Future Students

Welcome to The Centre for the Study of Theory and Criticism, an interdisciplinary graduate program at Western University in London, Ontario, Canada. The Theory Centre houses a graduate program offering MA and PhD degrees for interdisciplinary research in theory and criticism, including areas of inquiry such as Post-Structuralist Theory, Deconstruction, Social and Political Thought, Continental Philosophy, Psychoanalysis, Visual Culture, Media Studies, Gender Studies, and Queer Theory, Marxist Theory, Post-Humanist Theory, 18th & 19th Century Philosophy, and History of Thought. More broadly, studies in our program are concerned with the questions raised by these movements, and with constructing a dialogue both between theory and its history and between the disciplines or discourses that have contributed to contemporary theory.

The Theory Centre is one of the oldest and most established programs of its kind in North America. Since the inception of its MA program in 1990, and the PhD program in 2002, it has consistently attracted exceptionally qualified students from Canada, the United States, and Europe. Our Core Faculty include scholars with international reputations from the Arts and Humanities, Information & Media Studies, and Social Sciences. In addition to its graduate seminars (most of which are unique to our program), the Centre hosts a vigorous Speakers Series, regularly sponsors major international conferences, and supports a graduate-student journal, Chiasma. With its rich tradition of interdisciplinary research and cross-faculty collaborations, its award-winning faculty, and vibrant student community, The Theory Centre is one of Western’s most respected graduate programs.

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How to Apply

Applications to the program are accepted once per year, for Fall admission. The online application becomes available October 1 and the deadline to apply is January 8. Learn More

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Funding

The Theory Centre aims to provide every qualified student offered admission to the program with sufficient financial resources to accept their offer. Learn More

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Master's Program

Since the inception of the MA program in 1990, the Centre for the Study of Theory and Criticism has been the preferred destination for students of excellent calibre from Canada and abroad. Learn More

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Doctoral Program

The Centre has successfully established itself as one of Western’s well recognized and celebrated research intensive graduate programs, a tradition that has continued at the doctoral level since the launching of the PhD program in 2002. Learn More

faculty.jpgFind a Potential Supervisor

Meet the Centre's core faculty who are derived from several departments, faculties and colleges within Western university and its affiliated colleges. Learn More

students.jpgCurrent Graduate Students

The Theory Centre is home to over 60 full-time Master's and Ph.D. students. Read their profiles here


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Alumni - Where Are They Now?

More than 200 Master's and Doctoral students have successfully completed the programme of Theory and Criticism since its inception in 1990. Recent successes such as tenure-stream appointments and Postdoctoral Fellowships can be found here.

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Completed Theses and Dissertations

A listing of all graduates and their MA thesis and PhD dissertation titles from 1992 to present. Theses submitted electronically are available through Western's Electronic Theses & Dissertation Repository. Learn More