Cultural Studies PhD in Europe

[Diba]

Hello Grad Community!

I'm at this point to make crucial decisions and I needed advice!

I have finished my BA in English Literature in Iran and I will start my MA in the same field again this Fall. But I'm planning to study my PhD in Cultural Studies in a foreign country and I have little time to choose a place and start my communication with teachers and departments! I'm eager to study in Europe, in free universities with the chance of having a job and stable situation. I would be happy to receive any suggestion around this subject, whatever it is; for I'm a beginner in this way of applying and finding places and I need your knowledge and suggestions.

Thanks

[queennight]

Hey Diba, I actually have no clue about cultural studies programs, but maybe if you checked under the 'interdisciplinary' board they could maybe point you in the right direction (I have a sense that maybe you're looking for some cross-referenced programs)! Good luck with searching!!

[lyonessrampant]

I also don't have specific program recommendations, but I would say to make sure to research funding because even for EU citizens (which you may be!) many graduate programs in Europe are not free.  In fact, funding can be particularly tricky because you're often not offered a set package for funding like you are at the vast majority of US universities where you teach in exchange for tuition, health insurance, and a stipend.  In many cases you need to apply for external sources of funding, so make sure to factor deadlines for those things into your plan.  Also, I would suggest doing additional research into the job market because a Ph.D. in the humanities doesn't exactly equate to a stable job situation.  Employment statistics are bad in both the US and Europe, but depending on where you are in Europe, they're downright dismal with only a handful of Ph.D.s eventually securing tenured positions and usually after moving around a lot as a lecturer.  

[wreckofthehope]

Hello Grad Community!

I'm at this point to make crucial decisions and I needed advice!

I have finished my BA in English Literature in Iran and I will start my MA in the same field again this Fall. But I'm planning to study my PhD in Cultural Studies in a foreign country and I have little time to choose a place and start my communication with teachers and departments! I'm eager to study in Europe, in free universities with the chance of having a job and stable situation. I would be happy to receive any suggestion around this subject, whatever it is; for I'm a beginner in this way of applying and finding places and I need your knowledge and suggestions.

Thanks

 

Hey!

 

Two really good places for Cultural Studies in Europe, that offer very, very good funding (you're a full fledged employee of the university), are The University of Amsterdam, and the University of Copenhagen. In the UK, Goldsmiths and Birkbeck are good  (though Birkbeck's London Consortium no longer exists, and that really was the best place in the UK for Cultural Studies) - but funding is scarce. 

 

The U.S. has more options, e.g. UC Davis, Minnesota and a wealth of pop-culture oriented humanities programs (if that is where your interests lie). 

[WendyWonderland]

Check Erasmus Mundus, it is a great program. It requires 3-4 languages, but it is good funded.

I would apply as well I think, their cultural studies program sounds terrific.

[WendyWonderland]

Check Erasmus Mundus, it is a great program. It requires 3-4 languages, but it is good funded.

I would apply as well I think, their cultural studies program sounds terrific.

[ExponentialDecay]

Education in the EU is generally only free in the country's native language, or only free for EU citizens. So, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe are very affordable/very free, but you try learning Finnish at a humanities scholar level.

[poliscar]

Don't do it if you have any intention of teaching in North America ever.