Culture, Diaspora, Ethnicity
Entry requirements
A second-class honours degree (2:2) or above in social sciences or arts and humanities.
Applications are reviewed on their individual merits and your professional qualifications and/or relevant work experience, or a lively interest in the subject area, will be taken into consideration positively. We actively support and encourage applications from mature learners.
Months of entry
October
Course content
Birkbeck is a global centre for research and teaching on ‘race’ and racism. We are home to multidisciplinary communities of scholars and students, academic programmes and research centres committed to the study of this subject area.
This innovative interdisciplinary course that stretches across the arts and humanities and social sciences consistently achieves outstanding levels of student satisfaction. It offers the opportunity to explore:
- histories of ‘race’ and racism
- transcontinental histories of colonisation and postcolonial cartographies of state and corporate negligence and violence
- how local and global political communities, social identities, cultures and inequalities are shaped by the global geopolitics of the twenty-first century.
The course examines connections between intertwined colonial histories and our ordinary, local everyday life. We focus on a broad range of subjects such as modern colonial statecraft and histories of ‘race’ and other systems of categorisation; colonial cultures and nationalisms; histories of anticolonial, antifascist and antiracist resistance, criminalisation and policing; theorising community and postcolonial belonging; contemporary racial nationalisms and religious authoritarian movements and race, gender and sexuality.
We offer this course as a Master's, Postgraduate Diploma and Postgraduate Certificate. For the Diploma and Certificate you study fewer modules and do not complete a dissertation.
On completion of the Postgraduate Diploma you can progress to the MA; completion of the Postgraduate Certificate allows you to progress to either the Postgraduate Diploma or MA.
- This interdisciplinary postgraduate course will introduce you to important historical and political debates and theoretical frameworks and bodies of work in the broad area of 'race', racism and postcoloniality. It reconnects scholarship on histories and legacies of colonisation to contemporary public discussions on recognition and reconciliation, justice and freedom and the responsibilities of public institutions such as universities. MA students can undertake an empirical or theoretical dissertation or a practice-based dissertation such as a film or an exhibition.
- You will become part of a vibrant, stimulating and highly diverse intellectual environment. Birkbeck is the first higher education institution in London to receive the title University of Sanctuary. You will have access to the Race Forum at Birkbeck, research centres including the Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities and Centre for Law and the Humanities and there are specialist student reading groups that focus on particular subject areas such as medicine, ‘race’ and empire and psychoanalysis and colonialism.
- Birkbeck Library has an extensive teaching collection of books, journals and learning resources in relevant disciplines. You will also be able to use the rich research resources nearby including Senate House Library, the British Library of Political and Economic Science (the LSE Library), the SOAS Library and the British Library.
- This course consistently achieves very high levels of satisfaction from Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey respondents. In 2019 and 2020, the student satisfaction rate was 100%; in 2021 the rate was 95%; in 2022 it was 85%; and in 2023 it was 100%.
- If you are taking this course part-time, you may be eligible for a Bonnart Trust Master’s Studentship which will cover the cost of your tuition fees. You must have received an offer of a place on the course by 31 May 2025 to apply. You may also be eligible for a Birkbeck Access to Postgraduate Study Scholarship.
Graduates have pursued careers as:
- filmmakers, journalists, teachers, curators, architects, novelists, poets, musicians and activists
- lecturers and researchers in the subject areas of history, postcolonial studies, cultural studies, urban studies, psychosocial studies and sociology
- psychoanalysts, psychotherapists and psychiatrists; barristers and solicitors.
Graduates have also pursued career paths in organisations and charities concerned with:
- criminalisation and policing
- domestic violence
- refugees and asylum
- human rights
- homelessness
- imprisonment
- addiction
- youth and community work.
There are currently several graduates undertaking doctoral research in this subject area too.
We offer a comprehensive careers service - Careers and Enterprise - your career partner during your time at Birkbeck and beyond. At every stage of your career journey, we empower you to take ownership of your future, helping you to make the connection between your experience, education and future ambitions.
Information for international students
If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with no less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests.
If you don't meet the minimum IELTS requirement, we offer pre-sessional English courses and foundation programmes to help you improve your English language skills and get your place at Birkbeck.
Qualification, course duration and attendance options
- MA
- part time24 months
- Campus-based learningis available for this qualification
- full time12 months
- Campus-based learningis available for this qualification
- PGDip
- part time24 months
- Campus-based learningis available for this qualification
- full time12 months
- Campus-based learningis available for this qualification
- PGCert
- part time12 months
- Campus-based learningis available for this qualification
Course contact details
- Name
- Student Advice Service
- studentadvice@bbk.ac.uk
- Phone
- +44 (0)20 3907 0700