Honours in Cultural Studies

To proceed to fourth year Honours in Cultural Studies students must have a credit average in Senior level Cultural Studies units (including cross-listed units) totalling at least 48 Senior Credit Points, one of which must be GCST2601 Introducing Media and Popular Culture.

The Honours year consists of: a 15000 word thesis on a topic devised by the student in consultation with a supervisor appointed by the department; a methods unit that provides training in thesis research and writing; a series of practical research skills workshops; and two research seminars chosen from a list that changes from semester to semester.

You apply to undertake Honours at the Faculty of Arts office and your Honours program must also be approved by the Honours co-ordinator. Download registration form here

Students taking Honours in Cultural Studies will enroll in the following units:

• GCST4101 Arguing the Point
• GCST4102 Research Skills
• GCST4111 Cultural Studies Honours Seminar A
• GCST4112 Cultural Studies Honours Seminar B
• GCST4113 Cultural Studies Honours Thesis A
• GCST4114 Cultural Studies Honours Thesis B
• GCST4115 Cultural Studies Honours Thesis C
• GCST4116 Cultural Studies Honours Thesis D

Philosophy in the Feminine
Coordinator: TBA

Gender, Media and Consumer Societies
Coordinator: Dr Jane Park

Modernism, Modernity and Modern Culture
Coordinator: Dr Natalya Lusty

Sport, Media and Gendered Cultures
Coordinator: TBA

Natures and Cultures of Bodies
Coordinator: Dr Ruth Barcan

Identity Place and Culture
Coordinator: tba

Debates in Cultural Studies
Coordinator: Dr Guy Redden

Honours students may elect to take one of the following summer and winter school units in place of one of the above seminar choices:

Teaching Society & Culture (Summer)
Coordinator: Ian Davis & Dr Jennifer Germon

Youth: Idea, Image, Culture (Winter)
Coordinator: tba

Mid-year entry is allowed for this degree, and it is also possible to take Honours part time.

Students may also apply to take joint Honours in Gender and Cultural Studies. Joint Honours students must take a specific set of seminar options – one in Gender Studies and one in Cultural Studies – but may do a thesis in one or both disciplines. For more information please contact the Honours coordinator.

Other joint Honours programs are also possible. In recent years, for example, Honours students in GCS have combined our Honours program with English, Media and Communications, Linguistics and disciplines from the School of Languages and Cultures.

Students need to pre-enrol for honours in person at the Faculty of Arts office. Current University of Sydney students moving on to fourth-year honours will have their eligibility for honours checked by the Faculty of Arts. All the applications that fulfil the published requirements for honours entry are forwarded to the department’s honours co-ordinator. The faculty will also refer to the department applications from students who haven’t completed all the prerequisites. In these cases, the department’s honours co-ordinator has some discretion to allow those students into the honours year. Students who want to do honours but have not fulfilled all the prerequisites should contact the honours co-ordinator as soon as possible.

If you are transferring from another university, or returning to studying at the University of Sydney after more than a semester away, the procedure is different. Students in this situation need to lodge an Honours Conversion form with the faculty office. PDF copies of this form are available from the honours co-ordinator or from the Faculty office. Before going to the faculty office, transfer students need to get the honours co-ordinator to approve and sign the form.

Students also need to register with the Department itself. Each student’s program of seminars and thesis topic must be approved by the honours co-ordinator, who will sign the student’s registration form. The completed form should be handed to the co-ordinator by Monday 1 December 2008. It’s possible to change your seminar choices before semester begins, but we do need an indication of what your program will be.