Culture and Society – (M.Sc.)

This programme covers the most significant recent developments in cultural theory and cultural research within a broad social sciences framework. It enables you to develop an interdisciplinary theoretical awareness, and then specialise in particular areas, leading to an original piece of research about a chosen aspect of the contemporary cultural field.

This programme is run by the Department of Sociology. This course offers the following benefits:

* The chance to study cultural theory and the sociology of culture at graduate level in the only specialist institution for the social sciences in the UK.
* Teaching by research active staff, who are renowned in their fields, across a wide range of cultural research, and located across a range of departments and institutes linked with the programme (Media and Communciations, Geography and Environment, the Cities Programme, Social Psychology, Anthropology, Gender and Information Systems).
* Core courses and optional courses involve teaching by LSE staff renowned for their expertise in the field of cultural research, including Don Slater (programme director), Ayona Datta (co-director), Nigel Dodd, Ros Gill, Sonia Livingstone, Andy Pratt, Richard Sennett, Raka Shome and Edgar Whitley. Together the research interests of these staff reflect an interdisciplinary range of approaches to the connections between culture, society, economy, and media within a broad social sciences framework.
* The chance to consolidate or extend your knowledge of cultural analysis through the programme's two term compulsory course in cultural theory and cultural forms, supplemented by a one term course in either social theory or media theory (to fit your specific interests).
* The opportunity to do empirical work in your dissertation into an aspect of cultural practice (whether cultural production or cultural consumption) or cultural theory.
* The chance to progress to a research degree (MPhil/PhD) following completion of your MSc, building particularly on the work of your dissertation.
* A higher degree in cultural research within a social science framework will provide you with a knowledge of how the 'cultural turn' has affected the social sciences, and skills in critical social understanding and techniques of social enquiry, that will enable you to develop insights into contemporary cultural forms and processes that have a solid basis in sociological analysis.