Digital intelligence, contemporary art and society: Media Culture, a new Master’s programme
Contemporary reality is inextricably intertwined with digital technologies. They accompany us everywhere, having become an integral part of our everyday life, both at work and at play. New conditions presuppose new cultural practices, and they also stand in need of interpretation and reflection – all of this explains why there is a demand for professionals who possess a conceptual framework and can analyse the whirlwinds of change in the world of the media.
A new master’s programme, Media Culture, is aimed at training media theorists and practitioners whose knowledge and skills can be used in the most diverse spheres of contemporary culture – from media installations and video art to computer games and multi-media art. Their field of professional activity can range from traditional academic research, teaching and administration activities to working as an expert in up-market or mass consumption art, a tour guide, or an organizer of cultural and educational projects.
Is digitalisation doomed to failure, or is it something relevant to the time we live in, a way of saving humanity from capitulation to global challenges? Is it a means of consciously abandoning our classical traditions, or is it a new form of self-awareness? Should digitalisation be seen as the reason for the appearance of first a medial and then a digital turnabout in the culture? These and other issues will be discussed in this programme.
Valery Savchuk, Programme Director
For more details about the programme, entrance examinations and the number of openings, please look here.
Over the course of the programme, students will become acquainted with media reflection strategies proposed by Russian and foreign researchers of media culture and media reality in general. By examining the fundamental problems of the theory and history of culture, the processes and practices of today’s world, and also various aspects of enlightenment and education, they will develop their own approach to understanding and analysing the transformations that are taking place in society. Much attention will be afforded to consideration of the great variety of current cultural forms and traditions – for example, a number of disciplines presuppose the study of religious views, philosophical systems, original documents and works of art. In addition, specially designed courses in media philosophy and visual communication will help bridge the gap between theory and practice, between media reflection and media production.
Classes will take the form of lectures, research conferences, workshops and training sessions. E-learning, along with remote and digital educational technologies, including St Petersburg University online courses, will be used on a regular basis. Leading scholars and practitioners have been carefully selected to teach in the programme based on their achievements in academic, pedagogical and expert fields of activity.