Chanakya University > Majors > Cultural Studies

Cultural Studies

School
Program

Eligibility Criteria  

  • Candidates from any stream i.e., humanities / sciences / engineering / management etc can apply.
  • Candidates with 4 years Bachelors are eligible directly.
  • Candidates with 3 years bachelors, must show additional experience or skill set to qualify for the course. They are expected to acquire additional credits by the end of 2 years completion.
  • The candidate must have a minimum of 55% or 2.2 GPA or equivalent grade point in the UG program.
  • There is no specific age limit for the applicant.
  • Proficiency in any of the Indian languages is desirable. Additional training in any other traditional performance is also considered desirable.”

This transdisciplinary program in cultural studies aims to foster a dynamic dialogue among various cultures and actively examine their historical and global encounters. To prepare students in this field, the program will integrate diverse methods, theories, and best practices, catering to students from a range of disciplines, from Science and Technology to Social Sciences, Humanities, and Performing Arts. This course will immerse students in an academic environment dedicated to the serious scientific study of cultural differences, with a particular focus on Indian culture. This course inherently takes a comparative approach.

On one hand, this course addresses questions related to gender, class, race, identity, religion, and more, while on the other, it seeks to explore the challenges within social scientific research and its formation within a specific cultural context. It encourages students to contemplate the central question of what distinguishes cultural differences from psychological, sociological, or biological differences.

This program aims to challenge conventional paradigms within cultural studies, with the goal of empowering students to develop professionally, grounding their work in robust theory and ethical practices. It also nurtures their potential for careers in teaching and policymaking on an international scale.

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Programme Highlights

While many cultural studies programs offer courses that focus on areas such as media, gender, texts, etc. and their interpretations, what sets this program apart is its robust theoretical framework. This framework equips students with the ability to analyze colonialism as a pivotal historical moment, encouraging critical reflection on diverse experiences and fostering a deep understanding of human cultures in general, with a particular focus on Indian traditions. The methodology employed in this program will be a comparative approach, where culture is examined within the broader context of understanding, critiquing, and redefining human experiences. Students will develop the skill to discern what distinguishes cultural differences from other categories, be it sociological, psychological, biological, or any other type of difference.

Important components of the course

  1. Cultural studies and comparative methods
  2. Social, political, and historical studies
  3. Literary and performance studies
  4. Philosophical enquiry into religion, tradition, and culture
  5. Postcolonialism, orientalism and contemporary public discourse

This program consists of 4 components leading to 80 credits for MA degree. 20 credits of the total courses are dedicated to Chanakya Foundation course. 28 credits constitute the discipline courses, 16 credits constitute the interdisciplinary component and remaining 16 credits are dedicated to Research methods of which 8 credits are taught courses and remaining 8 credits are acquired through a dissertation.

Semester I  

No  Title of the Paper  Credits  
Discipline core  
1   Introduction to Cultural studies   4  
2  Comparative Studies of Cultures I  4  
3  Research Methods I: Introduction, Argumentation and Research skills  2  
Interdisciplinary  
4  Interdisciplinary I: Reconstructing the disciplines-History  2  
5  Orientalism, Postcolonialism and Indian Culture  2  

  

Semester II  

No  Title of the Paper  Credits  
Disciplinary core  
7  Colonialism, Cultural Difference and Indian Culture (Translation, Psychology, Caste System Studies and Law)  4  
8  Comparative Studies of Cultures II  4  
9  Research Methods II: Practice  

  

2  
Interdisciplinary  
10  Interdisciplinary II: Reconstructing the disciplines-Political science  2  
11  Public Discourse and Cultural Asymmetry   2  

  

Semester III  

No  Title of the Paper  Credits  
Disciplinary core  
13  Social Sciences, Indology and Image of India  4
14  Comparative Studies of Cultures III  4  
15  Dissertation I (Preparation)  4  
Interdisciplinary  
16  Interdisciplinary III (Reconstructing the disciplines-Sociology and Anthropology)  2  
17   Cultural Difference – Debates on Communalism, Secularism and Indian Culture  

  

2  

  

Semester IV  

No  Title of the Paper  Credits  
Disciplinary core  
19  History and Philosophy of Science  4 
20  Comparative Study of Cultures IV  4  
21  Dissertation II  4  
Interdisciplinary  
22  Interdisciplinary IV (Reconstructing the disciplines-Literature, Folklore & Aesthetics)  2  
23  Close Reading of Texts- Dharmashastra, Arthashastra, Upanishad, Gita and Bhakti  2  

The students will be employable in the following areas:

  • Researcher
  • Cultural Critic
  • Cultural Affairs Officer
  • Policy Analyst
  • Journalist, Media professional
  • Teacher, Academic
  • Publisher
  • Education Policy Designer / Analyst
  • NGO