Critical and Cultural Theory MA
Year of entry 2026
- Start date
- September 2026
- Delivery type
- On campus
- Duration
- 12 months full time
- 24 months part time
- Entry requirements
- A bachelor degree with a 2:1 (hons) in a humanities or social science subject
Full entry requirements - English language requirements
- IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in any component
- UK fees
- £12,000 (Total)
- International fees
- £26,500 (Total)
- Contact
- finpg@leeds.ac.uk
Course overview
In this Masters degree you’ll study cultural analysis in depth, focusing on themes of commodification, language, and subjectivity. You'll study in an interdisciplinary way, developing skills that lead to a wide variety of applications and careers.
This degree takes a philosophical and historical approach to critical and cultural theory. We draw upon the major traditions of cultural theory, including semiology, feminism and gender theory, psychoanalysis, deconstruction, and Frankfurt School theories of the aesthetic, the media and technology. Key critical references include postcolonial and critical race theory, as well as posthumanism and ecocriticism.
You'll be exposed to a range of critical paradigms and develop your skills in close analysis: your ability to identify and unpack the key elements of a critical work or cultural artefact. This attention to the ‘textuality’ of these various texts, broadly defined, constitutes a crucial link between theory and practice, such that the line between critical and creative cultural practice is no longer determinative.
Our diverse and dynamic approach
Cultural studies emerged as a discipline in the mid-20th century as a critical, scholarly response to the social movements of the time – anti-colonial struggles, the civil rights movement and feminism – and as a rigorous study of the relations between culture and class.
This course began in 1987, when an interdisciplinary MA in Cultural Studies was founded at Leeds. From the outset, the course emphasised the theoretical, philosophical and historical aspects of cultural studies. The name was changed to better reflect this approach, and it continues to draw students from across the humanities who are thinking about and working with a broad range of objects and genres including literature, film, visual arts, performance, music and philosophy.
The School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies has an ambitious interdisciplinary purpose, an active fine art community, a critically and politically engaged social history of art degree and a dynamic museum studies course. While this rich context is a defining characteristic, this degree is not limited to considering art and aesthetics. Our approach is also informed by other cultural forms, such as text, music and popular culture and critical traditions – from literary criticism and semiology to sound studies and new thinking on technology, gender, and the posthuman.
The School houses parallax, published by Taylor & Francis, an internationally distributed journal of cultural theory and analysis.
Specialist facilities
Housed within a single central campus location, the School offers a modern and well-equipped learning environment with several exhibition spaces.
The University library is one of the major academic research libraries in the UK, holding a variety of manuscript, archive and early printed material in its Special Collections - valuable assets for your independent research.
Course details and modules
During the course you'll study compulsory and optional modules.
The first compulsory module, Cultural Theory, introduces key paradigms, focusing on the theories of the commodity, language, discourse, subjectivity and sexuality.
The second compulsory module, Cultural History, explores the genealogies of contemporary theory in relation to a longer tradition of cultural criticism that emerged, with modernity itself, in the 18th century. Emphasis is given to the practices of close reading, the question of textuality and the case study.
Through your study on these modules, you'll develop a fundamental grasp of the major paradigms in critical and cultural theory and a detailed understanding of research and analysis in the field of cultural studies. You’ll have a shared conceptual vocabulary that will serve as the basis for you to develop your own research project.
In each semester, you’ll also have the opportunity to specialise, choosing from a range of optional modules in areas such as aesthetics, deconstruction, and feminist studies.
You’ll have the chance to use the skills you’ve developed, combined with the specialist knowledge built through your optional modules, in your dissertation - an independent research project, which you'll undertake with the guidance of your supervisor.
If you choose to study part-time, you'll study over four semesters rather than two. We expect that you'll be timetabled for around between three to five contact hours per week. In your first semester you’ll enroll in the first core module, Cultural Theory. In the second and third semesters you’ll take optional modules. In your fourth and final semester you’ll study the second core module, Cultural History.
Course structure
The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our terms and conditions.
Year 1 compulsory modules
| Module Name | Credits |
|---|---|
| Cultural Theory | 30 |
| MA Dissertation | 60 |
| Cultural History | 30 |
Year 1 optional modules (selection of typical options shown below)
| Module Name | Credits |
|---|---|
| Derrida and Deconstruction | 30 |
| Reading Sexual Difference | 30 |
| Unfinished Business: Trauma, Cultural Memory and the Holocaust | 30 |
| Aesthetics and Politics | 30 |
| Art, Ecology and Empire | 30 |
| Postcolonial Feminisms | 30 |
| Anthropology, Art and Representation | 30 |
| Humanity, Animality and Globality | 30 |
| The Cultural Politics of Artificial Intelligence | 30 |
| After Authoritarianism | 30 |
Learning and teaching
To help you benefit from the expertise of our tutors, you will be taught using a range of teaching and learning methods. These include seminars, film screenings, lectures, online learning and tutorials.
Independent study is also a crucial component, allowing you to form your own ideas and develop your research and critical skills. The University Library offers free classes and resources on topics such as academic integrity and plagiarism, public speaking, searching for information and structuring essays.
Leeds University Library is a world-class resource and holds a wide variety of archive and early printed material in its Special Collections which are available for use in your independent research.
On this course, you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.
Assessment
Assessment methods will vary depending on the modules you choose. However, among others they may include essays, in-course assessment, group and individual presentations, poster presentations and portfolio or e-portfolio work.
Applying
Entry requirements
You’ll need a bachelor degree with a 2:1 (hons) or equivalent qualification, preferably in a Humanities or Social Sciences related degree, preferably specialising in one of the following subjects indicated under 'Critical and Cultural Theory related subjects'.
We will also consider applicants with relevant experience, an interest in critical and cultural theory, or coming from an area of expertise that is complementary such as the ones listed under ‘Other areas’.
We welcome applicants from a diverse range of subject disciplines so please do not hesitate to apply if your subject is not listed.
All applicants will be required to respond to the questions in the supporting statement section of the online application form to explain why you wish to study this particular course and your career plans. Relevant professional experience may also be considered. We may request additional documentation to inform our decision.
Critical and Cultural Theory related subjects
- Art History
- Fine Art
- Arts
- Cultural Studies
- Design
- Humanities
- Sociology
- Literature
- History
- Languages
- Philosophy
- Media
- English
Other Areas
- Sociology
- Management
- Marketing
- Geography
- Anthropology
- Architecture
- Law
- Human Resource Management
- Economics
- Tourism and Hospitality Management
- Acting and Drama
- Digital Business
- Education
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering
- Fashion
- Film
- Sports Management
- Religions and Theology
- Philosophy
- Computing Planning and Real Estate
- Politics
- Anthropology
- Sociology
- Psychology.
- Theatre Studies.
International
Our admissions team are experienced in considering a wide range of international qualifications. If you wish to discuss whether your qualifications will meet the necessary entry criteria, contact the School’s admissions team.
You can also check the accepted qualifications for your country or region.
International
Our admissions team are experienced in considering a wide range of international qualifications. If you wish to discuss whether your qualifications will meet the necessary entry criteria, contact the School’s admissions team.
You can also check the accepted qualifications for your country or region.
English language requirements
IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in any component. For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.
Improve your English
International students who do not meet the English language requirements for this programme may be able to study our postgraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.
This pre-sessional course is designed with a progression route to your degree programme and you’ll learn academic English in the context of your subject area. To find out more, read Language for Arts and Humanities (6 weeks) and Language for Social Science and Arts: Arts and Humanities (10 weeks).
We also offer online pre-sessionals alongside our on-campus pre-sessionals. Find out more about our six week online pre-sessional and our 10 week online pre-sessional.
You can also study pre-sessionals for longer periods – read about our postgraduate pre-sessional English courses.
How to apply
Please see our How to Apply page for information about application deadlines
The ‘Apply’ link at the top of this page will take you to information on applying for taught programmes and to the University's online application system.
If you intend to apply for funding, we advise you to submit an application for your chosen course as early as possible and at least one month before any scholarship deadline.
If you're unsure about the application process, contact the admissions team for help.
Documents and information you'll need
- A copy of your degree certificate and transcripts, or a partial transcript if you’re still studying (please submit an official English translation where the original is not in English)
- Your approved English Language test* (if applicable)
- A personal statement in response to the questions asked in the supporting statement section of the application form
- A full up-to-date CV
- Any previous UK CAS, visa and BRP documents if you’re an international applicant who has previously studied in the UK on a Tier 4/ Student Visa.
* Applicants who have not yet completed an approved English language test may apply for a Masters course prior to taking a test.
Personal Statement Requirements
Please summarise your reasons for applying to this particular programme of study. Your response can include details of your previous study/work experience relevant to the programme and career ambitions. Your response can provide us with important information on your suitability for the course, so please complete carefully.
Please explain why you have chosen to apply for this Masters course at the University of Leeds by answering the following questions in separate numbered paragraphs:
- What areas of this course particularly interest you and why? Have you studied these before? Please explain your reasons for applying to this particular Masters course
- Why do you want to study this course at Leeds? Please comment on aspects such as available resources at the University and in the city, research specialisms within the school or academics you would like to work with.
- What potential themes have you considered for dissertation research?
- How will studying for this course help you to achieve your longer term goals?
- Why do you see this course as a particularly valuable subject to study?
- What skills and experience do you have that have prepared you for this course? You may like to give details of any final year work/projects you have previously undertaken, relevant work experience etc.
Relevant work experience might include: Journalism, Cultural Industries, Creative Industries, Research, Education, Digital Humanities, Historian, Publishing, Libraries, Media, Cultural Policy, Politics, Social Media Management.
Next Steps
Where further information to support the assessment of your application is needed, we may ask for a recent sample of written work.
We do not generally request references, unless further information is required to support the assessment of your application.
Support for part-time and mature learners
The Lifelong Learning Centre provides support for mature and part-time learners across the University, including advice on how to apply to university and support throughout your studies.
Read about visas, immigration and other information in International students. We recommend that international students apply as early as possible to ensure that they have time to apply for their visa.
Admissions policy
University of Leeds Admissions Policy 2025
This course is taught by
School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies
Contact us
Taught Postgraduate Team
Email: finpg@leeds.ac.uk
Fees
UK: £12,000 (Total)
International: £26,500 (Total)
For fees information for international taught postgraduate students, read Masters fees.
Read more about paying fees and charges.
Part-time fees
Fees for part-time courses are normally calculated based on the number of credits you study in a year compared to the equivalent full-time course. For example, if you study half the course credits in a year, you will pay half the full-time course fees for that year.
Additional cost information
There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more on our living costs and budgeting page.
Scholarships and financial support
If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There may be help for students in the form of loans, scholarships and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government.
We offer the School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies International Excellence Scholarship for international applicants. Find out about awards and scholarships.
Career opportunities
You'll develop your critical and cultural awareness and expand your subject knowledge in theories and histories of culture. In addition, you will graduate with sophisticated research, analytical, critical and communication skills that will put you in a good position to succeed in a variety of careers.
Many of our graduates have also continued with their research at PhD level and secured external funding to support them – including AHRC scholarships. A significant number of our former research students are also now developing academic careers in the UK, Europe, Asia, USA and Australia.
In addition to those in academia, our graduates have careers across a broad range of critical and creative domains, including journalism, publishing, the creative industries, arts marketing and public relations. Our graduates are also working as curators and education staff in museums and galleries.
I am so grateful for my time at Leeds. Professors, activities and opportunities at the university encouraged me to explore my career outside my boundaries and trust my instincts and skills.
- Maria Suarez, School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies
Reach your potential
Hear more about the School and Faculty support you can access from our employability lead, Anna Douglas.
Careers support
We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.
The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more about Careers support.