MA Cultural Studies & Social Justice
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Why study MA Cultural Studies & Social Justice at Goldsmiths
The MA Cultural Studies and Social Justice offers an interdisciplinary approach to the study of contemporary culture (in all its forms), race, and justice. The programme is theory-driven but grounded in practice, media, creative approaches, and social justice.
- Goldsmiths is a centre of pioneering critical race scholarship and you will be taught by leading figures in the field.
- You’ll be introduced to a variety of perspectives, theories, and traditions engaging with culture and social justice.
- Topics you’ll explore include: critical race theories, Black, indigenous, and anti-colonial feminisms, the Birmingham School of Cultural Studies and its legacy, decolonial and postcolonial thought, critical theories of class and capitalism, queer and disability justice theory, activist, abolitionist, and grassroots struggles across the world, creative and cultural industries, and artistic practices.
- The programme will provide an in-depth exploration of research and scholarship into cultural studies and race across the overlapping fields of sociology, media and communications, gender/feminist studies, and more.
- We offer an interdisciplinary approach, which will provide you with the analytical tools and skills to explain and critique why contemporary global understandings and representations of race and culture take the shape that they do.
- You’ll build an understanding of the subject by paying attention to histories, presents, and structures and systems of global politics, media, technology, society, capitalism, and creative industries.
- You’ll learn how critique can be transformed into a tool for imagining futures, building community, artistic and activist practice, and generating crucial research.
- 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.
- The School of Media, Communications and Cultural Studies has been ranked second in the UK for 'world-leading or internationally excellent' research (Research Excellence Framework, 2021) and 16th in the world (third in the UK) in the 2024 QS World Rankings for communication and media studies.
Contact
If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Akanksha Mehta , James Burton .
Length
1 year full-time or 2 years part-time
Entry requirements
You should have (or expect to be awarded) an undergraduate degree of at least 2:2 standard in a relevant/related subject. You might also be considered if you aren’t a graduate or your degree is in an unrelated field, but you have relevant experience and can show you can work at postgraduate level.
Fees
Home - full-time: £10800
Home - part-time: £5400
International - full-time: £22000
School
Media, Communications and Cultural Studies
We are an Adobe Creative Campus. During your studies, you will be able to use Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Illustrator and more for free on your own devices.
What you'll study
Compulsory modules
You'll take the following compulsory modules:
- Doing Cultural Studies (30 credits)
- Race & the World (30 credits)
- Dissertation (60 credits)
Doing Cultural Studies
You'll address examples of cultural phenomena as case studies, critiquing and exploring them through a range of cultural studies research and theory with the aim of developing new insights and approaches to them. Case studies might relate to technology, arts, music, cultural memory, media platforms, state institutions or any cultural sphere.
They will be approached through conjunctural analysis as a means of thinking through a particular situated phenomenon, about its intersection with a wider range of discourses, institutions, and epistemes in a specific historical, political, social context. You'll develop the cultural studies approach as a “tool kit” for exploring a particular case study. This aims to find out what it may tell us about broader social and political issues and conditions.
Race and the World
You'll learn whow race shapes the contemporary world and what this means for culture, media, politics, and justice.
You'll examine various contemporary issues – from resistance movements to debates on statues of colonialism, from diversity initiatives in cultural and media industries to the rise of the far-right, from how gender and class shape race to queer and disability politics – to offer critical analysis and showcase creative approaches to understanding broader social, cultural, and political issues.
Both of these core modules are taught with radical, creative, involved, decolonial pedagogies.
How you'll be assessed
You will be assessed in a range ways throughout your course. These will be both formative (for feedback and development), and summative (required to pass and progress to the next level). Summative assessments are compulsory.
Feedback is a crucial part of your learning and development in this programme. You will receive feedback both on your formative (work in progress) tasks/assessments, and your summative (graded) assessments.
Entry requirements
You should have (or expect to be awarded) an undergraduate degree of at least second class standard in a relevant/related subject.
You might also be considered for some programmes if you aren’t a graduate or your degree is in an unrelated field, but have relevant experience and can show that you have the ability to work at postgraduate level.
International qualifications
We accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the qualifications we accept from around the world.
If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification) of 6.5 with a 6.5 in writing and no element lower than 6.0 to study this programme. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of courses that can help prepare you for postgraduate-level study.
Fees and funding
Annual tuition fees
These are the PG fees for students starting their programme in the 2026/2027 academic year.
- Home - full-time: £10800
- Home - part-time: £5400
- International - full-time: £22000
If your fees are not listed here, please check our postgraduate fees guidance or contact the Fees Office, who can also advise you about how to pay your fees.
It’s not currently possible for international students to study part-time under a student visa. If you think you might be eligible to study part-time while being on another visa type, please contact our Admissions Team for more information.
If you are looking to pay your fees please see our guide to making a payment.
Funding opportunities
Explore the Goldsmiths scholarships finder to find out what funding you may be eligible for.
Paying your fees
Find out about paying your tuition fees.
If you are a UK student you may be eligible for a postgraduate loan.
Meanwhile our Careers Service can also offer advice on finding work during your studies.
Additional costs
In addition to your tuition fees, you'll be responsible for any additional costs associated with your course, such as buying stationery and paying for photocopying. You can find out more about what you need to budget for on our study costs page.
There may also be specific additional costs associated with your programme. This can include things like paying for field trips or specialist materials for your assignments. Please check the programme specification for more information.
How to apply
Apply directly to Goldsmiths using our online application system
You apply directly to Goldsmiths using our online application system.
Before submitting your application you’ll need to have:
- Details of your academic qualifications
- The email address of your referee who we can request a reference from, or alternatively a copy of your academic reference
- Copies of your educational transcripts or certificates
- A personal statement – this can either be uploaded as a Word Document or PDF, or completed online. As well as telling us about your own interests and ambitions, please include in your personal statement why you want to study this particular programme at Goldsmiths in the School of Media, Communications and Cultural Studies. What are the particular parts of the programme that interest you? Which staff research area are you most interested in? Please also see our guidance on writing a postgraduate statement
You'll be able to save your progress at any point and return to your application by logging in using your username/email and password.
When to apply
We encourage you to complete your application as early as possible, even if you haven't finished your current programme of study. It's very common to be offered a place that is conditional on you achieving a particular qualification. Late applications will only be considered if there are spaces available.
Find out more about applying.
Careers
Where this degree can take you
This programme is a great foundation to progress to PhD level studies, and go into practical work – in the creative industries and in NGOs in a great number of countries.
Find out more about employability at Goldsmiths.
Skills
High-level knowledge of cultural research; transferable skills within social and critical theory, aesthetics and performance, communication and multimedia; ethnography skills; critical appreciation of current debates in the media, the culture industries and the wider contemporary cultural environment.
