Master of Arts in Applied Anthropology and Community Development

at Goldsmiths, University of London United Kingdom

Combine the study of literature with the practice of creative writing. You’ll graduate with the ability to be informed and curious about literature, and with the imagination to turn that curiosity into creativity.

This flexible programme allows you to choose topics related to American literature and culture, comparisons of literature across different cultures and art forms (also known as Comparative Literature), and study diverse aspects of language use in linguistics modules. Your literary and creative studies will be supported by lectures and seminars which will give you practical advice to help you improve your essay writing and refine your research strategies.

Why study BA English with Creative Writing at Goldsmiths?

• You’ll read key literary texts, and experiment with writing prose and poetry. By the end of the creative writing degree you’ll have uncovered your written style and developed an extensive portfolio of creative work.
• We’re based in London, a city that’s full of literary inspiration. Take a look at English student Samantha’s favourite places to write.
• Our alumni have gone on to win prestigious awards including the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature, the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year, the European Union Prize for Literature, and the Dylan Thomas Prize. One of our alumni, Sophie Collins, was awarded a Fellowship by the Royal Society of Literature as part of its inaugural 40 Under 40 scheme in 2018.
• We’re regularly visited by literary guest speakers. Recent visitors have included Ali Smith, Nikesh Shukla, Michael Rosen, Eimear McBride and Howard Jacobson.
• We host an annual literary award – the Goldsmiths Prize – that celebrates work that pushes the boundaries of the novel.

This programme introduces you to recent debates on gender in the disciplines of sociology and media, as well as to the interdisciplinary domains of feminist social and cultural theory. There are a range of topic choices available, including: embodiment, feminist methods, media and sexuality, and postcolonialism.

Why study MA Gender, Media and Culture at Goldsmiths?

• You'll be taught by experts in the Department of Sociology and Department of Media, Communications and Cultural Studies, as well as the Centre for Feminist Research (CFR).
• You’ll develop cutting-edge critical skills in relation to cultural approaches to gender formation and gender theory.
• The degree will provide you with a solid understanding of the importance of epistemology and methodology for the evaluation of empirical investigations of gender formations.
• You’ll be introduced to, and trained in, the key socio-cultural methods for the study of gender in the contemporary world, including methods for the study of visual culture, the body and affect, and memory.
• You’ll benefit from tailored supervision in the development of a research project on a specific topic.
• As an interdisciplinary degree, this programme draws from a range of areas, including sociology, media and communications, humanities, science and technology studies, and philosophy.
• You’ll become part of a lively research environment in a politically active university.

The programme offers the possibility of engagement with the study of the cultural sector in developing and managing tourism and hospitality.

Cultural policies designed to support the arts sectors to enhance high value added tourism and to increase lengths of stay and repeat visits are increasingly being adopted by governments worldwide with the support of the tourism and hospitality sector.

This degree applies to those wishing to work in the arts and tourism sectors or perhaps in galleries and theatres associated with the hospitality sector. It is also for art practitioners and cultural professionals who wish to develop careers involving cultural tourism, cultural policy, culture-led regeneration and destination, city and country branding. It is also relevant to work in NGOs or the cultural policy arms of government and intra-governmental organisations and consultancies.

Develop your digital production skills, and combine them with key anthropological concepts. The BA Anthropology & Visual Practice programme helps develop your understanding of contemporary cultural issues, as well as your practical skills in both research methods and visual practice.

Why study BA Anthropology & Visual Practice at Goldsmiths?

• This programme approaches anthropology from a fresh angle that differs from the 'traditional anthropology' taught at other institutions.
• You’ll receive hands-on training in a range of digital production skills, such as editing, videography, and photography. These new skills will complement your theoretical study, and prepare you for vocational opportunities when you graduate.
• You’ll have the opportunity to investigate anthropology in relation to politics, religion, knowledge, philosophy and psychology – and you’ll learn to apply an interdisciplinary perspective to your work.
• Examine anthropology from a contemporary perspective – what you learn in the classroom will be relevant in a variety of public domains, in Britain, and around the world.
• You'll explore links between theoretical issues and ethnographic studies, enabling you to think critically about your own culture and society, and to apply knowledge learned in lectures to your everyday life.
• Our graduates have gone on to work for the UN, World Bank, NGOs, law companies, media companies and corporate social responsibility (CSR) consultancies, while others have gone on to pursue academic careers.

This pioneering Masters offers interdisciplinary perspectives on international performance, and aims to understand performance in relation to the culture to which it contributes.

Why study MA Performance and Culture at Goldsmiths?

• The programme takes in diverse forms of theatre, including multicultural and street theatre, and practices such as:
  • Performance art
  • Dance
  • Ritual
  • Site-specific performance
  • A wide range of hybrid forms
• You will explore performance as a sociocultural process, using analytical principles from sociology, cultural theory, anthropology, history, philosophy, politics and theatre and performance.
• We have numerous links, locally and internationally, with a wide variety of theatres, companies and performers, all of which enhance your research possibilities.
• The programme will provide you with the appropriate categories of thought and methodological procedures for analysing, understanding and explaining performance processes as sociocultural practices: how and why they emerge from specific sociocultural and historical time place and space.

This distinctive degree supports your individual concerns and development and enables you to navigate your way through theory and practice, various fine art media, and thematic strands within the study of art history and visual cultures.

Why study BA Fine Art and History of Art at Goldsmiths?

• You’ll gain the expertise that will help you develop independent thought and confidence in your practice, as well as transferable skills suitable for employment in the creative industries.
• Studying both the theory and practice of fine art means you’ll be able to take a critical approach to your work and think about it in the wider context of art history.
• We're renowned for our strengths in the creative and visual arts, as well as humanities subjects, so you'll be able to benefit from this wide-ranging expertise.
• We're ranked 15th in the world for art and design (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2021).
• Staff on the programme are practising artists, curators, academics and writers, here to help you develop your practice, focus your research and respond to the work that you make.
• Our teaching takes advantage of the many galleries, art spaces, museums, cultural facilities and specialist libraries in London and on campus you'll have access to a studio space and excellent facilities including specialist art practice areas, as well as the newly opened Goldsmiths Centre of Contemporary Art.
• Invited artists, curators, gallerists, administrators and funders will provide you with specialist advice and further information to complement your studies and prepare you for professional life after graduation.

The BA Anthropology & Media programme combines anthropological and communications theories to provide you with a better understanding of cultural diversity, and a critical knowledge of communication processes.

Why study BA Anthropology and Media at Goldsmiths?

• You'll be taught by some of the leading names in anthropology, media, communications and cultural studies. And you'll have access to industry-standard practice facilities.
• You'll receive a solid grounding in anthropological methodology and practice, and in key media debates including representation, and symbolism. Most importantly, you'll learn how to apply these insights to the contemporary world.
• You'll develop the practical and transferable skills to help you find a career in media or anthropology – our recent graduates are now working as news readers, editors, journalists, producers, and photographers.
• You’ll be able to specialise and design your own learning experience in third year, choosing four Anthropology modules, and two Media, Communications, and Cultural Studies (MCCS) modules.
• We regularly host industry debates and talks by international figures; recent guests have included Danny Boyle, Gurinder Chadha and Noel Clark.

This is a pathway of the MA Applied Anthropology & Community and Youth Work, aimed both at international applicants who may not need a British National Youth Agency qualification and those who want to become specialists in community development.
This MA is a second pathway to the MA Applied Anthropology and Community and Youth Work. It was launched in 2012 as an option for international or home students who do not need an National Youth Agency qualification and for those who want to specialise in community development. A third pathway, the MA Applied Anthropology and Community Arts started in 2015.

The three pathways entail different placements but are taught together, providing much opportunity for exchange of ideas and collaboration amongst students.

History is a relevant, dynamic, fascinating, and important field of study which, at Goldsmiths, is approached in creative, innovative, and exciting ways.

History - the study, analysis and understanding of the past - is as important today as it has ever been and it continues to make vital contributions to how we comprehend and interact with the world around us.

Understanding past societies fosters emotional intelligence and allows us to appreciate the diversity and adaptability of human life. Understanding our pasts can help us to shape our futures and, crucially, help us shape those futures intelligently, insightfully, fairly, and with compassion. History is here and now as well as being there and then.

Students studying History at Goldsmiths have a great deal of choice over what to study, beginning with options in Year One. Our geographic scope covers Europe (including significant British expertise), the Americas, Asia and Africa. Chronologically, we have a strong focus on early modern and modern history, while also covering earlier periods.

Why study BA History at Goldsmiths?

• We are exciting and challenging: our innovative interdisciplinary approaches to the subject encourage our students to approach and explore the past thematically rather than chronologically and we venture into issues, areas and topics that are often overlooked.
• We are global: our international body of staff research and deliver modules covering a wide geographical range including Asia, Africa, the Americas, the British Isles, Eastern and Western Europe, and the Middle East.
• We excel in what we do: our academic staff are nationally and internationally recognised award-winning experts in their fields, they are at the forefront of research excellence and research-led teaching.
• We put you first: our students are always our top priority and our staff are excellent educators who foster independent and progressive thinking in challenging but supportive environments.
• We broaden minds: history stimulates critical and analytical thinking and, at Goldsmiths, we also encourage creative and imaginative thinking that takes our students beyond the traditional boundaries of the subject.
• We think about your future: alongside intellectual and personal development we equip our students with the skills and experience they need to progress into a rewarding career. This might be through our History in Practice work-placement module or through other career-orientated opportunities and forms of assessment.

Bringing together media practice and communications theory, this degree covers a broad spectrum of critical perspectives on the media, and will introduce you to a range of contemporary media practices.

Why study BA Media and Communications at Goldsmiths?

• You will study in one of the UK's and the world's top media and communications departments.
• You'll be taught by leading names in media, communications and cultural studies.
• We concentrate on high quality lectures and small group work, and all our teaching takes place on one purpose-built site.
• On practice modules you'll be taught by industry professionals engaged in TV, film, journalism, radio, photography, scriptwriting, short fiction, illustration, interactive media and animation.
• You'll have access to industry-standard practice facilities, including TV/film, radio and photography studios, digital video and audio editing suites, and animation software and hardware.
• Our close links to the media industry bring you into regular contact with media professionals. You will have the opportunity to apply for an internship in the media as part of the course.
• We regularly host debates and talks by international figures in media and cultural research and the media industry; recent guests have included Danny Boyle, Gurinder Chadha and Noel Clark.
• You'll be taught alongside students from all over the world and with diverse cultural experiences that enrich the department and the learning experience.
• You'll develop skills that you can use throughout your career whether in the media industries or elsewhere. Our recent graduates are now working as television producers, news readers, editors, journalists... Others have gone into a whole range of careers such as research, teaching and law.
• We're ranked third in the UK for the quality and impact of our research (Research Excellence Framework), which means that by studying in the department you'll be working alongside academics who are leaders in their fields.