Course information
Department
Length
3-4 years full-time or 4-6 years part-time
Course overview
On this programme we interrupt theory with practice, and practice with theory – we aim to engage you, intellectually and critically, and with enthusiasm, in a cultural studies project that questions everything.
The MPhil/PhD programme offers an interdisciplinary approach to the study of culture. We'll introduce you to a wide variety of perspectives and traditions, animated via a creative interface between disciplines.
You'll develop a fundamental grounding in social and cultural theory, cultural studies and cultural research, as well as skills in ethnography, digital media, textual and audio-visual analysis.
The programme encourages you to deploy these methods to articulate your appreciation of crucial debates in the public domains of the media, the culture industries, formal and informal institutions, and in the wider contemporary cultural scene.
Many students write text-based theses, but approximately one third of our candidates produce theses that incorporate practical work in media and/or arts.
Contact the department
If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Shela Sheikh
Structure
Registration and study
Initially, you register for a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) programme to train you in the research methods you will need to complete a PhD.
You can apply to upgrade to PhD registration when you have satisfactorily completed an agreed part of the research and training programme; this usually happens after 18 months if you are studying full-time, or 24 months if part-time.
You should aim to complete and submit your PhD thesis within an agreed period, usually three to four years for full-time students, and four to six years for part-time.
If you decide not to upgrade to PhD registration, you can submit your thesis for an MPhil after two years if you are studying full-time, or after three years if part-time.
With the agreement of your supervisor, you can change your registration from full to part-time or vice versa; the necessary form is available from the Student Records Office.
North American applicants especially should note that the British system does not include preparatory taught classes or examinations as part of the MPhil/PhD programme, except for an initial module in research methods.
Research supervision
Research students are normally co-supervised by one staff member from the centre and a staff member from the academic department whose expertise is best suited to your needs.
Often one supervisor will see you for a term or two and then the other co-supervisor will take over for an extended period, depending on the sort of work you are undertaking at the particular point in time.
Some students are single-supervised by a member of the Centre's staff. In cases of co-supervision, you will normally meet with one co-supervisor at a time.
You'll be able to draw on wide-ranging and interdisciplinary supervisory teams and if your thesis is partly by other media, specialist supervision will be provided. For example:
- A student of consumer culture might be supervised by a media studies analyst of material culture and a specialist in digital design
- A student investigating postcolonial cultural forms could be supervised by an art/architectural historian and an anthropologist versed in hybrid cultures in Brazil or India
- A student inquiring into performativity may have one supervisor who is an expert in theatre studies and another who is an expert in the sociology of the body
- An inquiry into the sources of European identity could be supervised by specialists in the history of English and European literatures
- A thesis presented through multimedia installation could be co-supervised by a practitioner from the Department of Art
Research topics are wide ranging; from the historical and comparative study of literature, art and architecture to the future of digital media and the informational city; from border cultures in Malaysia, Mexico or South London to the future of the self-organizing city; from philosophical considerations of Heidegger's idea of Technik, to empirical studies of new forms of work in the information society.
Research training
A College-wide programme of research training is provided, which involves an induction module (which all students should attend), introduction to information technologies and the use of library and bibliographic resources, basic training in qualitative and quantitative research methods, and sessions on research planning, presentation skills and ethics.
Find out more about research degrees at Goldsmiths.
Assessment
Written thesis and viva voce. It is possible to submit work in other media, by arrangement.
Entry requirements
You should normally have (or expect to be awarded) a taught Masters in cultural studies or in a related field with good results, especially in the dissertation.
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 of 7.0 with a 7.0 in writing 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, funding & scholarships
Find out more about tuition fees.
Find out more about funding opportunities for home/EU applicants, or funding for international applicants. If you're applying for funding, you may be subject to an application deadline.
How to apply
You apply directly to Goldsmiths using our online application system.
Before submitting your application you'll need to have:
- Details of your education history, including the dates of all exams/assessments
- The email address of your referee who we can request a reference from, or alternatively an electronic copy of your academic reference
- Contact details of a second referee
- A personal statement – this can either be uploaded as a Word Document or PDF, or completed online
Please see our guidance on writing a postgraduate statement
- If available, an electronic copy of your educational transcript (this is particularly important if you have studied outside of the UK, but isn’t mandatory)
- Details of your research proposal
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.
Before you apply for a research programme, we advise you to get in touch with the programme contact, listed above. It may also be possible to arrange an advisory meeting.
Before you start at Goldsmiths, the actual topic of your research has to be agreed with your proposed supervisor, who will be a member of staff active in your general field of research. The choice of topic may be influenced by the current research in the department or the requirements of an external funding body.
If you wish to study on a part-time basis, you should also indicate how many hours a week you intend to devote to research, whether this will be at evenings or weekends, and for how many hours each day.
Research proposals
Along with your application and academic reference, you should also upload a research proposal at the point of application.
This should be in the form of a statement of the proposed area of research and should include:
- delineation of the research topic
- why it has been chosen
- an initial hypothesis (if applicable)
- a brief list of major secondary sources
When to apply
We accept applications from October for students wanting to start the following September.
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 conditional on you achieving a particular qualification.
If you're applying for external funding from one of the Research Councils, make sure you submit your application by the deadline they've specified.
Selection process
Admission to many programmes is by interview, unless you live outside the UK. Occasionally we'll make candidates an offer of a place on the basis of their application and qualifications alone.
Find out more about applying.
Careers
Throughout the research degree you will develop skills in ethnography and cultural research, and be able to deploy these to articulate your appreciation of crucial debates in the public domains of the media, the culture industries, formal and informal institutions and in the wider contemporary cultural scene.
