Culture, Creativity and Entrepreneurship MA
Year of entry 2026
- Start date
- September 2026
- Delivery type
- On campus
- Duration
- 12 Months (Full time)
- 24 Months (Part time)
- Entry requirements
- A bachelor degree with a 2:1 (hons)
Full entry requirements - English language requirements
- IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in any component
- UK fees
- £12,000 (Total)
- International fees
- £29,000 (Total)
- Contact
- pcipg@leeds.ac.uk
Course overview
Culture and creativity play a fundamental role in the development of individuals, societies, and economies worldwide. On this course you'll examine the contested concepts of culture and creativity, and how policy makers, cultural organisations, and creative entrepreneurs are operating in contemporary cultures and economies on a global scale.
You'll explore how organisations across the arts, cultural and creative sectors work in theory and practice, as well as the impact they can have on individuals and communities. You'll have the opportunity to examine the relationship between the cultural and creative industries and the arts, and explore how the cultural sector is managed by policy makers, cultural organisations, and creative entrepreneurs.
Working collaboratively on an entrepreneurial project, you'll have the opportunity to gain insight into the business models of local creative and cultural organisations.
You'll also devise and carry out an independent research project into an aspect of culture, creativity and/or entrepreneurship, investigating a topic of interest to you.
Throughout, you will learn from researchers with extensive industry experience and have the freedom to investigate areas of personal and professional interest.
Rooted in cultural theory and analysis of the contemporary cultural and creative industries, the course is designed for those who have previously studied courses related to cultural studies, social sciences, arts management or creative industries.
Leeds has a thriving cultural scene and is home to large-scale events like Leeds International Film Festival, Light Night, and Transform Festival. Alongside this is a range of arts and cultural activity to explore. From museums and galleries, music venues, theatres and cinemas, fashion, food, crafts, heritage and festivals, the city and surrounding West Yorkshire province is rich with institutions and activities. Leeds is an exciting environment in which to think about and engage with culture and creativity, providing opportunities for you to put your ideas into practice.
You'll be taught by staff who are at the forefront of the study of the cultural and creative industries and have extensive experience working in the creative, cultural and policy making sector in the UK.
The School has close links with the Centre for Cultural Value, a national research centre based in the University of Leeds that provides many opportunities for students to become involved in its activities as volunteers.
Specialist facilities
Our School is based in stage@leeds, a purpose-built landmark building that sits at the heart of campus. Stage@leeds hosts a range of work by students and visiting theatre companies all year round.
In addition to stage@Leeds, Leeds University Library is one of the UK’s major academic research libraries, and has extensive holdings to support your studies, including Special Collections offering a huge range of rare books, manuscripts and art.
Course details and modules
You will study compulsory modules designed to lay the theoretical foundations of the programme, exploring a range of critical approaches that will help you understand the relationships between culture, creativity, and entrepreneurship, and how policy has brought these concepts together as the culture and creative industries. You will learn about enterprise and entrepreneurship, studying business models relevant to culture and creative organisations, and acquire skills in planning, ideation, team working and management. You will develop a feasibility study for a creative venture or respond to an opportunity presented by a cultural or creative organisation, giving you the chance to put theory into practice.
To help you shape your studies in the areas that suit your interests and career plans, you will also choose from optional modules that allow you to specialise in a range of areas taught by experts in their field. In a typical year these can include modules on cultural policy, the role of culture in sustainability, arts for health and wellbeing, audience engagement, digital technologies, management and leadership in the arts and cultural industries.
An independent research project runs throughout the year, in which you will develop your understanding of research methods and then undertake an investigation into a topic that interests you, developing vital skills for your future career or further study as a postgraduate researcher.
If you choose to study part-time, you will study over a two-year period and take fewer modules in each year.
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.
Year 1 compulsory modules
| Module Name | Credits |
|---|---|
| Independent Research Project (MA) | 60 |
| Culture and Creativity: Contexts and Debates | 30 |
| The Business of Culture and Creativity | 30 |
| Entrepreneurship in the Cultural and Creative Industries | 30 |
Year 1 optional modules (selection of typical options shown below)
| Module Name | Credits |
|---|---|
| Arts Management and Cultural Leadership | 30 |
| Sustainable Development in Arts and Culture | 30 |
| Digital and Intermedial Storytelling | 30 |
Learning and teaching
MA Culture, Creativity and Entrepreneurship is informed by sector-leading approaches to teaching that help you to develop your critical thinking and analytical skills.
The course is delivered through a range of face-to-face methods including lectures, seminars, tutorials, group learning and workshops. We also use innovative digital technologies to offer additional learning support.
Independent study is an essential part of your programme, vital to your development of a range of academic, research, entrepreneurial and employability skills, supported through a range of resources, extra-curricular activities and networking opportunities.
You will participate in knowledge exchange through small-group discussions in seminars and workshops. You will receive one-to-one support from expert academics in the related fields of culture, creativity and entrepreneurship.
There will be opportunities to attend masterclasses and workshops with industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.
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
This course uses a range of authentic assessment methods to help you develop a diverse set of skills. You may be assessed by essays, video and oral presentations, poster presentations and portfolio work, project reports, critical evaluations, and reflective essays.
The variety of assessment approaches used provides opportunities for students to work on topics of interest to them, with each student able to focus on the specialist topics of their choosing, within the cultural and creative industries framework; our Entrepreneurship and the Cultural Industries core module provides you with the opportunity to work collaboratively and creatively to innovate and build a portfolio of work that speaks to future career interests.
The assessments on this course are designed to develop your critical thinking and analytical skills as well as develop key transferable skills relevant to your future lives and careers.
Applying
Entry requirements
You’ll need a bachelor degree with a 2:1 (hons) or equivalent qualification, preferably in a Humanities and Social Sciences related degree specialising in one of the following subjects indicated under 'Humanities and Social Sciences related subjects'.
We will also consider applicants with relevant experience, an interest in humanities and social sciences or coming from an area of expertise to which humanities and social sciences is complementary such as the ones listed under ‘Other areas’.
We welcome applicants from a diverse range of subject disciplines so please do not hesitate to apply if your subject is not listed.
All applicants will be required to respond to the questions in the supporting statement section of the online application form to explain why you wish to study this particular course and your career plans. Relevant professional experience may also be considered. We may request additional documentation to inform our decision.
Humanities and Social Sciences related subjects
- Business
- Fine Art
- Theatre
- Politics
- Sociology
Other areas
- Heritage Studies
- Media
- Journalism
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 any component. 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.
If you intend to apply for funding, we advise you to submit an application for your chosen course as early as possible and at least one month before any scholarship deadline.
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'll need
- A copy of your degree certificate and transcripts, or a partial transcript if you’re still studying (please submit an official English translation where the original is not in English)
- Your approved English Language test* (if applicable)
- A personal statement in response to the questions asked in the supporting statement section of the application form
- A full up-to-date CV
- Any previous UK CAS, visa and BRP documents if you’re an international applicant who has previously studied in the UK on a Tier 4/ Student Visa.
* Applicants who have not yet completed an approved English language test may apply for a Masters course prior to taking a test.
Personal Statement Requirements
Please summarise your reasons for applying to this particular programme of study. Your response can include details of your previous study/work experience relevant to the programme and career ambitions. Your response can provide us with important information on your suitability for the course, so please complete it carefully.
Please explain why you have chosen to apply for this Masters course at the University of Leeds by answering the following questions in separate numbered paragraphs:
- What areas of this course particularly interest you and why? Have you studied these before? Please explain your reasons for applying to this particular Masters course
- Why do you want to study this course at Leeds? Please comment on aspects such as available resources at the University and in the city, research specialisms within the school or academics you would like to work with.
- What potential themes have you considered for dissertation research?
- How will studying for this course help you to achieve your longer term goals?
- Why do you see this course as a particularly valuable subject to study?
- What skills and experience do you have that have prepared you for this course? You may like to give details of any final year work/projects you have previously undertaken, relevant work experience etc.
Relevant work experience might include: advertising, marketing, architecture, crafts, design (product, graphic, fashion), film, TV, radio, photography, publishing, museums, galleries, libraries, music, performing and visual arts.
Next Steps
Where further information to support the assessment of your application is needed, we may ask for a recent sample of written work.
We do not generally request references, unless further information is required to support the assessment of your application.
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.
Support for part-time and mature learners
The Lifelong Learning Centre provides support for mature and part-time learners across the University, including advice on how to apply to university and support throughout your studies.
Admissions policy
University of Leeds Admissions Policy 2026
This course is taught by
School of Performance and Cultural Industries
Contact us
Postgraduate Admissions
Email: pcipg@leeds.ac.uk
Fees
UK: £12,000 (Total)
International: £29,000 (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 and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government. Find out more at Masters funding overview.
You may also be eligible to apply for a scholarship to help support your studies.
Career opportunities
You’ll gain a variety of in-depth subject knowledge from this course, as well as valuable transferable skills such as cultural and social awareness, research, analysis and communication. These skills and knowledge will equip you to work in a rapidly changing global context of technological and social change that the cultural and creative industries encapsulate.
The opportunity to work at the intersection of culture, heritage, creative arts, tourism, social media and the curation of audiences in localised communities and international contexts ensures you are best equipped to be an innovative contributor to an exciting future within the contemporary communications and technology era.
Our graduates have pursued a range of careers that reflect this diversity. They’ve joined international consultancy firms and social enterprises as research associates, become project managers in arts and cultural organisations or worked as policy managers and advisers within cultural policy bodies.
Others have gone on to work in public policy, urban regeneration, community development, teaching and more. Some graduates set up their own businesses in associated industry sectors, either during or soon after completing the course.
You'll have opportunities to network and establish connections with experts working in the cultural and creative industries through our Critical Insights programme.
Many other graduates have continued with their research and progressed to PhD study. There is a wide variety of careers and employability support available across the University to help you with your career.
Reach your potential
Hear more about the School and Faculty support you can access from our employability lead, Professor Karen Burland.
Careers support
The School of Performance and Cultural Industries has a strong commitment to enhancing student employability. We established an Industry Advisory Board for PCI in 2022. The board features 12 members from a range of cultural organisations, which will contribute to the ongoing development of our School's employability activities. We regularly hold employability skills workshops, talks and presentations from representatives of cultural organisations in Leeds, with practical advice to support you.
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.