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Faculty of Culture, Creative and Performing Arts

Programmes

BA Caribbean Studies

BA Caribbean Studies.png

About the Programme

The BA Caribbean Studies introduces students to the interdisciplinary study of the Caribbean, with specific attention to the historical, environmental, socio-cultural features of modern existence that have come to constitute the Caribbean experience.

The BA Caribbean Studies may also be taken with a Minor chosen from:

  1. Gender Studies 
  2. International Relations
  3. Political Science
  4. Psychology
  5. Sociology

What Will I Study?

In the course of study, students will:

  • Describe the main social, political and cultural structures that constitute the Caribbean
  • Discuss the impact of colonialism, anti-colonialism, nationalism, neo-colonialism, and globalization on the Caribbean
  • Account for the historical and contemporary migration flows to and from the Caribbean
  • Explain the historical development and persistence of social marginalization and poverty in the Caribbean
  • Identify key analytical tools essential for the interdisciplinary study of the Caribbean experience
  • Identify how gender, sexual and existing racialized identities are shaped by, and expressed through, different cultural mediums such as language, spirituality, music and popular culture;
  • Analyse Caribbean cultural texts, performances and representations from the perspective of gender, sexuality, race and other key analytical categories.

Research

The research interests of our faculty include
Caribbean cultural thought,
African Diaspora Studies,
African diaspora religious cultures and spiritualities,
Migration,
Diaspora and Transnational Identities,
Caribbean Popular Culture,
Africana social and political thought.
 

Career Opportunities

Career choices for BA Caribbean Studies graduates include the following fields:

Cultural Policy practitioners
Archivists
Curators
Teachers
Journalists
Editors
Entrepreneurs

Why Study in Barbados

Students have the unique ability to study the Caribbean within the region, drawing on the resources of the UWI which collectively constitutes the premier place for the study of the Caribbean in the Anglophone world today.

At a Glance

  • Degree Level: Undergraduate
  • Qualification: BA
  • Duration: 3 years Full-Time; 4 years Part-Time

Contact


Programme Details

LEVEL I (30 credits)

Major Requirements:
1. CLTR1010 Introduction to Caribbean Studies

2-3. Choose Two (2) of:
CLTR1100 Culture and Identity
CLTR1505 Cultural Studies and Caribbean Dance I
MUSC1020 Caribbean Popular Music and Society

Faculty Requirements:
4. FOUN1006 Exposition for Academic Purposes
5. FOUN1004 An Introduction to Argument
6-8. Three (3) electives
*See Entry Qualifications for these courses
 
LEVEL II (30 credits)

Major Requirements
1. CLTR2000 Thinking Culture: Debates and Perspectives
2. CLTR2500 Introduction to Cultural Studies

3. Choose One (1) of:
CLTR2100 Festivals, Rituals and Caribbean Society OR
CLTR2402 Caribbean Intellectual Traditions
 
4. Choose One (1) of:
HIST2003 History of the West Indies 1 OR
LITS2514 West Indian Literary Classics I

5. Choose One (1) of:
FILM2000 Caribbean Film
HIST2004 History of the West Indies 2
LITS2403 Caribbean Popular Culture I
LITS2516 West Indian Literary Classics II

6. Choose One (1) of
GEND2015 Gender, Sexuality and Race in Caribbean Culture OR
GEND2201 Women’s Studies I: An Introduction

Faculty Requirements
7. FOUN1210 Science, Medicine and Technology in Society
8. FOUN1301 Law, Governance, Economy and Society in the Caribbean
9-10. Two (2) Electives

LEVEL III (30 credits)
1. CLTR3100 Theorising Caribbean Culture

2. Choose one (1) of:
CLTR3101 Race, Nationalism and Culture OR
CLTR3110 Sacred Arts of the Black Atlantic

3. Choose one (1) of:
CLTR3102 Exhibiting Culture: Representation, Tourism and Heritage OR
CLTR3103 Black Popular Culture

4-5. Choose Two (2) of:
GEND3701 Men and Masculinities in the Caribbean
GEND3703 Feminist Critiques of Development Theories: Implications for Policy and Planning
GOVT3018 Caribbean Government and Politics II
LITS3502 West Indian Literature: Special Author Seminar
SOCI3013 Social Policy

6-7.  Choose Two (2) of:
ENSC3020 Case Study in Environmental Science
FINA3001 Caribbean Business Environment
GOVT3017 Caribbean Government and Politics II
LITS3405 Caribbean Popular Culture II
LING3501 Social and Linguistic History of the C’bean
SOCI3012 Social Planning
SOCI3035 Caribbean Social Problems

8-10. Three (3) Electives

For full details on programme costs, follow the link https://www.cavehill.uwi.edu/financial/fees.aspx

Before registration, and before beginning the courses leading to the degree in the Faculty of Culture, Creative and Performing Arts, candidates must have satisfied the following requirements.

EITHER:
(a) Full Matriculation: Passes in five subjects of which, at least two are CAPE/GCE ‘A’ Levels, or an Associate Degree with a GPA of 2.50, while the remainder may be an acceptable pass in CSEC/GCE/BGCSE examinations (including English) on entry to UWI; 
OR:
b) Lower Level Matriculation: At least five (5) acceptable passes at CSEC/GCE/BGCSE examinations (including English) including one of the following: a foreign language, mathematics, geography, or an approved science subject;
AND:
ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT: English Language is compulsory for admission to all programmes of The University of the West Indies. Candidates who do not possess one of (i) Grade I in CSEC, (ii) English A, (iii) a Grade A in GCE O’ Level English Language, (iv) a Grade 1 in CAPE Communication Studies OR (v) a Grade A or B in the GCE General Paper, are required to take the English Language Proficiency Test (ELPT) before entry (also see Proficiency Test for New Students in the next section).

Faculty Entry Requirements
The entry requirements of the Faculty of Culture, Creative and Performing Arts are:
a) a minimum of five (5) passes in CSEC General Proficiency Grade I, II or III (Grade III if done after 1998), or GCE O’ Levels at least Grade C, or BGCSE examinations including English and one of the following: (1) a foreign language, (2) mathematics, (3) geography, or (4) an approved science subject.

Major Entry Requirements

Within the normal matriculation requirements, the following are the minimum qualifications for entry to the Level I courses indicated:

French Courses
For entry into the Level I course FREN1401, one of the following is required:
 
1. Both units of CAPE in French  OR
2. BCC Associate Degree with French as major OR
3. A pass in FREN0103 Beginners’ French III OR
4. A “B” in FREN0102 Beginners’ French II (before 2009)

Students with special experience/qualifications may also be accepted into the Level I programme with the prior approval of the Head of Department. Requests for such should be made through the Head of Department.
 
Students should note that a CSEC pass alone does not qualify one for entry into Level I of the French programme. Students with CSEC alone will be required to take the beginners courses in French
i. FREN0102 AND
Ii. FREN0103.
 
Spanish Courses
For entry into the Level I course SPAN1001 Spanish Language IA:

Both units of CAPE in Spanish OR
1. BCC Associate Degree with Spanish as major area
2. A pass in SPAN0103 Beginners Spanish III OR
3. At least  “B” in SPAN0102 Beginners Spanish II (before 2009).
Students with special experience/qualifications may also be accepted into the Level I programme with the prior approval of the Head of Department. Requests for such should be made through the Head of Department.
 
Students should note that a CSEC pass alone does not qualify one for entry into the Level I of the Spanish programme. Students with CSEC alone will be required to take the beginners courses in Spanish: SPAN0102 and SPAN0103.