About the Program
The Ph.D. Cultural Mediations program is designed to support work in cultural theory of the twentieth century and the analysis of a variety of cultural practices across and between the participating disciplines. The program addresses those issues in cultural theory of the twentieth century that inform interdisciplinary work today in literature, film, music, art and new media: the nature of the text and textuality; the nature of representation, interpretation, meaning and affect; cultural identity and hybridity; the role of technologies of production and reception; the formation of the subject and modes of subjectivity; the functioning of ideology; the meaning and ethics of cultural value. Specific works of literature, film and other cultural practices, including new media, will be studied in relation to questions of theory. There are four fields of study in the program: Literary Studies, Visual Culture, Musical Culture, Technology and Culture.
Academic Regulations
- See the General Regulations section of this Calendar.
- Doctoral students are required to obtain a grade of B- or better in each course counted toward the fulfillment of the requirements of the degree.
Admission Requirements
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The normal requirement for admission to the Ph.D. program in either a full-time or part-time capacity is an M.A. (or a recognized equivalent) in a discipline appropriate to the interdisciplinary strengths of the program.
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A GPA of 10.0 (A-) or better is required of course work completed at the Master's level.
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Appropriate disciplines might include English or French Literature, Art History, Film Studies, Music, Comparative Literature, Anthropology, Canadian Studies, Communication, Geography, History, Philosophy, Sociology, Gender Studies.
Program Requirements
Students admitted to the Ph.D. program in Cultural Mediations are required to complete a total of 10.0 credits as follows:
- 1.0 compulsory credit in CLMD 6101
- 1.0 credit from: CLMD 6102, CLMD 6103, CLMD 6104, CLMD 6105, CLMD 6106
- 0.5 compulsory credit in: CLMD 6900
- 1.0 additional credit
- 2.0 comprehensive credits
- 4.5 dissertation credits
Language Requirements
- Upon graduation, each student is expected to be proficient in one language (preferably French) in addition to English. Additionally, students will be expected to deal with all material that is their primary object of research in its original language. The graduate coordinator should be consulted about the fulfillment of language requirements.
Comprehensive Examinations
- Students are required to pass two written comprehensive examinations. Each comprehensive has a 1.0 credit value:
- The first comprehensive will be a general examination of the broad range of cultural theory of the twentieth century;
- The second comprehensive will be a discipline- specific examination from one of the following four areas of specialization chosen by the student:
- Literary Studies;
- Visual Culture;
- Musical Culture;
- New Technologies.
Thesis
- All students are required to complete a thesis in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree offered by the program. The thesis must be defended at an oral examination.
- All students will be required to prepare, present and defend a thesis proposal before proceeding to the writing of the thesis. The proposal will be discussed and defended before the members of the thesis advisory committee at an oral defense chaired by the graduate supervisor.
- The program appoints a doctoral thesis advisory committee, the chair of which shall be the student's thesis supervisor. The committee will consist of at least three members of the university faculty, at least two of whom will be core (or associate) faculty in the program. The advisory committee shall determine when a thesis may go forward for examination.
