Culture and Image
An all-levels course examining cinema and other visual media through cultural history, comparative analysis and visual culture theory.
About this course
The course introduces ways of studying visual cultures across different historical periods and language-speaking areas. Cinema provides the initial focus, alongside painting, illustration, photography, graphic novels, manga and anime. Study is organised into two strands covering introductions, histories, analytical skills, theories and genres. Participants examine how visual media develop within different cultural contexts and use comparative approaches to relate cultural production across more than one language-speaking area. Assessment consists of a 1,500-word essay and a 1,500-word take-home test.
What you'll learn
- Analyse a range of visual media using approaches from visual culture studies
- Trace the histories and development of cinema and other visual arts
- Apply significant theoretical ideas to the study of visual cultures
- Compare cultural production across different language-speaking areas
Is this course right for you?
The course is listed as suitable for all levels and is designed for learners who want to study visual culture through structured academic analysis. Participants study alongside Birkbeck students and complete assessed written work.
- Includes a 1,500-word essay as part of the assessment
- Also includes a 1,500-word take-home test
Where this course runs
Upcoming classes
1 class
Selected date
Mon 11 Jan 2027
18:00 – 21:00 • 10 weeks
£1,615
Birkbeck Campus, Bloomsbury
Art History team
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