General Information
Since its creation in 1986, as Canada’s only centre for interdisciplinary theoretical research, the Centre for the Study of Theory and Criticism has come to be internationally recognized for its approach to “theory” as a distinct object of inquiry with its own intellectual genealogies and discursive history. This focus makes it unique in Canada and places it in the company of a very select group of North American and European centres of research and advanced study.
The Centre is housed between the Faculties of Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences, and Information and Media Studies. Its core faculty is derived from the areas of Anthropology, Comparative Literature, English, Film, French, Global Studies, Media Studies, Modern Languages, Philosophy, Political Science, Religious Studies, Sociology, and Women's Studies.
Sponsored events include specialized seminars, conferences, publications and an active program of lectures and colloquia by both internal and external faculty. Each year the Centre brings in visiting lecturers as part of its Interdisciplinary Speakers Series.
Since the inception of the MA program in 1990, the Centre for the Study of Theory and Criticism continues to thrive and to attract exceptionally strong students, a claim substantiated by our solid record of external award holders.
The Centre for the Study of Theory and Criticism has been the preferred destination for students of excellent calibre from Canada and from abroad, and this tradition has continued at the doctoral level since the launching of the PhD program in 2002.
Through its programs and the work of its accomplished Core Faculty, the Centre has successfully established itself as one of Western’s well recognized and celebrated research intensive graduate programs, one that has been successfully guided by the strength of cross-disciplinary collaboration. This is proven in the success of our graduates.
