Cultural Studies
Have you ever wondered: Where the "Me Too" Movement really began? Why so many people went to see Black Panther? the true impact of hip hop in America? How transgender rights will be affected by the current political climate? How to have a successful protest?
Cultural Studies peers beneath the surface of the pop culture you consume, the music you listen to, the clothes you buy, the foods you eat, the places you visit, the speeches you hear, the things you read, and the art you see. We invite you to examine impact of identity on American culture. Through lenses of race, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, region, class, immigration, nationality, age, dis/ability, and religion, we study the ways that positionality affect the lived experiences of people. You will have the opportunity to craft your own interdisciplinary program of study that concentrates on aspects of American culture and society that will best prepare you for life after college.
Degree Requirements
Social Justice
Are you looking for tangible and effective ways to make change in your community and in your world? Are you curious about the ways in which the past has shaped the systems that are in place today? Cultural Studies focuses on an overarching value of social justice by seeking to understand oppressive systems and working towards equity. Students will look at social justice through lenses of gender, sexuality, race, and the many ways they intersect. Whether it's a teach-in on successful student-led protests throughout history, a civil disobedience training, an immersive internship experience, or a class on resisting oppression, this program provides context and inspiration for making meaningful change.
Special Courses
You will never watch a movie the same way after taking "Wakanda Forever: The Racial Politics in Marvel’s Black Panther. " Your understanding of Wonder Woman will be forever changed in "Super/heroines in American Pop Culture." In "Queer and Trans Lives in America," you will learn to take effective action towards LGBTQ rights. You could even spend ten days learning about Parisian identity and culture––in Paris! Our special courses dive into topics that connect pop culture with social justice and systematic change. Want to explore some of the most fascinating and pressing issues of our time?
Cultural Studies Program Learning Outcomes
- Use the tools and strategies of a variety of academic disciplines to write and speak confidently and persuasively.
- Locate, analyze, and interpret a variety of resources with logic, clarity, and persuasiveness.
- Demonstrate a sophisticated appreciation of the complexities and ambiguities in culture.
- Address the nature of transnational exchanges.
- Critique how categories of identity are produced by and reimagined in the face of systems of power.
Juris Doctor/Bachelor's 3+3 Accelerated Program (J.D.)
Earn your bachelor’s and juris doctor degrees in six years through RWU’s Three-Plus-Three Law program. You’ll get a jump-start on your J.D. by integrating law courses into your undergraduate studies and completing undergraduate requirements in your first year of law school. Accepted students will take first-year courses in the School of Law along with legal electives to fulfill undergraduate fourth-year requirements. Interested students must indicate their intent to pursue a 3+3 pathway early in their undergraduate studies for curriculum planning and advising.
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