Art Gallery and Museum Studies MA

Year of entry: 2025

Course length: 12 Months Full-Time | 24 Months Part-Time

About the course

Our MA Art Gallery and Museum Studies course is ideal if you’re considering a career in this sector and want to gain practical experience through placements during your studies, or if you’re a professional and want to further develop your practice.

As part of the prestigious Institute for Cultural Practices at Manchester, you’ll examine relevant issues related to museum theory and practice, visit high-profile museums, galleries and cultural organisations, and discuss ideas and issues with top professionals and academics in the field.

You can take advantage of our excellent links to access a range of valuable work placements at notable cultural institutions, including:

Manchester Museum
The Whitworth
Tate Liverpool
Science and Industry Museum
National Museums Liverpool
Imperial War Museum North
Manchester Art Gallery

You’ll also have opportunities to design and participate in live projects with cultural and heritage organisations in Manchester and go on field-trips across the UK.

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Compulsory Units

Introduction to Museum Studies
Collections care, management and development

Optional Units

Creative Learning
Curating Art
Decolonise the Museum
Heritage, Museums and Conflict 
Business Strategies for the Arts
Intangible Cultural Heritage
Creative Producing

These are example course units based on 2024/25 options and are subject to change each year.

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Where will you degree take you?

This course offers an important entry-level qualification for anyone seeking to pursue a career in museums or galleries. It is also a valuable resource for continuing professional development for mid-career professionals.

These skills in research design and planning are transferable to jobs in the museum sector, as well as being a vital first step to PhD research.

Job destinations vary according to the interests, ambitions and skills of each individual, but most of our students are successful in obtaining professional posts in collections, exhibitions, education, interpretation, communication, or some aspect of museums management soon after completing the MA.

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Ramlah Qureshi

MA Art Gallery and Museum Studies

“I chose to study a master’s because of my passion for history, art and cultural heritage and I was intrigued to gain further understanding and skills to succeed in this industry. My favourite module has been ‘Decolonising the Museum!’, as it made me recognise that there is an urgent need for young black and brown professionals in the Art and Heritage sector, and that I am worthy of taking up space in the much-needed critical discourses that are ongoing. This critical thinking offered by the module has certainly seeped into my work as a Museum Assistant at the Bronte Parsonage Museum, by looking at postcolonial and black histories and how these fit within the museum. Working with and representing postcolonial histories is something I would like to continue to do beyond my degree and in my career.’’

Lesley Cheung

MA Art Gallery and Museum Studies

"I was looking to pivot to the field of arts and culture, which I have always been passionate about, after working in public and private sectors. This programme was a natural choice for me because of its long tradition, and the vibrant cultural scene in Manchester and the north. I enjoyed all the courses and the teaching staff have been very supportive. Through the placement experience at Metal Liverpool, I gained an understanding of how arts organisations work with stakeholders and artists to build community connections and socially engaged projects. I am grateful for the opportunities to continue serving the university as well. At present, I am supporting research on identifying learning needs and developing learning resources for museum professionals to handle spontaneous memorials, collective trauma and public grief. In the collections team of the Whitworth, I am able to apply practical knowledge and skills from the Managing Collections and Exhibitions module to the day-to-day work of loan administration, collections care and data management. The programme has nurtured me personally and professionally, pushing my limits in intellectual pursuit and allowing me to engage with best practices as well as esteemed practitioners in the arts sector."