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School of Cultural Studies & Humanities

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School of Cultural Studies & Humanities

Be at the heart of culture and the arts

The Leeds Beckett School of Cultural Studies & Humanities attracts staff and students with a passion for the arts and the humanities, and who want to immerse themselves in their respective subjects in a creative and collaborative environment. It’s about academic learning through a filter of real-world relevance, and active encouragement to bring cultural insights to bear on how we live, work and play. It’s about re-imagining the future through the lens of the past.

Commitment to active engagement in contemporary debates shaping the future of our disciplines invigorates and enriches the work of this academic community in every subject area. From English Literature to History, from Media Studies to Creative Writing – we see innovative learning as fundamental to building confidence in critical analysis and reflective practice.

All courses are informed by our internationally recognised research, giving you outstanding access to current thinking through opportunities to develop your own insights in dialogue with those who lead in their field. Our research and teaching are in subjects as diverse as the penal history of England, Victorian ghost stories, and the cultural and societal impact of the LGBTQ community; and we champion an extrovert approach: from regular seminars and events, conferences and trips, to collaborations with institutions and cultural organisations. Published playwrights and authors – like award-winning Writer in Residence, Sunjeev Sahota – will work with you, helping you engage with, and write about, the world around you.

We are proud of how we bring interdisciplinary research and learning into the public domain, such as our involvement in regional events like the Ilkley Literature Festival and the Leeds West Indian Carnival; our heritage work with Leeds Museums and Galleries; and our contribution of media expertise to a networking event for current and aspiring football coaches at Elland Road football ground. We continue to make a distinctive contribution to the intellectual life of the city through the Leeds Cultural Conversations series, organised by our Centre for Culture and the Arts.

This community of like-minded people working across disciplines, located in the impressive surroundings of Broadcasting Place in the heart of Leeds, offers a dynamic and positive environment for learning that is reflected in the high student satisfaction rankings across the School.

This is a School for people who want to be part of something bigger – part of a vibrant region and a renowned University. It’s a School for those who want to be part of a lively student body that thrives in this most dynamic of UK cities; and it’s a School for those who want to become highly employable critical and insightful thinkers.