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Unit of study_

GCST1601: Culture, Power, Identity

2025 unit information

Cultural studies explores everyday life, media and popular culture. It shows us how we can make sense of contemporary culture as producers, consumers, readers and viewers, in relation to our identities and communities. How do cultural texts and practices convey different kinds of meaning and value? Students will be introduced to some key thinkers and approaches in cultural studies and will learn how to analyse cultural forms such as advertising, television, film and popular music.

Unit details and rules

Managing faculty or University school:

Arts and Social Sciences

Study level Undergraduate
Academic unit Gender and Cultural Studies
Credit points 6
Prerequisites:
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None
Corequisites:
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None
Prohibitions:
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None
Assumed knowledge:
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None

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. critically appraise the social significance of media and cultural representations
  • LO2. appreciate the relationships between signification, social power, and identity
  • LO3. apply techniques of textual analysis and theoretical concepts to cultural criticism
  • LO4. research, evidence, and articulate arguments about critical issues
  • LO5. communicate ideas effectively in academic discourse
  • LO6. work collaboratively with other students.

Unit availability

This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.

The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.

Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 1 2024
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Intensive February 2024
Block mode Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 1 2025
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Outline unavailable
Intensive February 2025
Block mode Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Outline unavailable
Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 1 2020
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Intensive January 2020
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Outline unavailable
Intensive February 2021
Block mode Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Intensive February 2021
Block mode Remote
Semester 2 2021
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 2 2021
Normal day Remote
Semester 1 2022
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 1 2022
Normal day Remote
Intensive February 2022
Block mode Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Intensive February 2022
Block mode Remote
Semester 1 2023
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 1 2023
Normal day Remote
Intensive February 2023
Block mode Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Intensive February 2023
Block mode Remote

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Modes of attendance (MoA)

This refers to the Mode of attendance (MoA) for the unit as it appears when you’re selecting your units in Sydney Student. Find more information about modes of attendance on our website.