Major Cultural Studies

Cultural Studies

What are cultural studies and for whom is it an appropriate major?

Different perspectives and pluralism are part of the cultural studies major.
The cultural sciences study different facets of culture. This can involve attending a lecture about architecture, reading a philosophical text or participating in a seminar about a television series. You choose your own subject areas and pursue them with passion.

You should study cultural studies in Lüneburg, if you

• are interested in culture, intellectual challenges and innovations
• have a dynamic personality and after graduation would like to work in a field in which working in an independent manner is important
• are not just interested in one topic or in one academic discipline but are enthusiastic about solving hypothesis from different disciplines
• are interested in a productive dialogue between instructors and students who debate problems against the background of different academic backgrounds
• would like to receive a thorough disciplinary and methodological education in one specialized field without being limited to the study of this single subject area
• would like to work independently and in a self-determined manner even while completing a BA
• are up to the challenge to discover which areas within cultural sciences might be of particular interest to you

Traditional disciplines and programs of study often tend to focus on narrowly defined subject areas against the background of a limited spectrum of methodological approaches and theoretical points of reference. The study of cultural sciences, on the other hand, includes subjects such as art, music, literature, architecture, dance and theater, with traditional and new methods, with high culture and popular culture. Cultural studies discusses sign systems, values and theoretical approaches just as much as it thematizes the lifestyles and praxis of individuals, groups or entire societies. Communication, consensus and shared values are just as much part of the discussion as are symbolical power, dissent and critique. Historical analysis is given the same weight as contemporary diagnosis. 

For all these reasons it is constitutive of the cultural studies to look beyond the boundaries of a single discipline. Its questions and problem definitions share the fact that they can no longer be answered against the background of one single perspective. As a cultural sciences student you will, therefore, learn, from the very first semester onwards, how to look at things from various perspectives. The cultural studies in Lüneburg are defined by the interplay of the humanities and social sciences. Such different disciplines as philosophy and sociology, literature, communication, media studies and music, cultural geography, the arts and the visual sciences enter into a dialogue in which all of the above disciplines jointly discuss and work through overarching questions.

In contrast to some other BA programs that are often overly structured (and hardly leave any room for a student’s individual academic preference) those who enroll in the major in cultural studies can, right from the start, decide where in their studies they want to place a special accent. All students must choose one of the many specializations offered. In their chosen disciplinary specialization the students will receive a thorough education. A great variety of additional modules, covering the entire spectrum of the cultural sciences, can be combined with the chosen area of specialization.

All students are required to take courses in the Core Area of the cultural studies in which overarching themes and perspectives are taken up. The Core provides you with an overview of the central questions, paradigms and theoretical concepts of the contemporary Cultural Sciences (i.e. Cultural Studies, Cultural Analysis, Intercultural and Postcolonial Theories; Cultural Memory and Culture of Remembrance; Culture and Space; Networks; Actant and Meme; Visual Studies; Culture of Philosophy and Sociology of Culture). The Core is an area in which students can practice interdisciplinary cultural scientific diagnosis and problem-solving skills in selected thematic areas and examples. Becoming familiar with scientific methods, whether in the Humanities (i.e. hermeneutics, discourse analysis) or in the Social Sciences (e.g. interviews and surveys) is an equally indispensable part of university studies and, hence, is a cultural sciences requirement. In a lecture series about topics of general interest (for instance, city and culture) you will learn about the similarities and differences of a number of cultural scientific thinking styles and methodological approaches.