Chinese Cultural Studies pathway (Modern Languages MLitt) 2022 entry
Explore the cultural creativity of the Chinese-speaking world in the 20th and 21st centuries in its many representations, including visual arts, language and literature. You will also learn the specialist methodologies and critical skills necessary for conducting research in this field.
The Chinese Cultural Studies programme is one of the available pathways on the Modern Languages MLitt programme.
Key information
Course type
Postgraduate, leading to a Master of Letters (MLitt) in Modern Languages
Course dates
- Start date: 5 September 2022
- End date: 30 September 2023
You can find information about all programmes from previous years of entry in the archive.
Course duration
One year full time or two years part time
Entry requirements
- A 2.1 Honours undergraduate degree in Chinese Studies or a related field. If you studied your first degree outside the UK, see the international entry requirements.
- English language proficiency. See English language tests and qualifications.
The qualifications listed are indicative minimum requirements for entry. Some academic Schools will ask applicants to achieve significantly higher marks than the minimum. Obtaining the listed entry requirements will not guarantee you a place, as the University considers all aspects of every application including, where applicable, the writing sample, personal statement, and supporting documents.
Who is this programme for?
This course is for those who have previously studied Chinese Studies or similar fields. Typically, you should be able to understand 3,000 Chinese characters.
Tuition fees
Home: £10,395
Overseas: £21,390
Application deadline
Thursday 11 August 2022. Applicants should apply as early as possible to be eligible for certain scholarships and for international visa purposes.
Application requirements
- CV or résumé. This should include your personal details with a history of your education and employment to date.
- personal statement
- sample of your own, single-authored academic written work (2,000 words)
- two original signed academic references
- academic transcripts and degree certificates
- evidence of English language proficiency (required if English is not your first language).
For more guidance, see supporting documents and references for postgraduate taught programmes.
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Course information
Chinese Cultural Studies is a one-year taught programme run by the School of Modern Languages. In this course, you will further your knowledge of the cultural creativity of the Chinese-speaking world of the 20th and 21st centuries.
You will work on literary, visual, and other cultural representations and critiques of modern and contemporary issues such as:
- ecology
- gender and sexuality
- minority ethnicities
- creative liberties.
You will acquire the specialist methodological and critical theoretical skills and knowledge necessary for conducting research on these globally important issues in the context of the cultural expression of the Chinese-speaking world and its diaspora.
Chinese Studies is a pathway on the Modern Languages MLitt programme.
Teaching format
The School promotes discipline-specific and collaborative teaching and learning so that students may explore their own particular interests in greater depth and breadth.
Classes are delivered through a mixture of lectures, seminars and tutorials. Classes are intentionally small, with many being one-to-one or in very small groups. Lectures are usually in groups of up to 20. Modules are assessed through coursework, and there are no final exams.
Modules
The modules in this programme have varying methods of delivery and assessment. For more details of each module, including weekly contact hours, teaching methods and assessment, please see the latest module catalogue which is for the 2021–2022 academic year; some elements may be subject to change for 2022 entry.
Students on the Chinese Cultural Studies pathway will take the following compulsory modules:
- Research Methods for Chinese Cultural Studies: is intended to train the student in the Chinese-language and other China-specific research tools and methods necessary to conduct research in modern Chinese Cultural Studies.
- The Cultural Creation of China the nation-state: from Qing decline to 21st-century spectacular power: examines the creation and frequent re-invention of China-the-nation-state through language, literature and culture in its widest sense, and focuses on the imbrication of politics and culture from the mid-19th century to the present day. Texts studied will be drawn from poetry, fiction, film, television, and popular music.
- EcoArts China: Art in the age of the Anthropocene: explores the dynamics of ecocriticism in China from the early 20th century to the present day through the lens of art, visual culture and film. We will explore the environmental impact of economic liberalization, urbanization and globalization as well as the historical complexity of changing conceptions of nature, landscape and space.
- Cultural Expression in the Chinese Diaspora: addresses literary and visual texts and practices created outside of China by migrants and their descendants. The module will introduce the historical context of a migration that was brought about by Western aggression against what was not yet China the nation-state which resulted in a Chinese diaspora that today extends to all five continents.
Student dissertations will be supervised by members of the teaching staff who will advise on the choice of subject and provide guidance throughout the research process. The completed dissertation of not more than 15,000 words must be submitted by a date specified in August.
If students choose not to complete the dissertation requirement for the MLitt, there are exit awards available that allow suitably qualified candidates to receive a Postgraduate Diploma. By choosing an exit award, you will finish your degree at the end of the second semester of study and, assuming you have attained appropriate grades, receive a PGDip instead of an MLitt.
The modules listed here are indicative, and there is no guarantee they will run for 2022 entry. Take a look at the most up-to-date modules in the module catalogue.
Postgraduate study in the School of Modern Languages
The School of Modern Languages is the largest modern languages department in Scotland and one of the largest in the UK.
The School is distinguished by the breadth of its research which spans language, literary, and cultural studies across eight distinct language areas – Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Persian, Russian, and Spanish – but also a range of cultural-historical epochs from the middle ages to the present day. This expertise is complemented by the School’s comparative literature scholarship.
The School hosts a year-round programme of research seminars which postgraduates are invited to attend. Opportunities to engage with the School’s wider research community are also provided through its four research centres and institutes and its highly successful Byre World series, an annual programme of events bringing modern languages and cultural studies research to the local community.
Funding
Scholarships
Scholarships are designed to help students support themselves during their studies. Find out more about postgraduate scholarships.
Postgraduate loans
Loans are available for students who meet the residency and other criteria. Find out more about postgraduate loans.
Recent Graduate Discount
The University of St Andrews offers a 10% discount in postgraduate tuition fees to students who are eligible to graduate or who have graduated from St Andrews within the last three academic years and are starting a postgraduate programme with the University of St Andrews. Find out more about the Recent Graduate Discount.
After the MLitt
Research degrees
The MLitt provides academic learning and research skills training for students intending to continue to a doctoral or other research degree.
As well as the PhD degree, the School of Modern Languages offers supervision for two research-based Masters degrees – the Master of Studies by Research (MSt (Res)) and the Master of Philosophy (MPhil).
Careers
Alongside your academic learning, you will develop your broader capabilities and employability. All Masters students have access to the Professional Skills Curriculum, a flexible programme of workshops, lectures, and online materials to help you develop your personal and professional skills.
The School also works closely with the University Careers Centre to provides Masters students with careers advice and support, including advice for those who intend to continue to a doctoral degree.
Graduates have gone on to careers in fields including:
- consulting
- energy resource management
- international development
- journalism
- UN interpreting
- public policy
- publishing
- the civil and diplomatic services
- University academics and administrators.
Contact
School of Modern Languages
University of St Andrews
Buchanan Building
Union Street
St Andrews
KY16 9PH
Phone: +44 (0)1334 46 3670
Email: modlangs@st-andrews.ac.uk
Policies
Admission to the University of St Andrews is governed by our admissions policy.
Information about all programmes from previous years of entry can be found in the archive.
Curriculum development
As a research intensive institution, the University ensures that its teaching references the research interests of its staff, which may change from time to time. As a result, programmes are regularly reviewed with the aim of enhancing students' learning experience. Our approach to course revision is described online.
Tuition fees
The University will clarify compulsory fees and charges it requires any student to pay at the time of offer. The offer will also clarify conditions for any variation of fees. The University’s approach to fee setting is described online.