Cities

Across millennia, cities have been centres of political and economic power, orchestrating the social and cultural life of their populations. Today, rapid and wide-spread urbanisation is creating new challenges. Cities come to reflect global inequalities, acting as hubs for transnational mobility, concentrating difference, and generating new forms of cultural expression and activism.

Understanding the complex and multi-layered aspects of cities requires an interdisciplinary approach which the MA/MSc Cities uniquely provides by bringing together the strengths of urban research and teaching in Birkbeck’s Schools of Arts and Social Sciences, History and Philosophy.

Using real-world case studies, you will explore a variety of methodological and theoretical approaches. You will follow your interests, choosing from modules incorporating a range of disciplinary perspectives as well as historical periods, including: cultural and visual studies; communications, digital design and networked technology; geography; history (including ancient history, history of art and architecture); linguistics; literature; museum studies; politics; and psycho-social studies.

• There are opportunities for work placements and international field trips to Delhi and the Berlin Film Festival.
• Our location in central London offers you excellent access to a wide range of research resources, including Birkbeck Library, LSE Library of Political and Economic Science (LSE), the Royal Geographical Society and Senate House Library (University of London).
• You will be able to access activities and research centres across the College, including Birkbeck Institute for Social Research, Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities, Birkbeck Institute for the Moving Image and the Architecture, Space and Society Centre.
• The School of Arts is an official partner of the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in London. Opportunities for students have included a year’s free membership of the ICA, private views, discounts on all talks and events, free members' screenings and £3 cinema tickets on Tuesdays, up to 25% off ICA Artists' Editions and a monthly e-newsletter.