.
• Our academics are responsible for actively shaping disciplines – they are pioneers in their fields, playing key roles in developing awareness of society and culture.

China has been at the forefront of a global economic power shift in the aftermath of the global economic crisis in 2008. This undergraduate degree gives you the chance to study international relations with a year abroad in China at Capital Normal University in Beijing.

Why study BA International Relations and Chinese at Goldsmiths?

• You’ll explore the key concepts, policies, practices and institutions of international relations while developing your Chinese language skills.
• Your time studying in China will give you the chance to gain first-hand experience of the culture, to consolidate your knowledge and language skills, and offer you the chance to discover your own area of interest in China within the larger global context.
• The study of international systems and relations is complemented by studies centred on regions of crucial geopolitical and economic significance today: you’ll focus on China, but will also look at the Middle East, Africa and Latin America.
• You can enhance your knowledge in your personal areas of interest, with option modules in security, development and human rights, foreign policy, and conflict and genocide.
• You’ll have the opportunity to apply your academic knowledge to an optional work placement in the international relations sector. This valuable experience will set you apart as you pursue a career in areas such as government, international institutions, policy thinktanks, development agencies and NGOs.
• After graduating you’ll be given the option to study for another year at Beijing Capital Normal University and gain a BA in Chinese Studies. This option to gain an additional BA degree is a unique opportunity and the only programme of its type to be approved by the Ministry of Education in China, which will help to open doors for further employment opportunities.

These practical skills will equip you to lead and deliver the twin ambitions of transformation and sustainability driving the global economy. Our programme focuses on the means of generating economic impact through gains in revenue, competitiveness, productivity, project management, and profitability alongside the means of generating social impact through inclusivity, diversity, social mobility and equality.

The management of innovation is a critical element in ensuring countries, organisations, and individuals encourage speed to impact decision-making, enhanced digital skills and strategies for future-readiness. The focus has shifted from serving and valuing shareholders to serving and valuing stakeholders – customers, workforces, investors, regulators, anyone else impacted by your product, service, or brand.

Studying with is will allow you to participate in a lively guest lecturing schedule. In past years, senior leadership from the following organisations have come to discuss innovation challenges and opportunities with students on this programme:

• Technologists like Microsoft, Tesla, and Apple
• Consultancies, and think tanks like PwC, Ogilvy, and Accenture
• Media organisations like Monocle, the Financial Times, or The Economist
• Movements like the Bitcoin and Black Lives Matter

Why study MA Politics, Development and the Global South?

• This degree responds to a need for a fresh, innovative approach to the study and pursuit of development, which has grown from major changes in recent decades – for example the emergence of new geopolitical powers on the international stage, growing challenges to neoliberal dogmas, heightened concern with increasing global inequality, and the recognition of the danger of ecological devastation.
• You’ll study the Global South as a producer of theory, and as a site where novel forms of political struggle are emerging. You’ll gain an understanding of the relationship between discourses of development and specific issues, such as gender, ecology and sexuality.
• The MA reflects Goldsmiths’ interdisciplinary academic spirit, drawing on expertise in the Centre for Postcolonial Studies, the Department of Politics and International Relations, and other departments from across the university.
• You’ll be able to choose options from a wide range of modules across the Department of Politics and International Relations, Anthropology, Media, Communications and Cultural Studies, and Sociology ­– so you can tailor your degree to your own interests and aspirations, and get the most out of your time at Goldsmiths.
• You’ll learn from scholars with an international reputation across a diverse range of research and area specialisms including Latin America, India, China, Japan, the Middle East and Africa.
• Alongside the compulsory modules, you’ll also gain insight into development as a career through a series of industry and activist seminars. You’ll have the opportunity to shape the speakers, format and content of these events to explore different facets of development, such as politics, activism, policy, journalism, charities, consultancy and NGOs.

This MA unpacks the nitty-gritty of global transformations where media and politics, culture and society converge. Its cutting-edge approach to study provides you with the analytical skills and hands-on experience to grasp these shifts in theory and practice.

The programme addresses key questions central to the relationship between global media and politics, culture and society, such as:

• What is the relationship between ‘everyday life’ – our own and that of others – online and offline?
• Can political institutions ensure that the online environment is safe for all, or should this be left to internet service providers?
• How do we protect fundamental rights and freedoms online such as freedom of expression in the wake of terrorist attacks?
• What are the differences between how public and private broadcasters, activists, artists, and communities make use of social media?

Studying on this MA, you will focus on critical themes like the ‘Digital Divide’, privacy and surveillance, freedom of expression, and the climate crisis. You will also explore the role and impact of governments, international organisations, broadcasters, activists, artists, and communities.

Why study MA Race, Media and Social Justice at Goldsmiths?

• Goldsmiths is a centre of pioneering critical race scholarship and you will be taught by leading figures in the field.
• You’ll examine a range of different theoretical and philosophical approaches to race and ethnicity, including postcolonial and critical race theories, poststructuralist approaches, and theories of intersectionality.
• The degree is underpinned by a focus on the cultural industries and you’ll learn to apply these theories to understand why representations of race and ethnicity take the shape that they do in news, film and social media.
• You’ll expand your practical and academic knowledge of diversity in the media and other sectors through a series of industry talks from Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) practitioners working in the industry.
• This MA is taught across two departments – Media, Communications and Cultural Studies and Sociology – that are recognised as world-leading in their respective disciplines.
• As a postgraduate student you will join a thriving intellectual community at Goldsmiths, while learning the skills that you will be able to apply to a range of careers, from media, to policy, to charity/NGOs and other forms of social enterprise.

This unique programme combines music psychology with neuroscience, focusing on both the biological and cognitive aspects of musical behaviour.

The MSc Music, Mind and Brain (MMB) is highly interdisciplinary and draws on expertise from leading figures in the field, in areas ranging from music cognition, cognitive neuroscience, computational modelling, music education and music therapy.

As a student on the MSc, you will learn about topics in music psychology (from perception to cognition) and the cognitive neuroscience of music, and will acquire all the necessary skills to pursue your own high-quality research.

The programme benefits from good links with institutions such as the Institute of Education, the Royal College of Music, and the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery.

The academic study of children’s literature has developed over the past 30 years, and is now a recognised multidisciplinary field of enquiry. This programme will enable you to explore the relationship between reader, writer, text and context, and consider the critical perspectives that underpin those interactions.

Why study MA Childrens Literature at Goldsmiths?

• This course will deepen your familiarity with a range of children's literature, from 'classic' works, to contemporary texts. Through this, you'll develop a detailed knowledge of the issues and debates in the field, analysing children's literature using theories from education, cultural studies, literary theory, psychology, sociology, history and philosophy.
• We foster a critical stance towards children's literature, academic reading, and ideological underpinning. All of our staff are actively involved in research in the fields of education and children's literature. Award-winning author Michael Rosen is part of the leading team on this programme.
• The programme aims to incorporate and respond to your unique background as an individual. we encourage you to use this to address the challenging issues of representation and diversity in children's literature. You may come from a publishing background or work in education or children's media. If you have a passion for children's literature then this is the course for you.