Notes to Future Students — Student Anastasija Kiake in conversation with Public Sandberg

CRITICAL STUDIES

The Critical Studies Department offers a two-year Master’s programme in critical thought and inquiry. The programme provides an open, interdisciplinary environment for the development of an independent research practice while giving students a rigorous grounding in contemporary critical theory and political thought. We are especially interested in forms of study and inquiry at odds with traditional academic frameworks, including practice-led research and experimental approaches to critical and speculative writing.

Over the course of their studies, participants have the possibility to pursue a self-initiated research project with great autonomy, working individually or collectively with our team of supervisors. Research projects are presented in a series of regular colloquia, which serve as spaces for collective discussion and exchange. Additionally, participants are provided with the support and resources for the development of collaborative projects related to their research, such as publications, screenings, or symposia.

Alongside the research trajectory, participants take part in an intensive programme of seminars, lectures, and workshops. This programme provides a thorough introduction to key debates in critical theory and continental philosophy, explores alternative modes of research and knowledge production, and supports participants in the development of a writing practice. In tandem with this, specific themes are addressed in depth during regular lectures and seminars by visiting speakers.

STRUCTURE

The Critical Studies curriculum is structured around weekly theory seminars, bi-weekly writing workshops, monthly guest talks and research colloquia, and tutorials with supervisors. In each of the three terms that comprise our academic year, the writing and theory courses focus on different themes and are taught by different core tutors. Classes are usually scheduled on three weekdays (currently, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays); alongside the scheduled classes, students work independently on coursework and their own research projects.

STUDENTS

Critical Studies welcomes applicants from a range of backgrounds, including writers, theorists, artists, activists, editors, curators, educators, and other cultural practitioners interested in exploring points of convergence between research, practice, and writing. Critical Studies explicitly welcomes applicants who want to diverge from a trajectory that they have previously embarked on, seeking an environment that offers space for further development and experimentation.