Arts Management and Heritage Studies

In Arts Management and Cultural Leadership, you will examine theoretical concepts in the emerging field of arts management and the challenges faced by arts managers and cultural leaders. Dialogue with our arts and cultural partners will give an insight into the exciting possibilities opened up by bringing theory and practice together. You can deepen your learning in this area through optional modules that explore a variety of key issues, such as audience engagement and impact, cultural entrepreneurship, and contemporary cultural strategies, technologies and media.

In Interpretations, you will work on a collaborative curatorial intervention with one of the archives and collections on campus. This experience prepares you for the option of undertaking a negotiated work placement or optional modules exploring audiences, participation or engagement in semester 2.

In Critical Issues, you are supported to locate interpretive, conservation, curatorial or marketing practices in the context of current academic and professional debates. Through a number of tailored strands – covering contemporary art, heritage, and curating science and technology – you will develop your own mini-research project which prepares you for your dissertation.

Through our Advanced Research Skills modules, you are equipped to undertake assessments and ultimately develop your own research project. The modules build to a symposium in semester 2 where you can present initial research findings towards a dissertation on a research topic of interest.

In addition, students choose from a range of optional modules offered by the School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies and the School of Performance and Cultural Industries. These include the opportunity to complete a placement or consultancy project role in either arts management or heritage. Previous students have undertaken placements focused on collections, digitisation work, digital interpretation and community engagement.

We use a range of teaching and learning methods to allow students to benefit from the expertise of our staff. These include weekly seminars, group learning sessions, tutorials and lectures.

Students will also benefit from the expertise of visiting speakers, visits off campus and practical experience. Independent study is also vital to this course, allowing students to develop individual skills and prepare for taught sessions

Course structure

These are typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our Terms and conditions.

Modules Year 1

Compulsory modules

• Arts Management and Heritage Studies Dissertation 50 credits
• Advanced Research Skills 1 5 credits
• Advanced Research Skills 2 5 credits
• Interpretations 15 credits
• Critical Issues 15 credits
• Arts Management and Cultural Leadership 30 credits

Optional modules

• Derrida and Deconstruction 30 credits
• Encountering Things: Art and Entanglement in Anglo-Saxon England 30 credits
• Anthropology, Art and Representation 30 credits
• Placements in Context: Policy, Organizations and Practice 30 credits

For more information on typical modules, read Arts Management and Heritage Studies MA Full Time in the course catalogue

For more information on typical modules, read Arts Management and Heritage Studies MA Part Time in the course catalogue

Learning and teaching

We use a range of teaching and learning methods to help you benefit from the expertise of our staff. These include weekly seminars, group learning sessions, tutorials and lectures. You will also benefit from the expertise of visiting speakers, visits off campus and practical experience. Independent study is also vital to this programme, allowing you to develop your individual skills and prepare for taught sessions.

Assessment

Depending on the modules you choose, you may experience a range of different assessment methods. These usually include essays, individual and group presentations, digital interpretation projects, portfolio building, in-course assessment and project work. You may also be asked to complete a reflective log for your projects, allowing you to look back and critically assess your own practice.