Museums, Galleries and Contemporary Culture MA

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Course Overview

UK Fees £4,250 *
International Fees £8,500 *
Alumni Discount See details
Duration 2 years

* Price per academic year

Course summary

The Museums, Galleries and Contemporary Culture MA examines how cultural institutions are changing to meet the needs of the 21st century. The MA is for you if you're pursuing a career as a museum professional, curator, or arts organiser. It will equip you with a critical understanding of the key conceptual and practical skills in curatorship, museology and museum management necessary for you to succeed in your professional life.

The course looks at the changing role of cultural provision and how cultural institutions shape, house, fund and disseminate culture today within the broader theoretical context of museum and gallery issues. You'll examine key themes in the cultural sector, and how these are dealt with by leading and smaller institutions in the UK and internationally. In studying and experiencing their day-to-day work, such as how they’re developing innovative practices in relation to their collections, exhibitions and audiences, you’ll gain valuable insight into the sector.

This MA gives you the unique opportunity to immerse yourself in contemporary debates about working practices in cultural institutions by working closely with museum and gallery professionals. You’ll be able to learn with our London-based course partners, The Museum of London and The Photographers’ Gallery, and to meet a variety of other professionals from the sector. Gaining professional knowledge is an important part of the course and you'll be supported in gaining work placements and in working on professional projects.

The University of Westminster is a leading provider in this academic discipline and is ranked 2nd in the UK for Art and Design Research Quality in the Complete University Guide (Subject League Table 2023).

Top reasons to study with us

  • Study in London's museums and galleries – Classes take place off-site at museums and galleries in addition to at the University, giving you the opportunity to meet professionals in the places where they work
  • Learn from industry experts – You'll gain valuable knowledge through talking to museum and gallery professionals about their careers, and current issues and practices in the sector
  • Gain practical experience – The course has a strong vocational focus, and you'll have the opportunity to do practical projects for your assessments

Course structure

The following modules are indicative of what you'll study on this course.

In addition to taking two core modules, you'll choose four modules from the list of option modules below.

Core modules

This module focuses on key topics that are fundamental to the discipline of museum and gallery studies. It engages with current debates being addressed by professionals in the sector and with the pressing issues that are facing arts and cultural institutions. These topics range from the changing role of organisations as public bodies and what their responsibilities are, to working in a post-recession economy where public funding is diminishing, to the ethics of sponsorship from the private sector. It will address topical issues such as the inclusivity and accessibility of organisations to audiences with disabilities and how museums deal with claims for the repatriation of artefacts to other countries.

You'll take either the MA Dissertation or the MA Project:

MA Dissertation

Development, execution, and writing-up of an independent research project on a topic chosen by you. You'll attend regular research seminars. Individual supervision will provide topic-specific guidance.

MA Project

Development, execution, and writing-up of a practice-based research project on a topic chosen by you involving practical work in a creative or professional capacity. You'll attend regular research seminars. Individual supervision will provide topic-specific guidance.

Option modules

This module examines how art institutions define their roles and priorities within the contemporary art world. The module examines the practices of a range of different organisations, including public museums and galleries, independent galleries, artist-run spaces and other exhibition venues. It provides historical context for thinking about the relationship between art institutions and society. It explores how temporary exhibitions are researched and planned, how museum collections are displayed, how public programmes are devised and how museums and galleries engage with their audiences. While London-focused, the issues explored are applicable in many other contexts. Classes include visits to museums and galleries and, where relevant, invited speakers.

Collections lie at the heart of a museum, often shaping its historical development, and its evolution as a modern institution. Collections cross into every area of museum work: from interpretation and exhibitions, to conservation and collections management, digitization and information management. This module is taught through case studies of contemporary collecting practices at museums, as well as key theoretical approaches from museum studies, material cultural studies, sociology, digital humanities anthropology and archaeology. It examines the journey that an object takes from being proposed by curators to acceptance into a collection, accessioning, conservation and storage, with items ranging from archaeological artefacts like Roman coins to modern clothing and digital material. It also considers the ethical, sustainability, strategic and policy issues in the various stages of this process, both from a historical and contemporary perspective.

This module introduces you to the practical and theoretical issues of using archives for the purposes of research or exhibition. With privileged access to the unique collections of the University of Westminster Archive, the module combines knowledge from the professional practice of archiving and from key archival theorists.

This module looks in detail at the practical and conceptual steps involved in the development, implementation and evaluation of contemporary photographic exhibitions, and of associated programmes of events and activities. Through case studies at The Photographers’ Gallery and other London-based spaces such as the Victoria and Albert Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, and the Atlas Gallery, the module will explore methods of display and audience engagement with new forms of photographic practice. You'll learn from a range of professionals working in the field who will present a variety of contemporary approaches to curating and public programming.

This module focuses on issues of tangible and intangible cultural heritage in the UK and globally, expanding knowledge beyond museums and galleries. It looks at the processes of heritage making, the politics and uses of heritage across the world, and the concepts, theories, and the practices of heritage creation. The focus of the module is on heritage’s link to the cultural and creative industries, including tourism and instances of untold or overlooked narratives in the sector. It considers, for example, the role of UNESCO; living heritage including sounds and smells; sports; festivals and carnivals; parks; walking tours; dark heritage, and mega events (such as the Cultural Olympiad and the European Capital of Culture) in order to develop your critical and creative thinking skills as well as professional capabilities. It encourages engagement with case examples and sources whilst reflecting on personal experiences of heritage and cultural interests.

This module is a critical exploration of the structure of the culture and heritage sector, the different kinds of institutions represented within it (e.g., large galleries, heritage sites, small local authority museums), and their relationships with political bodies, funders, and the leisure and tourism industry. You will gain an in-depth understanding of the management and governance structures of cultural and heritage institutions, the professional roles within the sector, and how different institutions manage resources, fundraise and manage projects. The module also considers significant management-specific challenges such as how to oversee and build diverse workforces and the emotional labour involved. You'll further gain the active listening, teamwork, and digital and communication skills necessary for professional work in the sector.

This module looks in detail at the way that museums develop content for the public. Through case studies at London-based museums, you will discuss the many ways that museum exhibitions are constructed, how texts and displays are designed and why understanding audiences is central to developing effective museum narratives. This module will explore a wide range of subject areas, including archaeology, social history and fashion, to reveal the curatorial challenges of interpretation and display. This module will also consider the role of museums in learning and education, and the techniques they use to engage and understand their audiences. The module will include guest speakers who will present a variety of contemporary approaches to curating, interpretation and audience engagement.

This module examines the issues and practices involved in presenting non-western cultures to a diverse audience through visual practices and you will look at how representation produces meaning. Key issues explored include: postcolonialism; globalisation; the relationship between photography and ideology; the ethics of representation; the birth of the museum; contemporary roles of western cultural institutions; and audiences as citizens and consumers.

Social justice, participation, and inclusivity are key concerns for contemporary arts organisations and museums. This module considers why social justice and equality have become central concerns for the sector and an opportunity for important knowledge exchange. It introduces you to the ways in which organisations and institutions conceptualise their relationship with the public, and how the public can be incorporated into these spaces. This module thus introduces you to representational projects in which community groups, arts organisations, sites of memory, museums, and monuments co-create with groups who have been impacted by the sector's social value. It explores how approaches to social justice topics are contextualised by social, political debates beyond the museum and gallery sector and how this also enables museums and galleries to forge innovative and mutually-beneficial partnerships and networks. By critically examining co-designed and co-produced projects which challenge social exclusion, you will learn how participation and representation require structures and methods which enable all involved to contribute in a meaningful way.

In this module you can gain first-hand experience of working within a professional context. You'll undertake a placement of 110 hours (or three weeks) as a voluntary position in an arts or culture organisation. You'll also submit a report about the job and the sector you've worked in.

Partnerships

Modules on this course have been designed as partnerships with The Photographers' Gallery and the Museum of London.

Studying the Museums, Galleries and Contemporary Culture MA

 

 

Please note the information in this video was correct at the time of filming. The current partners of this course are The Photographers' Gallery and the Museum of London.

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Programme specification

For more details on course structure, modules, teaching and assessment Download the programme specification (PDF).

To request an accessible version please email [email protected]

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Prospectus

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Get in touch

Contact us for general course enquiries:

+44 (0)20 7911 5000 EXT 65511
(Mon-Fri, 10am-3pm GMT)

[email protected]

Live chat with us
(Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm GMT)

Open evenings

Join us at an open evening online or on campus. Get a feel for student life at the University of Westminster and talk to course leaders and our support teams.

Careers

On graduating, you'll have the skills to work in a variety of positions in the cultural sector.

Build industry connections

Throughout the course, you're encouraged and supported to get involved with cultural institutions through internships, work placements and projects.

Experience cultural London

Based in the heart of central London, you'll be ideally placed to explore the city's museums, galleries and cultural institutions and immerse yourself in London's arts scene. 

3,000

Employers around the world

The University’s Careers and Employability Service has built up a network of over 3,000 employers around the world, helping all our students explore and connect with exciting opportunities and careers.

Work experience

You'll have the opportunity to gain valuable experience through projects with our partner museums and galleries, where you can work as a volunteer.

We also organise semester-long placements, created with museums and galleries to give you experience you can use in future jobs.

Industry links

We work closely with major museums and galleries including the National Maritime Museum, Museum of London, Hayward Gallery and The Photographers Gallery, teaching our classes at these institutions and others, with the assistance of their curators.

In the past, we've welcomed international guest speakers from museums and galleries such as Aaron Bryant, Curator at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Washington DC, and artists such as Bahia Shahab, Cairo.

Graduate employers

Graduates from this course have found employment at organisations including:

  • Centre Pompidou, Paris, France
  • Design Museum, London
  • Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg, Russia
  • Migration Museum, London
  • Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Job roles

This course will prepare you for a variety of roles, including:

  • Art gallery curator
  • Arts and media strategist and adviser
  • Collections manager
  • Education and interpretation officer
  • Funding officer
  • Learning and education officer
  • Museum curator
  • Public events manager

Westminster Employability Award

Employers value graduates who have invested in their personal and professional development – and our Westminster Employability Award gives you the chance to formally document and demonstrate these activities and achievements.

The award is flexible and can be completed in your own time, allowing you to choose from a set of extracurricular activities. 

Activities might include gaining experience through a part-time job or placement, signing up to a University-run scheme – such as mentoring or teaching in a school – or completing online exercises.

Read more about our Westminster Employability Award.

Westminster Employability Award

Course Leaders

Ailsa Peate profile photo's profile photo

Museums and galleries are vital spaces and key to understanding societies and our places within them.

Dr Ailsa Peate

Lecturer

Ailsa’s research focuses on Mexican, Colombian, and Cuban popular cultures, focusing on representations of violence, gender, and sexuality in museums and memory spaces. She works with grassroots groups and cultural organisations in these areas to develop participatory arts programming and ethics to amplify invisibilised voices in museums.

See full profileSee full profile of Dr Ailsa Peate

Dr Sara Dominici

Senior Lecturer

Sara is a historian of photography and visual culture with extensive experience of working and teaching with archive and museum collections. Her teaching draws on her interdisciplinary research, as well as on her previous experience working as a photographer and editor in both commercial and non-profit organisations.

See full profileSee full profile of Dr Sara Dominici
Sara Dominici profile photo's profile photo

It is a privilege to work with the diverse cohort of international students that our University attracts. The wealth of perspectives that they bring to the discussions is something that I really treasure and that contributes to the richness of our programmes.

Why study this course?

Institute for Modern and Contemporary Culture

Through our Institute, you'll have the opportunity to enjoy events including research seminars, symposia, guest lectures, conferences and screenings.

Learn in a vibrant, multicultural environment

You'll be learning alongside passionate students from around the world, collaborating on projects and exploring the culture of London together through the lens of the course.

Fit the course around your career

The MA is designed to facilitate studying while already working with cultural institutions – wherever possible, you'll be encouraged to focus your learning around your professional work.

Entry Requirements

A minimum of a lower second class honours degree (2:2) in a relevant discipline including culture and heritage studies, visual arts and media, languages and literature, and history. All applications from any prospective student without a degree in a relevant area or without higher education qualifications, including from candidates with demonstrable relevant work experience and relevant professional qualifications, will be carefully considered. Applicants may be asked to supply a written response to a set text to demonstrate suitability for the course.

If your first language is not English, you should have an IELTS 6.5 with at least 6.5 in writing and no element below 6.0.

Applicants are required to submit one academic or professional reference

Recognition of prior learning and experience

If you have previously studied at university level, or have equivalent work experience, academic credit may be awarded towards your course at Westminster. For more information, visit our Recognition of Prior Learning page.

Application process 

Visit our How to apply page for more information on:

  • the application process
  • what you need to apply
  • deadlines for application

A minimum of a lower second class honours degree (2:2) in a relevant discipline including culture and heritage studies, visual arts and media, languages and literature, and history. All applications from any prospective student without a degree in a relevant area or without higher education qualifications, including from candidates with demonstrable relevant work experience and relevant professional qualifications, will be carefully considered. Applicants may be asked to supply a written response to a set text to demonstrate suitability for the course.

If your first language is not English, you should have an IELTS 6.5 with at least 6.5 in writing and no element below 6.0.

Applicants are required to submit one academic or professional reference

Recognition of prior learning and experience

If you have previously studied at university level, or have equivalent work experience, academic credit may be awarded towards your course at Westminster. For more information, visit our Recognition of Prior Learning page.

Application process 

Visit our How to apply page for more information on:

  • the application process
  • what you need to apply
  • deadlines for application

More information

What our students say

Yejide Cordner

Museums, Galleries and Contemporary Culture MA

The staff and students at the University are very warm and welcoming. The culture here is genuinely the most positive experience I have had in any learning institution.

Student Work

Memoria Technica exhibition at Loudest Whispers

Martha Jennings has had her work, Memoria Technica, showcased in St Pancras Hospital as part of their annual LGBT+ exhibition, Loudest Whispers (3 February – 12 May 2023), which promotes LGBT+ artists based in Camden and Islington.

Martha’s Memoria Technica explores the memorialisation of LGBTQI+ people contributing to the film, television and photography industries. The installation features three torsos that represent male, female and intersex bodies. It is also an interactive art piece, inviting visitors to add the names of an LGBTQI+ person they know from the film, television and photography industries onto the wall behind the torsos.

'Mapping China: Living in the Reform Era' Exhibition

Created by student Ge Zhu in collaboration with Image Talk Studio, Beijing, and presented at the Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery, London, 'Mapping China' is a project about ordinary people’s memories of China. As part of his final MA Project, Ge curated the 'Living in the Reform Era' exhibition, aiming to investigate this period's living conditions and ways of existence. The exhibition included works by 17 photographers who were all active during China’s Reform and Opening Up period, which began in 1978.

The exhibition ran in January 2022 and brought together over 100 photographs, films, literature and objects showing all aspects of social life during China’s reform period.

 

Photographs in the 'Mapping China: Living in the reform Era' exhibition

W.E.T.: Women exhibiting together’

Museums, Galleries and Contemporary Culture with Professional Experience MA student Eleanor Thirlway organised and curated 'W.E.T: Women Exhibiting Together', a group exhibition that brought together the works of ten diverse international female artists exploring the multifaceted nature of womanhood through different media. Taking place at the Project Space in London Gallery West from 29 November - 3 December 2022.

The exhibition was held at the Project Space in London Gallery West and brought together female artists from a range of backgrounds and working practices in order to juxtapose works and leave visitors and artists feeling empowered to freely engage with the spectrum of womanhood presented. 

 

Exhibition image for the 'W.E.T.: Women exhibiting together' exhibition. The image shows a digital collage of someone eating an illustration of a pink doll who is crying.

Learn new skills

Volunteer and gain new skills

We offer a number of different volunteering opportunities for you to learn new skills, create connections, and make a difference in the community.

Develop your entrepreneurial skills

Our award-winning Westminster Enterprise Network offers industry networking events, workshops, one-to-one business advice and support for your start-up projects.

Get extra qualifications

We provide access to free online courses in Adobe and Microsoft Office applications, as well as thousands of specialist courses on LinkedIn Learning.

Fees and Funding

UK tuition fee: £4,250 (Price per academic year)

When you have enrolled with us, your annual tuition fees will remain the same throughout your studies with us. We do not increase your tuition fees each year.

Find out how we set our tuition fees.

Paying your fees

If you don't wish to pay the whole amount of your fees at once, you may be able to pay by instalments. This opportunity is available if you have a personal tuition fee liability of £2,000 or more and if you are self-funded or funded by the Student Loans Company.

Find out more about paying your fees.

Alumni discount

This course is eligible for an alumni discount. Find out if you are eligible and how to apply by visiting our Alumni discounts page.

Funding

There is a range of funding available that may help you fund your studies, including Student Finance England (SFE).

Find out more about postgraduate student funding options.

Scholarships

The University is dedicated to supporting ambitious and outstanding students and we offer a variety of scholarships to eligible postgraduate students.

Find out if you qualify for one of our scholarships.

Additional costs

See what you may need to pay for separately and what your tuition fees cover.

International tuition fee: £8,500 (Price per academic year)

When you have enrolled with us, your annual tuition fees will remain the same throughout your studies with us. We do not increase your tuition fees each year.

Find out how we set our tuition fees.

Paying your fees

If you don't wish to pay the whole amount of your fees at once, you may be able to pay by instalments. This opportunity is available if you have a personal tuition fee liability of £2,000 or more and if you are self-funded or funded by the Student Loans Company.

Find out more about paying your fees.

Alumni discount

This course is eligible for an alumni discount. Find out if you are eligible and how to apply by visiting our Alumni discounts page.

Funding

There are a number of funding schemes available to help you fund your studies with us.

Find out more about funding for international students.

Scholarships

The University is dedicated to supporting ambitious and outstanding students and we offer a variety of scholarships to eligible postgraduate students.

Find out if you qualify for one of our scholarships.

Additional costs

See what you may need to pay for separately and what your tuition fees cover.

Teaching and Assessment

Below you will find how learning time and assessment types are distributed on this course. The graphs below give an indication of what you can expect through approximate percentages, taken either from the experience of previous cohorts, or based on the standard module diet where historic course data is unavailable.  Changes to the division of learning time and assessment may be made in response to feedback and in accordance with our terms and conditions.

How you’ll be taught

Teaching methods across all our postgraduate courses focus on active student learning through lectures, seminars, workshops, problem-based and blended learning, and where appropriate practical application. Learning typically falls into two broad categories:

  • Scheduled hours: examples include lectures, seminars, practical classes, workshops, supervised time in a studio
  • Independent study: non-scheduled time in which students are expected to study independently. This may include preparation for scheduled sessions, dissertation/final project research, follow-up work, wider reading or practice, completion of assessment tasks, or revision
Year
1
17%83%
2
14%86%
Scheduled hoursIndependent study

How you’ll be assessed

Our postgraduate courses include a variety of assessments, which typically fall into two broad categories:

  • Practical: examples include presentations, podcasts, blogs
  • Coursework: examples include essays, in-class tests, portfolios, dissertation
Year
1
33%67%
2
25%75%
PracticalCoursework

Data from the academic year 2022/23

Research groups

Our research achieves real-world impact and we are proud to claim a rich and diverse profile of high-quality research and knowledge exchange in a wide range of disciplines.

Find out more about our research groups related to this course:

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Supporting you

Our Student Hub is where you’ll find out about the services and support we offer, helping you get the best out of your time with us.

  • Study support — workshops, 1-2-1 support and online resources to help improve your academic and research skills
  • Personal tutors — support you in fulfilling your academic and personal potential
  • Student advice team — provide specialist advice on a range of issues including funding, benefits and visas
  • Extra-curricular activities — volunteering opportunities, sports and fitness activities, student events and more

Visit our student hub

Course location

Our Regent Campus is composed of three sites, situated on and around Regent Street – one of the most famous and vibrant streets in London.

Our Humanities subjects are based at 309 Regent Street, which includes recently refurbished social spaces, gym facilities and our Regent Street Cinema.

For more details, visit our locations page.

Contact us

Call our dedicated team on:

+44 (0)20 7911 5000 ext 65511

Opening hours (GMT): 10am–4pm Monday to Friday

[email protected]

Start live chat

Opening hours (GMT): 10am–4pm Monday to Friday

More information

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