Syllabus for
MA (English and Cultural Studies)
Academic Year  (2023)

The MA English and Cultural Studies Programme has a blend of assessments, which are a mix of examinatons and creative submissions with a Viva Voce.

The Department of English and Cultural Studies is committed to promoting an intellectual climate of critical and creative ideation. It aims to inculcate among its students a critical mode of engaging with the world, with particular focus on forms of creative expression and representation. All the courses and programmes offered by the Department emphasize developing a nuanced understanding of one’s immediate contexts with the objective of inculcating a sense of social responsibility and active citizenship. The Department’s programmes are designed to facilitate holistic development by building academic, social, and professional competencies along with an ethical outlook. The department’s academic work began at the Bannerghatta Road Campus in May 2016. With academic programs that have been designed to provide a comprehensive learning environment through faculty members trained in institutions of various national and international repute, the department provides a holistic approach to engaging with language, literature and culture. The department promotes an intellectual climate of critical and creative ideation that aims to inculcate among its students a critical reading of the word and the world alike. It has geared its academic engagements towards moulding students into responsible and socially sensitive citizens through programs that are designed to facilitate holistic development. The academic programs seek to build academic, social and professional competencies along with an ethical outlook. The academic programs offered by the department are aligned with the University’s vision and mission. Offering programs at the undergraduate, postgraduate, and research levels, the core areas of inquiry range from domain in language and literature, to those in and around culture. Programmes currently offered include BA (English) and BA (English Honours); MA (English and Cultural Studies), and PhD (Cultural Studies). The Department of English and Cultural Studies (BGR Campus) has consistently worked towards evolving novel and pertinent learning environments that are highly learner-centric, firmly locating its academic exercises in our contemporary world. The courses, designed are a vibrant confluence of valuable engagements with disciplines including history, sociology, philosophy, linguistics, ethics, comparative literature and culture, among others. With faculty members having developed their expertise in a variety of fields including Gender Studies, Popular Culture, Postcolonial Studies, Fandom Studies, Screen Studies, Language Instruction, and Sociolinguistics among others, its academic exercises provide for immense scope for students to learn, unlearn, and relearn, and work towards more informed and effective social citizenship.

Vision: 

To enable a transformative learning experience through critical, creative and intellectual engagements. 

Mission: 

The Department of English and Cultural Studies works towards the advancement of knowledge through creative and critical modes of enquiry that would equip the student to be socially and ethically aware. We enable this awareness through an inclusive and transformative learning ecosystem in which learners can explore nuances of language, literature and culture. By promoting critical thinking, multicultural competence and respect for diverse perspectives, we aim to nurture a community of socially sensitive and empathetic individuals.

The Master of Arts programme in English and Cultural Studies aims to provide an interdisciplinary grounding in Cultural Studies and allied disciplines, including literature and linguistics. The courses offered provide a range of perspectives for understanding ‘culture’ and ‘cultural practices’ by addressing cross-cutting issues such as gender, professional ethics, human values, environment and sustainability through relevant theoretical frameworks as well as practice-based engagements including field-work. In addition, internships, public outputs and other forms of engaging with contexts beyond ‘texts’ help in development of academic and professional skills and enhance employability prospects. The programme includes areas pertinent to Publishing, Digital Humanities, Applied Linguistics, Practice Teaching, Popular Culture and Urban Mapping. The curriculum aims to create discursive spaces within as well as outside the classroom, encouraging learners to actively engage with local, regional, national and global needs. The programme places an emphasis on rigorous scholarly work as well as with more creative forms of shaping research outputs. In keeping with Christ University’s emphasis on academic excellence, the programme is up-to-date with contemporary pedagogies as well as curricular content. 

Programme Outcome/Programme Learning Goals/Programme Learning Outcome:

PO2: Develop an understanding of discourses related to contemporary social life and technologies such as ethics, privacy, surveillance, policy and citizenship through critical debates and discussions, simulations, peer engagements and activities.

PO3: Synthesize interdisciplinary approaches and perspectives for addressing issues of local, regional, national and global importance through critical and creative solution-oriented thinking in research-based assignments and community-based engagements. (GA: Academic excellence, Professional Excellence and Societal)

PO4: Generate research outputs that reflect a comprehensive understanding of research methodologies, approaches, and skills relevant to the discipline through participating and organizing seminars, conferences, workshops and Capstone Project. (GA: Academic and Professional Excellence)

PO5: Generate research outputs that reflect a comprehensive understanding of research methodologies, approaches, and skills relevant to the discipline through participating and organizing seminars, conferences, workshops and Capstone Project. (GA: Academic and Professional Excellence)

PO6: Acquire and create awareness on sustainable practices related to environment and ecologies, diversity and inclusivity, through research and outreach endeavours. (GA: Societal)

PO7: Cultivate skills for life-long learning, entrepreneurship and employability through professionally oriented courses, experiential and participatory learning, field-based projects and internships. (GA: Professional Excellence)