University of Manchester - Logo

Faculty of Humanities

School of Arts, Languages and Culture

View all courses

View courses by thematic

Heritage Studies MA/PG Dip

Year of entry: 2025

MA: 12 Months Full-Time | 24 Months Part-Time

PG Dip: 9 Months Full-Time | 18 Months Part-Time

About the course

Our MA Heritage Studies master’s course is ideal if you want to develop your knowledge and practical skills to pursue or develop a career in heritage policy, management, conservation, learning, engagement and enterprise.

Heritage Studies examines the theory and practice of heritage making, management and use in local, national and international contexts. It includes both the practical aspects of conservation and management and a study of social, political and economic dynamics in cultural, archaeological, built and natural heritage.

You’ll be able to gain intensive work experience and take critical reflective practice within a range of heritage organisations across the region and further afield through our long-standing placement scheme.

Learn more >

Benefit from the expertise of the Institute for Cultural Practices and other specialists in archaeology, art history and history, and access the University’s cultural heritage assets, such as Manchester Museum, the John Rylands Library and Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre.

This MA consists of taught units and a dissertation, with options for a work placement and professional practice project. Taught units cover topics including:

  • Digital heritage
  • Curating and engagement
  • Decolonising museums and heritage
  • Heritage and sustainable development
  • Intangible cultural heritage and natural heritage
  • Creative learning
  • Heritage and learning
  • Strategic planning and management of heritage projects and enterprises

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

Learn more >

Where will your degree take you?

Progression opportunities include work in heritage policy and management roles for national and international organisations, such as the Heritage Lottery, Historic England, the National Trust, and UNESCO.

Other roles within museums and heritage organisations include fundraising and development, research and consultancy, visitor service management, community learning and engagement, collections management and site management.

Learn more >

Dr Jenna Ashton

Lecturer in Heritage Studies

Dr Jenna Ashton is an experienced curator and producer, working in the areas of heritage, arts, participation, public space, ecologies and story-telling.

She is passionate about embedding inclusive practices and co-production methods in the arts and heritage sectors. Jenna is also the Founder and Creative Director of Digital Women's Archive North – a Manchester-based feminist arts and heritage organisation addressing social inequalities through creative archiving and documentation.

Learn more >

Chloe Hesford

Heritage Studies Graduate

''I really enjoyed the way this course introduces you to the most interesting discourse, concepts and priorities within the cultural heritage sector right now. I also valued the range of backgrounds within the teaching staff which enabled me to pick a dissertation topic I was interested in and related to the career path I hoped to pursue.

Since completing my masters, I have had some really exciting roles and believe having this qualification greatly helped me to get a foot in the door by securing an entry level position in the sector with local government. In this role I used my knowledge of local cultural development and placemaking initiatives to support delivery of Arts Council funded projects.

I also had a role at the British Council working internationally to protect tangible and intangible heritage from conflict and climate change, putting knowledge of sustainable development, international cultural relations and different concepts of heritage into practice. I now work on cultural property policy at DCMS engaging with restitution and illicit trafficking. Completing my masters has massively shaped my career trajectory and the array of exciting areas of the heritage sector I have engaged with so far.''

Find out more about our MA Heritage Studies graduates >

Keying Zhang

Heritage Studies Graduate

''Before I started my post-graduate study, I was originally interested in Chinese history and culture. I thought that being a student of management, gaining knowledge about heritage could help me to develop a career in heritage management and promote Chinese culture.

It was during my study life in Manchester when I realised that my love towards Chinese heritage expanded to the love towards global heritage. I learned about how people cherished and protected their own heritage and how to deal with others heritage with respect from our lectures, our reading materials and also from talking to my classmates from a variety of origins.

I also spent about four months doing an internship in Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Race archive. It was quite heavy to look through documents recording topics like racial discrimination, domestic violence and poverty, but day by day I became more convinced that we need to face these problems so that we can manage to tackle them.

Now I have travelled back to Beijing, China and work for programs about international cultural promotion, both welcoming foreigners to come and explore China and sending Chinese craftsman to attend showcase events in other countries.''

Find out more about our MA Heritage Studies graduates >

Apply online >
View full course profile >

Similar courses:

History MA >

12 months Full-time 24 months Part-time

Library and Archive Studies MA >

12 months Full-time 24 months Part-time

Modern and Contemporary Literature >

12 months Full-time 24 months Part-time

All similar courses >
View all courses>
About the Faculty >
(SALC) About the School >

School of Arts, Languages and Culture

Faculty of Humanities

The University of Manchester