Art Gallery and Museum Studies MA

Course overview

Studying the Art Gallery and Museum Studies MA you’ll develop your understanding of key ideas and issues in curatorship, museology and museum management. You'll apply the knowledge you gain to developing innovative approaches to curation, interpretation and engaging audiences, and build the knowledge and skills for a successful career in the museum and art gallery sector.

In this Masters course you’ll have the chance to explore and challenge key ideas that have shaped museum practice. You'll consider the ways in which material culture has been represented and interpreted by historians and cultural theorists, the methodologies behind museum practice and methods of display and interpretation, and put theory and practice into dialogue.

If you’re considering a career in this sector, or if you are currently working as a professional, this Masters course will develop your knowledge, understanding and practical experience, to prepare for your next step.

With access to a wide range of modules allowing you to explore theoretical approaches and their practical applications, you’ll have the opportunity to shape your learning path in the direction you choose.

A cultural hub

You'll study in the heart of a cultural hub for this diverse and vibrant region. Leeds is home to a wide variety of world-leading and innovative arts and heritage organisations, from the Royal Armouries, Opera North, Leeds Playhouse and Northern Ballet, to museums, galleries and heritage sites and many contemporary art spaces.

We are also close to everything the rest of Yorkshire has to offer, from The Hepworth Wakefield to the National Science and Media Museum, Yorkshire Sculpture Park and the Brontë Parsonage Museum. We have close links with many of these cultural institutions to support your practical learning.

You'll become a member of the Centre for Critical Studies in Museums, Galleries and Heritage and enjoy opportunities from networking events and links to alumni to conferences, seminars and reading groups.

Course tutors include researchers with a background in collections, curatorial, education and engagement work:

• Dr Robert Knifton (Programme Director)

• Dr Helen Graham

• Dr Nick Cass

• Professor Abigail Harrison Moore

• Dr Mark Westgarth

• Dr Kerry Bristol

• Dr Claudia Sternberg

• Dr Gill Park

• Dr Liz Stainforth

• Dr Jade French

Specialist facilities

Housed within a single central campus location, the School offers a modern and well-equipped learning environment with several studio and exhibition spaces.

Project Space is the School’s multi-purpose space designed for the development of curatorial practice and visiting exhibitions.

The Brotherton Library holds a wide variety of manuscript, archive and early printed material in its Special Collections - valuable assets for your independent research.

In addition to the wide range of museums and galleries in the city and beyond, the University campus features:

• The Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery

• Treasures of the Brotherton Gallery

• Museum of the History of Science, Technology and Medicine

• Marks & Spencer Company Archive

• International Textile Collection

• Public art trail

• stage@leeds performance venue

Course details

Through compulsory and optional modules you'll study theory and practice in museums and galleries, and have the chance to explore wider issues related to the field.

History and the Museum traces the emergence of art galleries, museums and country houses in western Europe and opens up critical questions about how the past is presented. You can build on this work and specialise in your own areas of interest, choosing from an array of optional modules in the School and beyond that explore contemporary curatorial strategies, technologies and media, cultural memory and material culture.

In Interpretations, you'll work on a digital interpretive intervention based around selected museum, gallery and heritage collections. This experience prepares you for the option of undertaking a work placement project with an external organisation or optional modules exploring audiences, participation or engagement in semester two. Read about exhibitions and activities curated by our students.

In Critical Issues, you're 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 topics such as contemporary art, heritage, participation and the digital – you'll develop your own mini-research project, which prepares you for your MA dissertation.

The optional module Placements in Context: Policy, Organisations and Practice supports you to deliver a collaborative group project responding to a brief set by one of our many gallery, museum and heritage partners. Previous projects have collaborated with organisations such as the National Science and Media Museum, Leeds Museums and Galleries, Yorkshire Contemporary, and Hyde Park Picture House. We work with a range of organisations in Leeds and beyond to develop placement projects that have a direct impact on the work of our partners and give you a crucial insight into employment in the sector.

Your dissertation project develops research around museums, galleries and heritage practice and theories. You can either choose a standard route or develop a practice-led dissertation project, where you combine practical work with critical reflective writing.

If you choose to study part-time, you'll take fewer modules each year. We expect that you'll be timetabled for between three to five contact hours per week. The part-time option may be of interest to those who are working in related fields, as part of their career development.

The staff have a wide range of research interests and are leaders in their fields - it was inspiring to be taught by academics whose work I have studied.

- Amy Walker, MA Art Gallery and Museum Studies

Course structure

The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our terms and conditions.

For more information and a full list of typical modules available on this course, please read Art Gallery and Museum Studies MA Full Time in the course catalogue

For more information and a full list of typical modules available on this course, please read Art Gallery and Museum Studies MA Part Time in the course catalogue

Year 1 compulsory modules

Year 1 optional modules (selection of typical options shown below)

You'll be required to study one of the following modules: MA Dissertation OR MA Practice-led Dissertation, plus optional modules.

Learning and teaching

You'll be taught by leading researchers and experienced practitioners in their fields, and benefit from a range of teaching and learning methods including lectures and seminars, group learning sessions, as well as gaining insights into specific collections in museum, archive and library sessions.

You'll learn from practical experience on projects alongside fellow students and sectoral professionals, and a variety of external speakers will give you an insight into contemporary practice in the sector.

You'll also utilise digital technologies and resources relevant to the museum and gallery sector.

Independent study is an important element of the degree, allowing you to develop your research and critical skills. The University Library offers free classes and resources on topics such as academic integrity and plagiarism, public speaking, searching for information and structuring essays.

On this course, you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.

Assessment

Depending on the modules you choose, you may experience a range of different assessment methods. These can include essays, individual and group presentations, digital interpretation projects, portfolio building and project work.

Applying

Entry requirements

A bachelor degree with a 2:1 (hons) in subjects such as (but not limited to) Art History, Fine Art, Cultural Studies, Cultural Policy, History, Geography and English. Other subjects will be considered where an application demonstrates sufficient sector experience / knowledge. Professional experience will also be considered.

Experience of volunteering or working in a relevant field, such as museums, galleries, auction houses and/or heritage organisations, is required. We do not require a specific length of time to have been spent in work experience, though you must be able to critically reflect on your experience in your personal statement.

International

Our admissions team are experienced in considering a wide range of international qualifications. If you wish to discuss whether your qualifications will meet the necessary entry criteria, contact the School’s admissions team.

You can also check the accepted qualifications for your country or region.

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in all components. For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.

Improve your English

International students who do not meet the English language requirements for this programme may be able to study our postgraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.

This pre-sessional course is designed with a progression route to your degree programme and you’ll learn academic English in the context of your subject area. To find out more, read Language for Arts and Humanities (6 weeks) and Language for Social Science and Arts: Arts and Humanities (10 weeks).

We also offer online pre-sessionals alongside our on-campus pre-sessionals. Find out more about our six week online pre-sessional and our 10 week online pre-sessional. 

You can also study pre-sessionals for longer periods – read about our postgraduate pre-sessional English courses.

How to apply

Please see our How to Apply page for information about application deadlines.

The ‘Apply’ link at the top of this page will take you to information on applying for taught programmes and to the University's online application system.

If you're unsure about the application process, contact the admissions team for help.

Documents and information you need

• Your degree certificate and transcripts, or a partial transcript if you’re still studying.

• A recent CV.

• Evidence of your English language qualifications if English is not your first subject.

• A personal statement. Please directly respond to the four questions listed below. To help structure your personal statement, copy and paste the four questions and answer each one in turn.

  • Please explain your reasons for applying to this particular MA course in Art Gallery and Museum Studies at University of Leeds. Are there particular approaches to study, modules, research expertise or other factors that attracted you to the programme?

  • How has your academic experience to date prepared you to embark on postgraduate level study in art gallery & museum studies? Consider any theories, texts and academic assignments that relate conceptually to the work you will develop at Masters level.

  • Reflect on any practical or conceptual connections you have already made to the museum, gallery and heritage sector, both through your studies and wider experience. What did you learn, find most surprising, and how did it improve your professional understanding of the sector?

  • What are your specific career aspirations for the future, on completing postgraduate studies – is there an aspect of the museum/gallery/heritage sector that particularly motivates and attracts you? Please explain why, and how your studies at Masters level will help you to achieve your aims.

Next steps

Qualified applicants may be invited to an interview.

Personal Statement Requirements

Please answer the following questions in separate numbered paragraphs. These questions provide us with important information on your suitability for the course, so please complete them carefully and in detail.

1. Please explain your reasons for applying to this particular MA course in Art Gallery and Museum Studies at University of Leeds. Are there particular approaches to study, modules, research expertise or other factors that attracted you to the programme?
2. How has your academic experience to date prepared you to embark on postgraduate level study in art gallery & museum studies? Consider any theories, texts and academic assignments that relate conceptually to the work you will develop at Masters level.
3. Reflect on any practical or conceptual connections you have already made to the museum, gallery and heritage sector, both through your studies and wider experience. What did you learn, find most surprising, and how did it improve your professional understanding of the sector?
4. What are your specific career aspirations for the future, on completing postgraduate studies – is there an aspect of the museum/gallery/heritage sector that particularly motivates and attracts you? Please explain why, and how your studies at Masters level will help you to achieve your aims.

Read about visas, immigration and other information in International students. We recommend that international students apply as early as possible to ensure that they have time to apply for their visa.

Admissions policy

University of Leeds Admissions Policy 2025

This course is taught by

School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies

Contact us

Taught Postgraduate Team

Email: finpg@leeds.ac.uk
Telephone:

Fees

UK: £12,500 (Total)

International: £27,000 (Total)

For fees information for international taught postgraduate students, read Masters fees.

Read more about paying fees and charges.

Part-time fees
Fees for part-time courses are normally calculated based on the number of credits you study in a year compared to the equivalent full-time course. For example, if you study half the course credits in a year, you will pay half the full-time course fees for that year.

Additional cost information

There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more on our living costs and budgeting page.

Scholarships and financial support

If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There may be help for students in the form of loans, scholarships and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government.

We offer the School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies International Excellence Scholarship for international applicants. Find out about awards and scholarships.

Career opportunities

The course will equip you with a good understanding of the issues and approaches to art gallery and museum studies, as well as practical work experience – a combination which is very valuable to employers. You will also develop advanced skills in communication, research and analysis as well as cultural awareness.

Our graduates work as heads of collection, curators and education staff in local authority museums, for national heritage organisations like the National Trust, charitable trusts and in arts marketing and public relations.

A significant number choose to return to the School to complete a research degree and have secured scholarships to pursue their research topics, including Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) scholarships. Former research students are now forging academic careers in the UK, Canada and the USA.

Through a combination of theory and practice, this Masters course produces graduates who are able to develop professional careers in the museums and heritage sector whilst retaining a critical and reflexive eye on their own practice and that of the institutions in which they work.

My course has equipped me with practical skills through the projects and placements, but also emotional skills through the group work, interactions and networking that make a huge part of the course.

- Lizzie Nolan, MA Art Gallery and Museum Studies

Careers support

We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.

The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more about Careers support.

Study abroad and work placements

You can sign up for a group placement project to gain first-hand experience of contemporary museum and gallery practice.

We have close links with many of the major cultural institutions and organisations in the region, meaning there are plenty of opportunities and themes across the sector for you to explore.

The work placement module of the course has allowed me to gain valuable practical experience which means that I am much better equipped to go on and build my dream career.

- Amy Walker, MA Art Gallery and Museum Studies

Alongside placement activities, you will receive guidance on key aspects of professional practice, in sessions which are frequently led by experienced museum staff.

Placement projects vary from year to year, but in the past our students have engaged on placement projects in collaboration with organisations including Abbey House Museum, Leeds City Museum, Leeds Art Gallery, Harewood House, Henry Moore Institute, Lotherton Hall, National Railway Museum, National Science and Media Museum, The Royal Armouries, York City Art Gallery and Yorkshire Sculpture Park.