MPHIL IN
CULTURAL
STUDIES

  • The Department of Cultural Studies offers an MPhil in Cultural Studies. This programme aims to balance theoretical issues and debates in Cultural Studies with conceptual and analytical aspects of both visual and material culture. It provides students with an opportunity to examine the concept of “culture” in its many facets through time, developing analytical and critical tools to formulate new and revealing readings of Pakistani society.

    Through a combination of coursework and independent research, the MPhil programme offers students a broad and rigorous education in the analysis of culture, comprehension and the use of the past and its integration into contemporary art and cultural forms. Students will be introduced to the exploration of the Pakistani cultural realm as a critical channel to address questions of identity politics, globalization, development, religion, the inter-cultural role of heritage, museums and art.
  • AIM AND OBJECTIVES

    To create scholars and practitioners in the field of cultural studies with a focus on visual and material culture, heritage, arts, and museum studies. Through focused analytical and critical theoretical tools, students will gain a deeper understanding of the contemporary cultural realm by critically examining intellectual moments and debates around identity, gender politics, and globalization.

    • To develop a body of scholarship and research in the discipline of Cultural Studies in Pakistan.
    • To theorize the forces that shape the lived reality of 21st century Pakistan.
    • To sensitize institutions and professionals in the domains of art and culture, public service, media, academia, and museums.
    • To provide deep and multilayered understanding of cultural heritage supplemented by research and analytical skills.

    The MPhil in Cultural Studies is designed for students whose interests cut across traditional modes of study in the arts, humanities and social sciences and who seek to understand the meanings of the past in our contemporary culture. Course requirements are designed to build competence in interdisciplinary cultural studies theory and practice, simultaneously allowing students to develop disciplinary fluency in a particular subfield.


PROGRAMME
STRUCTURE













Total Number of Credits 36
Taught Subjects (Credits) 30
Thesis (Research & Design Credits) 06
Total Number of Semesters 04
Semester Duration 18 Weeks
Classwork 16 Weeks
Testing and Evaluation 02 Weeks
Course Load /Semester 9-12 Credits


SCHEME OF
STUDIES














Semester 1

Course Code Courses Contact Hours Studio / Theory Credit Hours
CULTS-5101 Cultural Studies I 3 Theory 3
CULTS-5102 Global Ideas and Theories I 3 Theory 3
CULTS-5103 Academic Writing 2 Theory 2
CULTS-5104 South Asian Visual Culture 2 Theory 2
Total 10

Semester 2

Course Code Courses Contact Hours Studio / Theory Credit Hours
CULTS-5201 Cultural Studies II 3 Theory 3
CULTS-5202 Global Ideas and Theories II 3 Theory 3
CULTS-5203 Research Methods and Writing 3 Theory 3
CULTS-5204 South Asian Material Culture 2 Theory 2
Total 11

Semester 3

Course Code Courses Contact Hours Studio / Theory Credit Hours
CULTS- 6101 Cultural Studies III 3 Theory 3
CULTS- 6102 Proposal Writing 2 Theory 2
CULTS- 6103 Elective 2 Theory 2
CULTS- 6104 Elective 2 Theory 2
Total 9

Semester 4

Course Code Courses Credit Hours
1 Cultural Studies Thesis 6
Total 6
  • Cultural Studies I, II, & III

    This course brings together some of the foundational elements of cultural theory and cultural studies with the aim of acquainting students with an interdisciplinary perspective that views culture as an unfinished project, where engaging with culture is a critical practice with a “democratizing intent.”
  • Global Ideas and Theories I & II

    This course will expose students to salient texts and ideas that have laid the foundation for the critical discourse of culture and society. Students would learn to grasp the theoretical underpinnings of the modern mind by placing influential ideas and systems of thought in cultural and historical contexts.
  • South Asian Material Culture

    The course will provide a critical and deeper understanding of material culture and its narrative in South Asia. The students will explore the complexities and dilemmas of materiality for a newer understanding of ‘material as culture’ or the culture of material. Personal collections, archives, language (text) and places will be introspected as case studies. Various art forms and sites will be examined in light of their cultural, political and socioeconomic context, as well as stylistic development and the emergence of new ideas.
  • SOUTH ASIAN VISUAL CULTURE

    The course provides a critical insight to the South Asian visual culture. The course will act as comprehensive guide for the students of the South Asian visual culture during and after colonization. All art form sites will be examined in light of their cultural, political ad socie-economic context, as well as stylistic developments and the emergence of new ideas.
  • Research Methodology and Writing

    The course intends to provide students with tools and techniques to carry out a variety of data collection, analyses and interpretation as may be useful when developing a social sciences/humanities research project.
  • Academic Writing

    Students will be introduced to the fundamental aspects of academic writing. This course will teach students to apply the tools of academic writing to express complex ideas and to study different writing approaches in academia.
  • Proposal Writing

    This course guides students through the process of identifying a thesis topic, designing an approach and research plan, and writing a research proposal for their theses. Regular peer workshops aid the students in editing their own drafts as well as providing a critical outlook on the work of their peers.
  • Thesis Research and Writing

    Students undertake independent research and writing on a topic of their choice with the supervision of the programme’s faculty.


ELIGIBILITY
CRITERIA













  • • Applicants with minimum 16 years of education or equivalent qualification in the relevant fields with minimum 60% marks from HEC recognized institute are eligible to apply.
    • Candidates must pass NCA’s own aptitude test at par with GAT.
    The MPhil Programme in Cultural Studies is ideally suited for individuals witha proven interest in investigating, analyzing and writing about visual culturein the contemporary and the historical context and in its many forms.
  • CANDIDATES FOR ADMISSION MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:

    Completion of 16 years of education or 4 year education (124 credit hours) after HSSC/F.A./F.Sc/Grade12 or equivalent will be required for admission in the MPhil.

    • Submission of relevant published or unpublished written work, or research in other media.
    • Submission of personal statement and research proposal showing aspirations and future goals of the candidate.
    • Evidence of excellence in theoretical courses during their previous studies.
    • Passing a written aptitude test at par with GAT (Subject) to demonstrate ability of comprehension and written expression of both visual and textual.
    • Appearance for an interview before the admissions committee.


FACULTY












Prof. Dr. Farida Batool

Programme Director
BFA.NCA
Master (Research) in Art History and Theory, University of New South Wales, Australia
PhD Media and Film Studies, School
of Oriental and African Studies,UK

Dr. Shaila Bhatti

Associate Professor
BSc (Hons) Anthropology University College, London, UK
MA Museum Anthropology, University College London, UK
PhD Anthropology University College, London, UK

Amina Ejaz

Assistant Professor
BSc (Hons) Political Science LUMS, Lahore
MA History of Art Theory and Display University of Edinburgh, UK

Zohreen Murtaza

Lecturer
BFA, NCA
MA (Hons.) Visual Art National College of Arts, Lahore

Gul Mehreen Rehman

Lecturer
BSc. (Hons) Anthropology / Sociology, LUMS, Lahore
MA Anthropology of Media
SOAS University of London

Ghazala Raees

Lecturer
B.Des, NCA
MA Critical Media and Cultural Studies SOAS, University of London, UK

Sehr Jalil

Lecturer
BFA, NCA
MA (Hons.) Visual Art National College of Arts, Lahore

Ammara Khalid

Lecturer
B.A. LCWU, Lahore
MA Mass Communication LCWU, Lahore
MPhil Communication Studies, Punjab University, Lahore

Mobeena Shafqat

Lecturer
M.A South Asian Studies. Columbia University, USA
B.A English Literature,
B. A History,
F.C. College, Lahore



ADJUNCT FACULTY

Dr. Ayesha Pamela Rogers
Visiting Professor
MA, Archaeology and Ancient
History, University of Birmingham, UK
PhD, Archaeology, Institute of Archaeology,
University College London, UK

Dr. Wasim Jurgen Frembgen
Adjunct Professor at the Institute of Near
and Middle Eastern Studies, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich.

Dr. Anna Suvorova
Professor of Indo-Islamic Culture Columbia
University, Department of Asian Literature

Dr. Dina Bangdel
Director, Art History
VCU Qatar, and Virginia
Commonwealth University, USA

Richard Engelhardt
Honorary UNESCO Chair Holder
MA/PhD, Anthropology and Archaeology, Harvard University, USA

Professor Christopher Pinney
Professor of Anthropology and Visual
Culture, University College London, UK

Awais Mehmood
MPhil in Philosophy GC University, Lahore

Masooma Syed
M.A Visual Arts, NCA, Lahore





Admissions


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