MA Curating Collections and Heritage

This vocational masters degree has been developed in partnership with the Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove in response to current priorities within the museums and heritage sector.

It aims to support future generations of practitioners to understand, investigate, question and debate the contemporary museum and heritage sector and its wider contexts.

Through wide-ranging module choices, it caters both for candidates working in the museums and heritage industry wishing to progress their careers, as well as those wishing to move into the sector. Students already working or volunteering in the sector in a position of some responsibility can choose to take up to 60 credits of business modules and have that reflected in the award they graduate with – Curating Collections and Heritage with Management MA.

Modules cover themes crucial to building a successful career in curating collections and heritage. They will challenge you to consider a range of theoretical and methodological approaches and all feature practical learning and experience at their heart. This MA will appeal to those with a broad range of interests, from curating design, dress and screen to visual culture, heritage and exhibitions.

Why study with us?

The course has been developed in partnership with the Royal Pavilion and Museums, Brighton & Hove, and responds to employers’ demands for the collections and heritage workforce.
Part-time study and flexible learning means the course can be incorporated into workplace professional development. Elements of the programme are designed to support applicants who are undertaking or hope to take their Associateship of the Museums Association qualification.
Teaching staff include respected University of Brighton academics who develop leading research on the museums and heritage sector, and curating professionals from the Royal Pavilion Museums, the Design Archives and Screen Archive South East.
Students can gain industry experience on the course, either through a placement or through the week-long practical module, Collections Intensive, at a partner organisation.
Those with three years of management experience within the sector can develop their understanding and practice by choosing business management modules and graduate with Curating Collections and Heritage with Management.
Students have access to internationally important collections including the Royal Pavilion and Museum’s collections of decorative art, world art and natural history and University of Brighton-held collections relating to design history, screen history, and historic dress and textiles.
Off-site study visits, live briefs and hands-on sessions in all modules bring insight into contemporary practice.

Careers

This MA is designed to respond to current industry requirements. You will have unique access to museums and heritage professionals though behind-the-scenes working and guest lecturers.

Students choose option modules and develop areas of specialism but all leave with skills to begin or progress a career in the collections and heritage sector. A combination of practical work experience, industry connections and scholarly knowledge will provide an excellent springboard for working in roles such as traditional and digital curating, collections and business management, marketing, media and communication, partnerships and fundraising.