Graduate Program
Master of Arts in Popular Culture
The Master of Arts in Popular Culture is an interdisciplinary program designed for students with unique academic interests who are attracted to the idea of studying with faculty from diverse fields such as anthropology, folklore, Asian studies, women’s studies, American studies, ethnic studies, media studies, and ethnomusicology. Students choose their own academic focus within the study of popular culture.
The MA in Popular Culture at BGSU is widely recognized nationally and internationally, and has attracted students from all over the US and various other countries for the past four decades. Our students benefit from smaller class sizes and individual attention from staff and faculty, allowing for the development of close student-faculty relationships. The individualized nature of the program is emphasized as students work with a graduate advisor to identify academic and research interest areas and to produce a master's theses and alternative projects that can cover a wide range of topics and subject areas.
Another key attraction of the Popular Culture program at BGSU is the Music Library and Bill Schurk Sound Archives, which is considered to be the finest academic collection of popular music in the US. The Browne Popular Culture Library contains an extraordinary collection of popular print materials ranging from hardcover best-sellers and graphic novels, to movie posters and television scripts.
The program has excellent placement for graduates admitted to Ph.D programs. Recent graduates have pursued higher degrees in fields such as English, Communication, Children's Literature, American Studies, Music, Texts and Technology, World Arts and Culture, African Cultural Studies, and Folklore. Other alumni have chosen to pursue careers in political activism, NGO/non-profit work, business, media (including television, comics, journalism, social media management, digital content production, and news), counseling, museum or library work, higher or secondary education administration and teaching.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the graduate degree, students in Popular Culture are expected to be able to:
- Interpret and critically evaluate specific case studies in diverse cultural and historical contexts using fundamental concepts, major debates, and methods of analysis of the global phenomenon of popular culture with theories of race, class, sexuality, gender, and disability.
- Produce a research project of publishable quality with a rigorous argument and strong theoretical basis that demonstrates engagement with contemporary scholarly discourse.
- Develop and communicate (verbally and in writing) clear, persuasive, and sophisticated interpretations of popular culture materials and practices.
- Evaluate how popular culture shapes and reflects personal and social experiences, diversity in a multicultural society, and American culture’s relationship to global cultures.
Accreditation and/or Program/Cluster Review
Bowling Green State University [BGSU] is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. BGSU has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 01/01/1916. The most recent reaffirmation of accreditation was received in 2022 - 2023. Questions should be directed to the Office of Institutional Effectiveness.
The Popular Culture program is currently undergoing Program/Cluster Review.
Professional Licensure (If applicable)
Bowling Green State University programs leading to licensure, certification and/or endorsement, whether delivered online, face-to-face or in a blended format, satisfy the academic requirements for those credentials set forth by the State of Ohio.
Requirements for licensure, certification and/or endorsement eligibility vary greatly from one profession to another and from state to state. The Popular Culture program does not lead to professional licensure.
Gainful Employment (If applicable)
Under the Higher Education Act Title IV disclosure requirements, an institution must provide current and prospective students with information about each of its programs that prepares students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation.
The Popular Culture program is not a recognized occupation that requires a Gainful Employment disclosure.
Updated: 12/03/2024 02:26PM