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The University of Winnipeg

Admission Requirements

Though students in the two streams of the MA in Cultural Studies attend the same classes, they approach the subject matter through different theoretical and practical frameworks. Therefore, the admission requirements for students in the Texts and Cultures stream and the Curatorial Practices stream differ somewhat.

Admission Requirements: Texts and Cultures Stream

Applicants should have an Honours or Four-year BA in English, a joint Honours or Four-Year BA in English and another subject, or an Honours or Four-Year BA in a field that provides the applicant with preparation in cultural, literary, textual, and/or visual studies (in this context, some degrees we will consider include Honours or Four-Year BAs in Anthropology, Art History, History, Politics, Rhetoric and Communication, Sociology, and Women’s and Gender Studies). Other degrees and/or experience also will be considered on a case-by-case basis. A minimum number of courses in textual studies (the equivalent of 30 credit hours* of study at the Honours level or 48 credit hours of study at other postsecondary levels) is required of all students, to be completed either before entry into the program or during a qualifying period.

Application Deadlines

Application packages will be on hold until ALL required documents are received. The application deadline is February 1 for all applicants (international and domestic). Applications received after the official deadline will be considered, but financial assistance cannot be guaranteed for late applicants. The normal date to begin the program is September. For current information on scholarships, please visit the Department and Graduate Studies websites.

How To Apply

  1. Complete the on-line application form, which is available from the Graduate Studies home page.
  2. Provide one official/notarized transcript of academic work completed to date, sent directly from the issuing institution. If the final transcript does not show that a completed degree has been conferred, an official/notarized copy of your diploma is also required or a letter indicating expected graduation date.
  3. Supply two confidential letters of recommendation from individuals most familiar with your academic work and relevant experience. Letters should be signed and sealed if they are submitted by the student as part of an application package.
  4. Attach a statement of interest of 500 words, which includes a brief description of your undergraduate training, your reasons for applying to this program, and your areas of research interest in cultural studies.
  5. If applicable, attach an academic resumé. Pertinent listings include scholarships, awards, grants, and other distinctions; conference papers, other presentations, and publications; and volunteer and community service.
  6. Include an academic writing sample, preferably an essay from a recent course with the instructor’s comments, written in English. The committee will also consider supplementary materials.
  7. Applicants for whom English is an additional language and who are not from an English Exempt Country should include an official copy of TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo scores. English Language Requirements found here.

Departmental Admission Requirements

  • 4 year Undergraduate degree with a minimum entry requirement: Overall GPA of 3.0
  • A GPA of 3.5 in the major subject
  • English requirement for applicants for whom English is an additional language and who are not from an English Exempt Country: A minimum TOEFL iBT score of 100, with a score of at least 22 on the writing and speaking components, or an IELTS score of 7.5.,or a Duolingo score of 125. The test should have been taken within a year of the date a completed application is filed.

Admission Requirements: Curatorial Practices

Applicants should have an Honours or Four-year BA in Art History, a joint Honours or Four-Year BA in Art History and another subject, or an Honours or Four-Year BA in a field that provides the applicant with preparation in cultural, literary, textual, and/or visual studies (in this context, degrees we will consider include Honours or Four-Year BAs in English, Anthropology, History, Fine Arts, Politics, Rhetoric and Communication, Sociology, and Women’s and Gender Studies). Other degrees and/or experience also will be considered on a case-by-case basis. A minimum number of courses in visual studies (the equivalent of 30 credit hours of study at the Honours level or 48 credit hours of study at other postsecondary levels) is required of all students, to be completed either before entry into the program or during a qualifying period.

Application Deadlines

Application packages will be on hold until ALL required documents are received. The application deadline is February 1 for all applicants (international and domestic). Applications received after the official deadline will be considered, but financial assistance cannot be guaranteed for late applicants. The normal date to begin the program is September. For current information on scholarships, please visit the Department and Graduate Studies websites.

How To Apply

  1. Complete the on-line application form, which is available from the Graduate Studies home page.
  2. Provide one official/notarized transcript of academic work completed to date, sent directly from the issuing institution. If the final transcript does not show that a completed degree has been conferred, an official/notarized copy of your diploma is also required or a letter indicating expected graduation date.
  3. Supply two confidential letters of recommendation from individuals most familiar with your academic work and relevant experience. Letters should be signed and sealed if they are submitted by the student as part of an application package.
  4. Attach a statement of interest of 500 words, which includes a brief description of your undergraduate training, your reasons for applying to this program, and your areas of research interest in cultural studies.
  5. If applicable, attach an academic resumé. Pertinent listings include scholarships, awards, grants, and other distinctions; conference papers, other presentations, and publications; and volunteer and community service.
  6. Include an academic writing sample, preferably an essay from a recent course with the instructor’s comments, written in English. The committee will also consider supplementary materials.
  7. Applicants for whom English is an additional language and who are not from an English Exempt Country should include an official copy of TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo scores. English Language Requirements found here.

Departmental Admission Requirements

  1. 4 year Undergraduate degree with a minimum entry requirement: Overall GPA of 3.0
  2. A GPA of 3.5 in the major subject
  3. English requirement for applicants for whom English is an additional language: A minimum TOEFL iBT score of 100, with a score of at least 22 on the writing and speaking components, or an IELTS score of 7.5,or a Duolingo score of 125. The test should have been taken within a year of the date a completed application is filed.

More information about graduate studies at the University of Winnipeg can be found on their Graduate Studies website.