The Master of Arts in Cultural Studies program at UWB is a 2-year interdisciplinary program that emphasizes theory and practice. Students take required core courses and cultural studies electives, completing a capstone project. The program takes an interdisciplinary approach and focuses on skills like research, critical thinking, and communication. Courses are offered in the evenings to accommodate working professionals. Graduates find careers in arts organizations, community development, research, and more.

1. Master of Arts in Cultural Studies
Information Session
www.uwb.edu/culturalstudies

2. Master of Arts in Cultural Studies
Educational Approach
Cultural Studies
An interdisciplinary field of scholar-practitioners
engaged in a reflexive, interactive study of
culture.
Master of Arts in Cultural Studies emphasizes
– Interdisciplinary study linking theory and
practice
– Community and project-based work
– Multiple forms of documentation and project
development
– An Interdisciplinary approach - faculty in the
arts, humanities, social and natural
sciences
– Liberal arts skills: research, critical
thinking, communication
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3. Master of Arts in Cultural Studies
Course Sequence
Autumn Winter Spring
Year one BCULST 500 (10 cr.) BCULST 501 (5 cr.) BCULST 502 (5 cr.)
Formations of Cultural Cultural Studies Cultural Studies as
Studies Research Practices Collaboration
Cultural Studies Cultural Studies
Elective (5 credits) Elective (5 credits)
Year two BCULST 510 (5 cr.) BCULST 511 (5 cr.) BCULST 512 (10 cr.)
Capstone Design and Capstone Research Capstone
Portfolio Seminar and Portfolio Seminar Presentation and
Portfolio Seminar
Cultural Studies Cultural Studies
Elective (5 credits) Elective (5 credits)
60 credits of course work and related degree requirements:
• 40 credits – Required core curriculum 3
• 20 credits – Cultural Studies electives

4. Master of Arts in Cultural Studies
Research Areas
Areas of focus: Examples of Recent Student
Research:
• Avant-garde Literature • Inequality • Performance-based research on
intimacy among adults with
• Class Issues • New Social Movements intellectual disabilities
• Communication • Performance in Music
• Participatory action research
• Conflicts/Tensions • Performance in Theater developed with Gay-Straight Alliances
• Cultural Anthropology • Post-Colonial Studies in regional high schools
• Culture and Power • Queer Issues • Collaborative research on the role of
• Current Politics • Race arts in civic engagement in Brazil
• Environmental Theory • Sexual Theories • Ethnographic research about
homelessness and homelessness
• Ethnicity • Social Justice
activism in the Seattle region
• Film Studies • Social Power
• Dramatic production: "Nietzsche! The
• Gender Studies • Subjectivity Musical (Antichrist, Superstar)"
• Globalization • Women Studies • Auto-ethnographic research on sex
• Identity and Representation work and sex workers in the academy
• Textual and ethnographic research on
youth, activism, and media literacy
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5. Master of Arts in Cultural Studies
Career Development
Cultural practice careers in Examples of Arts and Cultural Organizations
social, cultural, and arts
organizations •826 Seattle
•911 Media Arts
• Community development •Cultural Studies Association U.S.
•Cultural, Communication, and Media Studies,
• Program-building UKZN
• Community-based arts •Curriculum for the Bioregion
•Imagining America
• Grant writing •Northshore Family Center
• Research •Northshore YMCA
•Panama Hotel
• Advanced degree opportunities •Pat Graney Company
•Placing the Humanities
•Powerful Voices
Cultural Studies Career •Richard Hugo House
•Safe Schools Coalition
Development Support •SCAN TV
• Community-based learning •Seattle City Club
•Tent City
• Community Relations Manager •The September Project
•Tulalip Tribes Cultural Resources
• Career workshops and events •Wing Luke Asian Museum
• Job and internship listings
• Portfolio
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6. Master of Arts in Cultural Studies
Core Faculty
• Bruce Burgett: Director and Professor
• American Studies, Cultural Studies, Gender and Queer Studies, Critical Race Studies, Public Culture
• Ben Gardner: Assistant Professor
• Global, Cultural and Environmental Politics, Africa, Development, Cultural Geography
• Susan Harewood: Assistant Professor
• Communication Studies, Caribbean Studies, Cultural Studies
• Jeanne Heuving: Professor
• Cultural Studies, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Cross Genre Writing
• Kanta Kochhar-Lindgren: Associate Professor
• Performance Studies, Disability Studies, Cross-Cultural Performance, Creativity
• Ron Krabill: Associate Professor
• Social Movements, Media, Postcolonial Studies, Southern Africa
• Kari Lerum: Associate Professor
• Adjunct Professor (Women Studies, UWS)
• Gender, Sexuality, Organizations, Culture, Visual Studies
• Julie Shayne: Lecturer
• Feminism and Revolution in Latin America, Social Movements and Culture, Political Exile, Diaspora, and
Critical Development Studies
• Eric Stewart: Assistant Professor
• Community Psychology, Prevention and Promotion, Theories of Change, Queers, Cultural History of
HIV/AIDS, Research Methods
(Affiliate faculty listed on the program web site). 6

7. Master of Arts in Cultural Studies
Application Materials
• An application to the Graduate School and
$75 application fee
• A letter of application
• A current resume or curriculum vitae
• 3 letters of reference (including one
academic)
• Writing sample
• All official transcripts from prior academic
work.
• [Optional] 1 - 2 items representative of your
best work. Items may include an additional
writing sample, your media or creative
work, products of your research
activities, documentation of community-
based or activist projects in which you have
played a central role, or any other materials
that you consider relevant to your 7
application.

8. Master of Arts in Cultural Studies
Summary of Benefits
• Interdisciplinary Master of • Twice a week evening
Arts degree emphasizes classes offer scheduling
academic skills and flexibility for working
collaboration, and practical professionals
application • Cohort model builds a
• Low student-faculty ratio resource network
• Graduate Computer Lab
• 2004 Excellence in and study area
Academic Libraries Award-
winner, UW library with
dedicated librarian
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9. Thank You!
Call us at 425-352-3406
Or email us at
culturalstudies@uwb.edu
www.uwb.edu/culturalstudies
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