Overview

About the program

The Culture and Theory program at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) is home to leading scholars of Africana thought, postcolonial theories from all geopolitical regions, Marxist and psychoanalytic criticism, and continental philosophy in the critical tradition.

At the same time, our expanded course of study offers students freedom to take full advantage of the combined expertise of the internationally renown faculty at UCI whose work exemplifies the best in contemporary theory and criticism across the arts, humanities, and social sciences.

Our program is designed for students to develop their own unique style of thinking as they assemble theoretical frameworks, objects of analysis, and social-historical practices into transdisciplinary projects that seek to transform the modern political imagination.

Students with interests in the legacies of racial slavery and (settler) colonialism; diasporic and postcolonial cultural production; and the politics of identity formation will receive wide interdisciplinary engagement to create new ideas, arguments, and methods in order to lead ongoing conversations about what it means to do critical theory today.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Political Economy: Methods and Critique
Libidinal Economy: Methods and Critique
Theory from Below
Critical Theory Workshop
Advanced Critical Theory
Independent Study

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 84 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-09-23 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-01-15 00:00:00

Language

English

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Delivered

On Campus

Disciplines

Area & Cultural Studies View 72 other PhDs in Area & Cultural Studies in United States

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Academic requirements

GPA

English requirements

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Student insurance

Make sure to cover your health, travel, and stay while studying abroad. Even global coverages can miss important items, so make sure your student insurance ticks all the following:

Additional medical costs (i.e. dental)
Repatriation, if something happens to you or your family
Liability
Home contents and baggage
Accidents
Legal aid

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Other requirements

General requirements

Hold a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) from a recognized academic institution with degree standards equivalent to those of the University of California
Have a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0
Three letters of recommendation
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Tuition Fee

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International

27366 USD/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 27366 USD per year during 84 months.
National

27366 USD/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 27366 USD per year during 84 months.
In-State

12264 USD/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 12264 USD per year during 84 months.

Living costs for Irvine

1560 - 2585 USD /month

Living costs

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find PhD's scholarship opportunities for Culture and Theory.

Available Scholarships

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