Arts, Culture & Society

When I made the choice of studying Arts, Culture and Society, I was led by my interest in society’s workings and by my curiosity for the value and meaning of art. Coming from a hands-on Bachelor in spatial design, and driven by a quest for meaning, I wanted to delve deeper into theoretical research and academic knowledge production. This programme exceeded my expectations: with an interdisciplinary approach that underpins the study of humanities, the pre-master year led me from raising a diversity of questions to investigating and finding answers. 

Journey of social sciences

What I find most thrilling about this course is that each student can make it their own, as the field is dynamic and responsive to real-world occurrences. Reflecting the intricacies of humanities, the programme embeds an array of disciplines, including sociology, cultural policy, anthropology and art history. Thus, the curriculum walks students through the journey of social sciences: the Academic skills course showcases the development of science philosophies and methods. Courses Sociology of art and culture, and Sociology, culture and modernity, expand on theories used to understand the relationship dynamics between the cultures we produce and consume, and their influence on societies small and large. Courses Statistics and Qualitative research methods present methods for research production. Finally, the programme culminates with the Graduation Project: when students develop a research project supervised by a fellow academic. 

Balancing academic aspirations & personal growth 

Undoubtedly, this path hasn’t been without its challenges. Balancing academic aspirations with personal growth had been challenging, but eventually incredibly fulfilling. Thankfully, there is space at the university for a variety of initiatives, such as academic writing courses (from the Language & Training Center), personal development courses (from LifeVersity), and even a thesis support group (from the Student Psychologists). By investing in my holistic development, and with the support of faculty and peers, I’ve overcome these obstacles and emerged more confident in using my abilities to contribute to the cultural and academic landscape and beyond.