Masters Degrees in Curatorial Studies

Overview

This program in Visual Arts and Curatorial Studies is the only study program in Europe associating the education in production of visual arts with a highly specialized curatorial program.

The two-year MA in Visual Arts and Curatorial Studies aims to build the skills of artists and curators starting from the same shared exhibition environment, where the role and the talents of both are open frameworks to be redefined.

The program provides a range of interdisciplinary activities developed through lectures, workshops, seminars and exhibitions in order to create new educational and practical models in the field of contemporary art.

Graduates from this MA program enjoy professional careers as curators, editors of specialized magazines and books, journalists, and exhibition designers. Visual culture, visual and performing arts, curatorial studies and exhibition design are included in the research and analysis fields.

Among the main areas of studying there are visual culture, visual and performing arts, curatorial studies, exhibition design.

Language: Italian
Credits: 120 CF
Placement rate: 81%

Audience

Candidates holding a first-level academic diploma or BA degree, or about to graduate and with a knowledge of the Italian language (according to the medium of instruction of the program) equal to a B2 Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
The program is open to young artists searching for a solid education in the field of visual arts production with a highly specialized curatorial program, with the aim of building the skills of artists and curators starting from the same shared exhibition environment.

Career

The two-year MA in Visual Arts and Curatorial Studies equips students with the necessary fundamentals to continue their studies or to enter the world of professional design and creative industries. Graduates may find employment as: Artists, Curators, Editors of specialized magazines and books, Art critics and journalists, Exhibition designers, Gallery and museum directors, Consultants at auction houses, Art dealers, Directors of public institutions.

Companies

NABA has developed strong relationships with leading companies which provide internships for NABA students. Among them are: Fondazione La Triennale di Milano, Fondazione Museion - Museo d'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea Bolzano, Form Content Londra, BAK, basis voor actuele kunst, Oliviero Toscani Studio, Sotheby's Italia, Skira Editore, Associazione Viafarini, Artshow Edizioni, Careof Organization for Contemporary Art,Open Care.

Admission

Discover how to apply: http://www.naba.it/admission-postgraduate-programs/processo-di-ammissione/?lang=en

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The Critical and Curatorial Studies Program aims to address the growing need for curators and critics who have theoretical knowledge and practical experience in analyzing institutions, preparing displays and communicating about contemporary art. The program aims to produce individuals who are:
- able to engage productively with critical discussions of art and visual culture
- capable of developing and working with new modes of exhibition
- able to work creatively in both traditional and innovative situations
- familiar with issues and institutions affecting contemporary art

Critical and Curatorial Studies (CCST) is an emerging field of scholarship and training that looks directly at the roles and responsibilities of curators and critics as mediators between objects, institutions, experiences, individuals and groups. While this involves investigating and negotiating a number of disciplinary fields, from ethnography to aesthetics, organizational behaviour to cultural studies, the main focus is on contemporary conditions of display and understanding.

CCST students take three required graduate seminars that engage with historical frameworks and contemporary contextual issues within curatorial practice, and case studies in exhibitions and institutions. These popular seminars are open to other graduate students as well and foster interesting dialogues on issues surrounding curation. CCST students supplement their knowledge with Art History courses and are given the opportunity to take additional credits outside the department as well. They are also challenged to achieve reading knowledge of a language other than English for their language requirement, along with the MA in Art History and PhD students.

During the graduate practicum students gain professional experience through the research, planning, and realization of a significant project and are expected to rationalize their exhibition in written work and presentations at various stages during its production. Students are exposed to the practical and theoretical concerns of exhibition creation and are rewarded in their endeavour with local, if not national and international exposure.

The final requirement for the MA in Critical and Curatorial Studies program is the Major Paper. This extended essay provides students with the opportunity for original and in-depth research on a topic related to the themes or cases examined in the course of study.

Quick Facts

- Degree: Master of Arts
- Specialization: Art History (Critical Curatorial Studies)
- Subject: Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities
- Mode of delivery: On campus
- Program components: Coursework + Major Project/Essay required
- Faculty: Faculty of Arts

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The Master of Fine Arts in Criticism & Curatorial Practice program offers graduate students an exceptional opportunity to explore and experiment with contemporary art, media and design through engagement with history, theory and criticism within curatorial practice.

OCAD University’s distinctive program focuses uniquely on the practices of curating and criticism, leading to the Master of Fine Arts degree. Our graduate faculty and adjunct faculty include practising curators and critics who bring deep intellectual and professional expertise to the studies of criticism and curatorial practice.

OCAD University’s reputation for excellence entices internationally renowned authorities to its annual Artist-in-Residence program, and assists students to establish programmatic internships in Canada and abroad.

The MFA in Criticism & Curatorial Practice is a full-time, 60-credit program normally completed within two academic years or five sequential semesters. With the Program Director’s approval, some part-time students may be admitted with a more flexible completion schedule.

The program comprises the following:

Five core seminars (critical theory, research methods, issues in exhibitions, critical writing, and issues in criticism and curatorial studies)
Two core practice and issues-based studio/seminars
An institutionally embedded theory and practice-based course,"Inside Curatorial Practice", which including a collaborative group exhibition
Two elective seminars or studios
Individual research
Summer internship or study abroad
Thesis: curatorial exhibition and critical essay, or criticism thesis

Students entering the program will have an honours-equivalent four-year bachelor’s degree in studio art or design, or art history/visual culture, or a related discipline, and several years of practical experience. They will be interested in augmenting their existing knowledge base through a program of study that facilitates exploration of and experimentation with the full range of contemporary art and/or design curatorial and critical practices, and that provides the historical, theoretical and critical armature required.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the MFA in Criticism and Curatorial Practice are:

to ensure that students acquire advanced research skills for visual and academic investigations in the areas of art, media, and design practice and critical theory;
to contribute to new knowledge in the areas of art, media, and design research methodologies in criticism and curatorial practices;
to promote the development of practices that facilitate sustainability, social responsibility, and diverse social and cultural perspectives;
to develop and advance curatorial and critical practices in design;
to promote contemporary art, media, and design practices within public contexts;
to contribute to the development of the field of Canadian art, media, and design criticism;
to contribute to the development of the field of curatorial practice in private and public galleries and museums and to independent curatorial practices.

KEY FEATURES

Partnerships, internships and events at organizations such as the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Textile Museum, C Magazine, the Toronto Alliance of Art Critics, and various Toronto artist-run centres.
The Summer Internship, which is an approximately four-week placement with a gallery, museum, arts publication or other relevant cultural institution in Canada or abroad. The internship allows students to integrate the knowledge gleaned from first-year seminars with the practices of curating and criticism.
The annual Artist-in-Residence program, which brings internationally renowned artists, designers, curators and critics to OCAD U for a one-week residency during which they conduct seminars, attend studio critiques, and give a public lecture/presentation.

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MA Curatorial Practise focuses on curating as a contemporary practice, bringing together history, theory and practice. We ask what is it that makes the role of the curator distinct, and how do we understand the essentials of curating, when it has become such a buzzword.

The course embraces contemporary curating in historic and collection-based settings as well as contemporary venues, digital, ‘pop-up’ and site specific contexts. It is delivered by experts in the field and working curators.

COURSE STRUCTURE AND CONTENT

The course covers a wide range of curatorial approaches, from management of historical collections to creative curating of cutting edge contemporary art, craft and design. Our students come from a wide variety of backgrounds; we challenge you to develop your interests, while understanding what you share with others across our discipline. Engagement and understanding audiences are central to curatorial practice.

Engagement and understanding audiences are central to curatorial practice. You’ll develop experience in ways of sharing and presenting ideas throughout the course.

If you're studying the course full-time you will study two modules per trimester, alternatively part-time students will study one per trimester.

MODULES

Research Methodologies will introduce the generic research methodologies and the ways subject specific material, analysis and evaluation techniques can be a vehicle for personal study.

In The Role of the Curator we consider the politics of curating, real-world issues and discuss the changing role of the curator.

Collections and Collecting considers the nature of collecting and the influence of collecting on curatorial practice.

Reaching Audiences allows you to present or study a live project to a real audience.

The Master's Project is an assessment that can include a dissertation, the study of historical or archival case studies, curating an exhibition or project in a venue, or forms of digital production.

For detailed information on each of the modules go to: https://www.bathspa.ac.uk/courses/pg-curatorial-practice/

TEACHING METHODS

You’ll be taught in seminars, complemented with field visits to key venues facilitated by lead curators. We adopt a practice-led approach; while some sessions are delivered by our academics, others are delivered by our collaborators and relate to particular case studies or collections.

You’ll frequently link your study to internships, volunteering and project work.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Project based work can be developed and assessed as part of the course. Real life projects can be pursued in response to assessment assignments, especially in relation to the final 'Master's Project' double module.

For more information on assessment methods, please go to our course webpage: https://www.bathspa.ac.uk/courses/pg-curatorial-practice/

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Recent graduates have found work in: .

• Curatorial work in museums and galleries
• Galleries/Arts administration
• Self-employed freelance curatorial work and consultancy
• Publishing and media work
• Education, gallery and museum learning and teaching
• General project management outside the visual arts and museums
• Critical writing
• Academic study and teaching

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Our MA Curatorial Studies degree enables graduates to develop the skills, critical understanding and specialist knowledge required to follow a rewarding career as an independent curator or to work within a related creative industries perspective.

This course provides a tailored learning environment that encourages and supports your creative development, your independence in creativity, imagination and ideas, from the individual perspective of the student. The course seeks to support and develop new interdisciplinary practices, conceptual skills and a broader understanding of the debates informing Art & Design practices, which are a fundamental aspect of the programme. 

The course is delivered by an experienced team of recognised artists, critical theorists and curators who encourage and support a diversity of approaches within Fine Art and its expanded field. The course actively supports and creates opportunities to explore collaborative and interdisciplinary practices, which challenge subject norms and areas of expertise. It is ideal for students who have an undergraduate honours degree in Fine Art, Contemporary Art Practice, or a Design discipline. 

How to apply

Please visit the website to find out how to apply.

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Our MBA Museum Management equips you with the skills to become a successful manager or entrepreneur within the museum and gallery sector. If you are self-funding your studies, our MBA scholarship could offer you a £5,000 fee discount.

You gain a solid grounding in the essentials of business management, from operations and human resources to business strategy. You also learn the specifics of managing galleries and exhibitions, curation and art history, so you graduate with the necessary knowledge and skills to make a meaningful contribution as a leader within the arts sector.

This is a unique degree among Anglo-American universities, drawing on strengths from two of Essex’s world renowned Schools. Essex Business School is ranked in the UK’s top 20 (Association of Business Schools) and our Art History programme, home to the highly innovative Centre for Curatorial Studies, ranks 6th for research excellence.

With our MBA Museum Management, you benefit from a fully-rounded business education, centred on the themes of innovation, entrepreneurship, sustainability and international business, yet with the added benefit of acquiring expertise in the arts sector.

This course can also be studied part-time.

Our expert staff

Essex Business School is home to internationally respected academics and practitioners, who conduct world-class research in the areas of: business ethics and corporate social responsibility; organisation studies; leadership and strategy; finance and banking; risk management and international management. You are taught by staff from a wide range of nationalities, preparing you for an international career.

Our MBA Director, Nigel Pye, has academic and private sector experience, having held several senior positions at organisations such as Ernst and Young, KPMG, Warwick Business School and Cranfield University.

In Art History, our academic staff are experts in the history, theory and practice of curating art from the Renaissance to the present, as well as more unconventional forms of visual culture, such as protest placards and medical imagery. Here are a few examples of recent or current projects by staff members:
-Dr Gavin Grindon, Lecturer in Art History and co-director of our Centre for Curatorial Studies, recently curated The Museum of Cruel Designs and Guerilla Island at Banksy's Dismaland show. He also co-curated the Disobedient Objects exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, one of the best attended shows in the museum’s history. He has also widely published on activist art in leading journals such as Art History
-Dr Adrian Locke, a Visiting Fellow in Art History and Senior Curator at the Royal Academy of Arts, London, has curated a diverse range of exhibitions, including Mexico: A Revolution in Art, 1910–1940 (2013) and Radical Geometry: Modern Art of South American from the Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Collection (2014). He also co-curated the exhibition Ai Weiwei, which opens at the Royal Academy in September 2015
-Dr Matt Lodder, Lecturer in Art History with an emphasis on modern and contemporary visual culture, is co-curating the exhibition Tattoo: Ancient Myths, Modern Meanings, which opens next year in the U.S
-Dr Michael Tymkiw, co-director of the Centre for Curatorial Studies, has a book under contract entitled Nazi Exhibition Design and Modernism. He has also just launched an interdisciplinary research project that focuses on using digital technologies to expand disability access in museums—a project that involves collaborations with several museums in Colchester and London, including firstsite and the Victoria and Albert Museum

Specialist facilities

You benefit from state-of-the-art facilities, including the new Essex Business School building - the first zero-carbon business school building in the UK.

You can enjoy a stunning working environment, including:
-A beautiful winter garden, which gives the building its own micro-climate
-A virtual trading floor with Bloomberg Financial Market Labs to practice trading stocks and securities
-Light and spacious teaching areas
-Study pods and innovation booths for group working
-A café with an adjacent sun terrace

Our art history facilities, where several modules are taught, also enable you to gain curatorial experience and engage in object-based learning, a cornerstone of our approach when teaching the history of art and its modes of display:
-Our Essex Collection of Art from Latin America (ESCALA) is the most comprehensive Latin American art research resource in the UK and has a state-of-the-art teaching and research space
-Our onsite gallery Art Exchange runs an ongoing programme of contemporary art exhibitions, talks and workshops by curators and artists, as well as exhibitions organised by our postgraduate students, including those who pursue the MBA in Museum Management
Colchester’s iconic Firstsite gallery features an exciting programme of contemporary art exhibitions, film screenings and talks, and exhibitions organised by our curatorial students
-Our Centre for Curatorial Studies is home to staff who specialise in the history and theory of exhibition design and who curate high-profile exhibitions

Your future

Our MBA Museum Management allows you to position yourself competitively for managerial positions in museum and gallery sectors, auction houses, art insurance and art law, or to begin your own entrepreneurial venture in the cultural industries. We equip you with subject-specific knowledge and encourage you to draw on your creativity, innovation and ethical awareness when solving business challenges.

You have access to Essex Business School’s employability team, as well as the University’s Employability and Careers Centre. Together, they can provide support when seeking additional work experience, internships, placements, and voluntary opportunities.

Example structure

-Business Research Methods and Skills
-International Business Environment
-Business Strategy
-People and Organisations
-Managerial Economics
-Venture Academy: Creating and Growing a New Venture
-International Marketing Strategy
-Sustainable Operations
-Accounting and Finance for Managers
-Managing Galleries and Exhibition Projects
-Critique and Curating
-Exhibition (Joint Project)
-Dissertation: MBA Museum Management

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A ground-breaking new MA delivered in partnership with the BFI to prepare students to build successful careers in film exhibition, programming, criticism or archival work.

‘I wholeheartedly support courses like the NFTS Film Studies MA. Finding and developing talented individuals who can programme unforgettable content is priceless.’ - Efe Cakarel, Founder, MUBI

-The course is delivered in partnership with the BFI (the leading body for film in the UK) who will also provide hands-on placement opportunities across a range of curatorial and critical activities.
-The course is delivered by film professionals in film exhibition and distribution, festivals, archives and film criticism, alongside academics and film makers
-Students on the course will attend film festivals.
-Students learn how to conceptualise film work in terms of idea, form and style, as well as understanding the relationship between film and audience.
-Students will learn about the practicalities of film exhibition, distribution and preservation in the changing digital landscape.
-Students will study the practice of film criticism and comment, including reviewing and critical writing about films, filmmakers and the broader culture.
-Students have the opportunity to mount festivals, pop up screenings and other events.
-Access to NFTS's Masterclasses led by major creative figures from film, television and games.

We welcome EU/EEA Students. Those accepted onto courses starting in 2018 will have their fees guaranteed at the UK rate for both years of the course. Postgraduate students can apply for a loan to help with their studies via the Student Loans Company Loans. A £ 10,000 loan is available to contribute to course and living costs. The Post Graduate Loan is only open to EU/EEA and UK Students who normally live in England. It is not currently available to Scottish, Welsh or Northern Ireland Students. Find out more here: https://nfts.co.uk/fees-funding

COURSE OVERVIEW

This course commences at the end of January each year.

The National Film and Television School’s Film Studies Programming and Curation Masters delivered in partnership with the BFI is designed for students who wish to make a career in the wider film and media culture, whether in the fields of curation, exhibition, criticism, archives, preservation or restoration. The course provides a detailed understanding of the concepts, contexts and critical thought that have shaped the production and reception of film as a basis for engagement with rapidly changing contemporary film and moving image culture. A rigorous academic framework is combined with real world applications enabling each student to develop their own skills, knowledge and understanding to provide a strong basis for a career in film and media.

The philosophy of this course is to give students a theoretical, historical and critical understanding of film, which they will apply practically in the fields of film curating and programming, distribution and archiving.

With all the resources of the National Film and Television School available to them, students on this Master’s programme benefit from working alongside a new generation of filmmakers, encouraging creative dialogue between makers and curators/critics.

'NFTS curating students are so full of energy and passion. I'm full of admiration for the NFTS which nurtures the talent that will build a future for film exhibition and filmmaking.' - Clare Binns, Director of Programming & Acquisitions, Picturehouse Cinemas Ltd

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The programme is designed for students who wish to take up the challenge of contemporary curating as an artistic, social and critical undertaking, and who wish to develop their professional practice in this area.

This two-part programme is designed to develop professional and academic excellence in the field of contemporary curatorial practice. It's aimed at curators and those with related academic and practical experience who wish to achieve professional excellence in their practice, to innovate in the expanding field of curatorial practice.

MFA Curating at Goldsmiths focuses in-depth on aesthetic, social, political and philosophical questions that are brought to bear in any place or at any event in which contemporary art is situated.

The programme is designed to provide a practice-led research context for students at any stage of their professional practice. 

It also enables you to experiment and innovate in the expanded field of curatorial pedagogy, to collaborate on an interdisciplinary basis and extend your and other students' knowledge through this process.

Goldsmiths' MFA Curating programme is recognised worldwide for producing highly qualified curators and other arts professionals.

Our graduates find employment in top international museums, commercial galleries, auction houses, magazines, alternative spaces and not-for-profit organisations. Others choose employment as artist’s studio managers; arts education programmers; museum public talks and events organisers; gallery archivists and registrars.

Work experience

The Tate Modern annually offers two hands-on internships to Goldsmiths MFA Curating students, who are given the opportunity to work directly on an exhibition matched to the students' interests. Accepted Goldsmiths curating students are given details on how to apply for a Tate Modern internship prior to starting the school year.

Other institutions with which the Goldsmiths MFA Curating programme has collaborated on real-life curatorial projects include 176/Zabludowicz Collection, London; Form/Content, London; ICA/Fourth Plinth Project, London, and more.

Each year, part 1 Goldsmiths curating students are invited to pitch an exhibition proposal to the Government Art Collection, using works from this important national collection as the basis for a contemporary art exhibition. The successful projects are realised during the final year.

Modules & structure

In Year One, you're introduced to a series of curatorial concepts and practices through group analysis and guided research. There are also group seminars that look into significant ideas in philosophy and cultural theory to help you think broadly about your own practice

In Year Two, intensive workshops look in depth at a set of artistic and cultural themes chosen by the students. In Year Two you further develop independent curatorial research and practice, working either on your own ideas or with a London-based gallery or institution. The summer term of Year One acts as a transition to Year Two.

Government Art Collection

Each year, part 1 Goldsmiths curating students are invited to pitch an exhibition proposal to the Government Art Collection, using works from this important national collection as the basis for a contemporary art exhibition. The successful projects are realised during the final year.

Year one

• Curatorial Practice
• Critical Studies
• Review Sessions

Year two

• Curatorial Practice
• Critical Studies Year
• Review Sessions

Skills

Independent research and practice; public presentation; oral and written communication; project development; exhibition administration; concept development; collaboration; intellectual analysis; catalogue, essay and review writing; research organisation and presentation.

Careers

Graudates from the MFA in Curating go on to work in galleries and museums; as managers and directors in commercial galleries; independent curators; cultural policy makers, teachers and academics; writers and critics.

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Our MA Curating offers a practical and theoretical training in devising and curating exhibitions, as you work towards the preparation of an exhibition at our on-site Art Exchange gallery.

Our course combines practice, theory and histories of curating in equal measure. You will develop an essential base skills for a successful exhibition – from object handling to managing exhibition budgets – through visiting lectures by active museum professionals; practical workshops using our on-site collection and galleries; and competitive placements at leading institutions.

You will build your own confident grasp of the history and theory of exhibition-making, studying with academics who besides being active curators are producing new key texts on the curatorial history and theory. You study topics including:
-How an exhibition can be used as a means of social or political critique
-The historical role that museums have played in society
-Participation and social engagement between spectators, artists and curators
-A choice of history of art options

One of the major reasons for choosing Essex is the quality of the education you will receive. Our Art History programme is 6th in the UK for research excellence, with 89% of our work rated “world-leading” or “internationally excellent” (REF 2014), and we achieved an exceptional 95% student satisfaction in the 2016 National Student Survey.

Our expert staff

Our staff consists of a dynamic group of art historians. While our research interests span a range of cultures and media, from the early modern to the present, core specialties include exhibition design, modern and contemporary art, public engagement and activism.

Here are a few examples of recent or current projects by staff members:
-Dr Gavin Grindon, Lecturer in Art History and co-director of our Centre for Curatorial Studies, recently co-curated the Disobedient Objects exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, one of the best attended shows in the museum’s history. He has also widely published on activist art in leading journals such as Art History.
-Dr Adrian Locke, a Visiting Fellow in Art History and Senior Curator at the Royal Academy of Arts, London, has curated a diverse range of exhibitions, including Mexico: A Revolution in Art, 1910–1940 (2013) and Radical Geometry: Modern Art of South American from the Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Collection (2014). He also co-curated the exhibition Ai Weiwei, which opens at the Royal Academy in September 2015.
-Dr Matt Lodder, Lecturer in Art History with an emphasis on modern and contemporary visual culture, is co-curating the exhibition Tattoo: Ancient Myths, Modern Meanings, which opens next year in the U.S.
-Dr Michael Tymkiw, co-director of the Centre for Curatorial Studies, has a book under contract entitled Nazi Exhibition Design and Modernism. He has also just launched an interdisciplinary research project that focuses on using digital technologies to expand disability access in museums—a project that involves collaborations with several museums in Colchester and London including firstsite and the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Specialist facilities

At Essex, you have the best of both worlds: on the one hand, you are part of a tight-knit, campus community with close ties to several small but excellent museums in the nearby town of Colchester; on the other hand, you can travel from campus to London in an hour, which puts the world’s best museums and galleries at your fingertips.

Our facilities enable you to gain curatorial experience and engage in object-based learning, a cornerstone of our approach when teaching the history of art and its modes of display:
-Our Essex Collection of Art from Latin America (ESCALA) is the most comprehensive Latin American art research resource in the UK and has a state-of-the-art teaching and research space. Many of our students gain work and research experience through our collection
-Our onsite gallery Art Exchange runs an ongoing programme of contemporary art exhibitions, talks and workshops by curators and artists, as well as exhibitions organised by our postgraduate curatorial students
-Colchester’s iconic Firstsite gallery features an exciting programme of contemporary art exhibitions, film screenings and talks, and exhibitions organised by our curatorial students
-Our Centre for Curatorial Studies is home to staff who specialise in the history of exhibition design and curate high-profile exhibitions

Your future

The visual arts and culture industries have become an increasingly significant part of the national and international economy, and our art history graduates leave Essex with the skills to take advantage of this growing opportunity.

Graduates from our programmes are ideally prepared for roles in the media, in advertising, in museums and galleries, in education (in schools, universities, and cultural institutions), as conservators, as auctioneers, dealers and antiques specialists, in charities, in publishing, as specialist arts lawyers, as PR agents, in fashion, or to run their own galleries.

Our recent graduates have gone on to work for a wide range of high-profile companies including:
-National Portrait Gallery
-Victoria and Albert Museum
-Sotheby’s New York
-Momart Ltd
-John Lewis

We also offer research supervision for PhD and MPhil for those who want to continue with research. We cover the major areas of European art and architecture from 1300 to the present, as well as the art and architecture of Latin America and the United States.

We work with our university’s Employability and Careers Centre to help you find out about further work experience, internships, placements, and voluntary opportunities.

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This well-connected degree is for those wishing to explore curating and develop curatorial skills in one or more of the following areas: fine art, digital media, film, festivals and social history.

Key benefits

You will work at least one day a week with your partner institution to gain experience in a real curatorial setting and develop skills required by industry.

Course detail

You will study alongside an intentionally small and supportive group of students with backgrounds in areas including fine art, sculpture, art history, architecture, 3D design, film studies and history, sharing practice and ideas and providing opportunities to work creatively and collaboratively on group projects.

You will benefit from unique and professional mentoring from a curator in one of our partner museums, galleries or other cultural spaces for the duration of the course, culminating in the delivery of a real-world curatorial project. Our partners are renowned creative and cultural organisations: Arnolfini, Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, Encounters Film Festival, M-Shed, Royal West of England Academy, Situations, Spike Island, Watershed, National Museum of Wales, Cardiff and ss Great Britain. A mentor is allocated based on your skills, interests and career aspirations and brings current industry insight and valuable support and guidance.

Through the final live project with your partner institution, you will gain interesting and relevant curatorial experience, sourcing venues, developing audiences, planning, programming and project management whilst developing key contacts.

Structure

The full masters course comprises 180 credits divided into three 60 credits stages: Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma, and Masters. Students work incrementally through the three stages and must pass all modules at each stage in order to progress to the next.

The course is made up of five modules taught over three semesters (January - December).

Modules

• Curatorial Histories
• Developing Practice and Audiences
• Professional Practice: Curating
• Curating and Project Management
• Final Project: Curating (MA) or Final Project: Curating (MFA)

Format

You are taught through a series of lectures, seminars, practical workshops, master classes and projects. Guest speakers and study visits enhance learning and provide valuable industry insight.

Assessment

You will be assessed through a combination of practical and written work at the end of each module.

Careers / Further study

MA Curating graduates have gone on to work in a range of professions in areas of social history, fine art, museum curating and film programming in various arts, culture and heritage-related organisations. There are also curating and programming opportunities at film festivals both nationally and internationally and options to teach or progress to further PhD study.

How to apply

Information on applications can be found at the following link: http://www1.uwe.ac.uk/study/applyingtouwebristol/postgraduateapplications.aspx

Funding

- New Postgraduate Master's loans for 2016/17 academic year –

The government are introducing a master’s loan scheme, whereby master’s students under 60 can access a loan of up to £10,000 as a contribution towards the cost of their study. This is part of the government’s long-term commitment to enhance support for postgraduate study.

Scholarships and other sources of funding are also available.

More information can be found here: http://www1.uwe.ac.uk/students/feesandfunding/fundingandscholarships/postgraduatefunding.aspx

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This programme, delivered by School of Arts and specialist visiting lecturers, develops your skills and provides experience relevant to a career in curating.

Based at the School of Arts Studio 3 Gallery, you are involved in all aspects of the running of the Gallery. You work closely with partner organisations such as Canterbury museums and the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA).

You have the opportunity to develop your own project, working within the Gallery’s exhibition programme.

Visit the website https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/96/curating

About the Department of History & Philosophy of Art

The History & Philosophy of Art Department within the School of Arts, provides opportunities for graduate study with well-established researchers in the fields of art history, philosophy of art and aesthetics. Staff research covers contemporary art and aesthetics, modernism, theories of art, the historiography of art and the Cold War; biographical monographs, the photograph (in its historical, contemporary and critical contexts), and the historical interplay of image, theory and institutions from the Renaissance to the present (especially European and North American).

Developing areas of interest include the cultural and historical significance of the print, and the role of performance and new media in contemporary art practices, which draw upon our links with other subjects within the School of Arts and the Faculty of Humanities. In particular, postgraduates have the opportunity to participate in the activities of the multidisciplinary Aesthetics Research Centre and the Art History and Visual Cultures Research Centre. There is also a full programme of visiting speakers from across the constituent subject areas within the School of Arts, which includes Film and Drama.

Course structure

Compulsory modules provide an overview of the history of collecting and exhibitions through a series of case studies, taking advantage of our proximity to major London collections. We also cover theoretical issues relating to curating and museology.

Optional modules focus on providing practice-based opportunities for developing curatorial skills.

Modules

The following modules are indicative of those offered on this programme. This list is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation. Most programmes will require you to study a combination of compulsory and optional modules. You may also have the option to take modules from other programmes so that you may customise your programme and explore other subject areas that interest you.

HA826 - History and Theory of Curating (30 credits)
HA827 - Curatorial Internship (60 credits)

Assessment

Assessment is through a combination of coursework essays, critical logbooks and practice-based exercises. A long dissertation is required for the Exhibition Development and Design module.

[[Programme aims
This programme aims to:

- create and interpret knowledge at the forefront of the discipline through the development of critical, conceptual and practical abilities

- develop a self-directed programme of practice and related research

- contextualise and theorise practice in relation to, and through critical evaluation of, the work of contemporary practitioners and leading researchers within the discipline

- develop a comprehensive understanding of methodologies applicable to independent research

- develop autonomy in practice work within a context that fosters collaborative learning

- sustain an advanced practice that encompasses the disciplines of writing, discussion and producing practice-based outcomes

- achieve high-level skills and competencies as a preparation for professional practice and further development in the field of curating

- embed your research within the context of the University and utilise the resources offered in the research environment such as staff expertise, symposia and colloquia

- develop public outcomes outside the University in a range of formats

- attract students from a diversity of arts contexts and contexts that inform artistic practice, including fine art, history of art, sociology, journalism, English literature, film studies architecture and philosophy

- attract intellectually able and talented students who are enquiring, open to experimentation, discussion and collaboration as well able to work independently

- provide a forward-thinking, dynamic learning environment that responds to the current climate of debate and production in the arts.

- forge an international identity within the field of study through developing partnerships with international universities and non-HEIs

- support specialism and progression by allowing students to opt for specific routes of study that include curating, art history, cultural history, arts management, conservation or museum studies.

Research areas

The Department has a collective interest in developing interdisciplinary projects, including projects informed by art history and philosophy of art or aesthetics. Shared areas of research interest include: photography, art theory from the Renaissance to recent times and contemporary art.

Careers

Arts postgraduates have gone on to work in a range of professions, from museum positions and teaching roles to marketing and gallery assistants. Our graduates have found work with Tate Britain, the V&A, Museum of Childhood and other arts, culture and heritage-related organisations.

Find out how to apply here - https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/apply/

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Introduction

MA Curating and Collections at Chelsea College of Arts focuses on developing the skills needed to curate a range of art and design objects within the context of public and private collections.

Content

What students can expect from the course:

- Practical skills to sit alongside critical reflection that helps our students develop a balanced approach to curatorial methods

- A course that focuses on working with contemporary and historic collections, exhibition design, concept development, marketing, press releases and budgeting

- To explore current critical debates, keeping up to date on issues such as participation, the artist-curator dynamic and thinking about the public realm

- Our curatorial team at Chelsea Space to provide training within an active and supportive curatorial environment, engaging students with the best examples of contemporary practice

- To have access to the Chelsea library Special Collections, which have a strong emphasis on modern and contemporary art and design

Structure

Phase 1: Analysis of practice and exploration of methodologies

Phase 2: Development and consolidation

Phase 3: Resolution

These phases are set within a credit framework of three assessed units:

- Studio practice and Advanced studio practice, which run sequentially

- Theoretical studies, which runs throughout the course

Studio practice involves evolving and developing a personal programme of studio work and related research. Theoretical Studies provides a framework for students to develop a critical research paper, enabling them to locate their ideas and practice in relation to contemporary debate on cultural and theoretical issues.

Throughout the course students participate in individual and group tutorials, developing their skills through Personal Professional Development workshops and on-line resources while the postgraduate talks are organised that introduce them to a range of visiting artists and practitioners.

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Sunderland's MA Curating is one of the few courses in the UK to specialise in curating across art, design, media and culture and has a unique delivery system which aims to fit the needs of national and international working arts professionals, as well as full-time international students.

Course overview

This course is for people who want to work either in the traditional areas of curating fine art and cultural artefacts or in emerging areas such as curating digital art, media or live art. We will equip you for careers in the gallery, non-gallery and digital sectors.

By the end of the course, you will have advanced skills in collecting, organising, interpreting and exhibiting cultural items. You will also have expertise in effective teamwork and collaboration with artists and practitioners. All this will be grounded in a rigorous understanding of the historical contexts of curating, arts administration and museums.

The course features three week-long blocks of intensive delivery in October, February and June, plus weekly online contact, meaning national and European candidates can fit attendance and travel around work or family commitments, whilst regular online contact supports the completion of assignments. The course is also a full-time MA for international students, who will attend both intensive blocks and weekly contact onsite. The second intensive block will take place in London in February, accessing key curators and institutions during visits to organisations including Tate, V&A, and Wellcome Collection.

This block is also available as a professional development short course, building on a history of masterclasses including in New York and the UK. With accreditation of prior learning, this 60-credit block can also be taken as an accredited qualification leading to a Postgraduate Diploma.

Graduates from Sunderland can be found in curatorial and academic roles across the world, in cities such as New York, Stuttgart, Vancouver and London. Our graduates are also employed here in the North East by galleries and archival services.

You will be taught by academic staff with research interests that range across art, design, media and culture, with particular specialisms in public art, performance art, and new media art. We provide a well-regarded resource for curators and exhibitors of new media art, known as Curatorial Research for Upstart Media Bliss (CRUMB).

For a specialist web pages about the course and the activities of students, please see: http://www.macurating.net

Course content

The content of the course is shaped by your personal interests with guidance and inspiration from Sunderland's supportive tutors.

Modules on this course include:
Curating 1 – Certificate (60 Credits)
-Genealogies of Curating
-Mechanics of Curating

Curating 2 – Postgraduate Diploma (60 Credits)
-Contexts of Curating
-Visions of Curating

Curating 3 – Masters Degree (60 Credits)
-Curatorial Practice
-Major Project and Report

Teaching and assessment

Compared to an undergraduate course, you will find that this Masters requires a higher level of independent working.

We use a wide variety of teaching and learning methods which include lectures, seminars, study visits and group work. These are supported by a range of guest speakers from diverse academic and industry backgrounds. You will also have high levels of contact with tutors who give regular feedback and support.

Field trips and practical workshops are important elements of the course, giving you direct contact with curators. Host organisations have included the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, Workplace Gallery, the Northern Gallery of Contemporary Art, the National Glass Centre and Shipley Art Gallery.

Facilities & location

The University has invested in modern facilities that include generous studio spaces and state-of-the-art teaching space and resources as part of a vibrant and outward-looking learning environment.

Arts and Design Library
Our Arts and Design Library has a specialist collection of over 120,000 books, CD-ROMs, videos, slides and one of the largest electronic information networks in the sector.

Journals and research
We subscribe to a comprehensive range of print and electronic journals so you can access the most reliable and up-to-date articles. Some of the most important sources include:
-Art Full Text + Art Abstracts, which is a major resource for media and arts information
-Design and Applied Arts Index, which covers journals featuring both new designers and the development of design and the applied arts since the mid-19th century
-British Universities Film and Video Council (BUFVC), which provides resources for the production, study and use of film and related media
-JSTOR (short for ‘Journal Storage’), which provides access to important journals across the humanities, social sciences and sciences

Employment & careers

Postgraduates are highly employable and, on average, earn more than individuals whose highest qualification is an undergraduate degree. On completing this course, you will be equipped for roles throughout the creative industries.

Specific opportunities include working in curatorial institutions and event management. Recent Sunderland graduates are now working in institutions such as the BALTIC, the Arnolfini (Bristol), Klomp Ching Gallery (New York), Banff Centre (Canada), Shipley Art Gallery and Tyne & Wear Archives and Museums.

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Are you fascinated by visual culture and exhibition practice?

Do you want to pursue a career in the gallery and arts sectors? 

The MA in Art History and Curating is one of the few postgraduate programmes in the country that offers you the opportunity to work in a team with academic and museum professionals to curate an art exhibition in a public gallery. This will take place in the Barber Institute of Fine Arts on campus or at Grand Union in Birmingham city centre. 

We are also delighted to announce a new partnership with Royal Collection Trust. Students co-curating the exhibition at the Barber Institute of Fine Arts will have the exceptional opportunity of working with objects from the Royal Collection.

Please note: Places on this programme are limited due to the placement and curatorial experience, so early applications are encouraged and deadlines apply. See 'How to apply' in course details for more information.

Course details

This unique programme enables you to develop the knowledge and skills to conduct original research into art objects, to understand at first hand the history, theory and contemporary practice of their curation, to co-curate a public art exhibition and complete a 15,000-word dissertation.

The core components of the programme include the double module ‘Curatorial Practices’ that provides you with a range of skills to curate an exhibition and the opportunity to put those skills into practice, and two single modules, 'Postgraduate Research Training and Methods,' which will help you to develop essential research skills, and 'Criticism and Methods in the History of Art and Visual Culture,' which provides a theoretical foundation for your studies.

The programme also offers you the flexibility to select a further two options from a range of complementary practical, theoretical and historical modules. These include: a placement with a local gallery or other arts organisation set up on your behalf; the history and theory of exhibitions; aesthetics and the philosophy of art. As a result, this unique programme will provide you with the knowledge, experience and employability skills invaluable to the museum, commercial and academic sectors whilst enabling you to establish professional networks in both.

Assessment

Your modules will be assessed by a range of written and oral assessments. You will also complete a 15,000-word dissertation, supported through one-to-one tutorials with your academic supervisor. Your dissertation topic is chosen by you, with close guidance from academic staff. Recent subjects have included topics relating to art history and/or gallery practices, such as: art forgery; art interpretation; art dealers; films and aesthetic theory; art historiography; artist and exhibition case studies; fashion plates and art journals. 

Learning and teaching

The teaching on the MA programme mainly takes place in the Barber Institute of Fine Arts, which houses the Barber Institute Gallery, and is used by members of staff on a regular basis as part of your learning.

The Gallery features an excellent and representative collection of post-medieval European art, including paintings, engravings and drawings by artists such as Rembrandt, Turner, Van Dyck, Veronese and Vigée-LeBrun, as well as a major collection of 19th- and 20th-century works by artists such as Degas, Gauguin, Käthe Kollwitz, George Grosz, Manet, Miró, Picasso and Whistler.

The Barber Institute is home to an on-site research library which, in conjunction with the holdings of the University Main Library and the Special Collections of the Cadbury Research Library, makes Birmingham one of the best resourced Departments of History of Art in Britain.

Support with academic writing

As a postgraduate student in the College of Arts and Law, you have access to the Academic Writing Advisory Service (AWAS) which aims to help your transition from undergraduate to taught Masters level, or back into academia after time away. The service offers guidance on writing assignments and dissertations for your MA/MSc programme with individual support from an academic writing advisor via tutorials, email and the provision of online materials.

International students can access support for English Language development and skills through the Birmingham International Academy (BIA).

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Based within a working gallery and informed by world class research, this degree combines direct experience, behind-the-scenes industry insights and an academic exploration of contemporary curation discourses.

Introducing your course

The MA Contemporary Curation is an exceptional opportunity to explore the latest concepts in curation theory and practice while gaining hands-on curatorial experience and industry insights. The course is based on campus, in The Winchester Gallery; from your first week you will be involved in the running of the gallery, from organising exhibitions and producing interpretation materials to marketing and audience development. Co-located with the School’s practising artists, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to collaborate on joint projects and apply your skills. Your practice will be underpinned by your developing knowledge of current curation theories and debates, informed by the School’s internationally recognised expertise in art and design, visual cultural studies, digital and new media theory. Our research-active academics have links with arts organisations and international festivals, opening up a range of additional learning opportunities. You will also be exposed to top professionals in the curatorial field through guest lectures and behind-the-scenes gallery visits.

Overview

We welcome students from a range of backgrounds, including fine art and other disciplines. Our diverse intake includes students from many countries, so there is scope to build an international network of contacts while you are on the programme.

View the programme specification document for this course

Career Opportunities

Our academics’ professional experience and extensive networks mean they can offer ‘insider’ careers guidance and support; through their contacts you may be able to independently set up an internship or work experience.

You will be prepared for a career in existing and emergent curatorial and arts roles within a range of organisations. You could choose to work within a museum, public or private gallery, heritage or cultural organisation, international art fair or biennial, or for an arts or culture publication. Or you might pursue a career in cultural and public policy-making, cultural management and administration, or arts-commissioning and funding. The course is also a good grounding for further study at PhD level, perhaps with a view to an academic career.

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