BA (Hons) Curating

This degree will advance your knowledge of contemporary art and nurture your skills for a career in curating and curatorial practice.

• The degree will support you in developing a wide set of curatorial skills. Over three years you will work on a variety of assignments, closely mentored by course staff and practising curators. This will encourage you to become a more critical thinker and confident researcher, able to shape your curatorial projects successfully and communicate your work to a wide variety of audiences.
• Alongside compulsory modules on the history, theory and practice of curating, you will be able to choose from option modules in areas such art history, fashion, technology and performance, allowing you to focus your interests and get the most out of your degree. You will gain a good understanding of both the history of art and the history of exhibitions, learning how curatorial work shapes our understanding of visual culture.
• You'll become familiar with the dynamics of different professional settings – from large museums to volunteer-run organisations and digital spaces – through visits and on-site project experience.
• A core component of the course is a placement within an arts organisation during the second year. In the past, students have worked with the Wellcome Collection, Whitechapel Gallery, Sir John Soane’s Museum, Cubitt Artists, Women’s Art Library, Bethlem Gallery, The Showroom, Gasworks, Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA), Queens Museum (NY) and Goldsmiths Centre for Contemporary Art.
• In your third year, you'll work collaboratively with peers to organise a public exhibition with partner institutions, which will further develop your skills in planning, programming and publicising exhibitions and events.

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Dr Janna Graham.

A-level: BBB
BTEC: DDM
International Baccalaureate: 33 points overall with Three HL subjects at 655
UAL Extended Diploma: Merit overall
Access: Pass with 45 Level 3 credits including 30 Distinctions and a number of merits/passes in subject-specific modules
Scottish qualifications: BBBBC (Higher) or BBC (Advanced Higher)
European Baccalaureate: 75%
Irish Leaving Certificate: H2 H2 H2 H2

Alternative qualifications and experience

See our full list of undergraduate entry qualifications.

We welcome students with a range of educational experiences. If you believe you may not meet the standard qualification requirements we would still encourage you to apply because we consider all aspects of your application when making a decision.

We’ll pay particularly careful attention to your personal statement, which is your opportunity to demonstrate your interest in the subject you’ve applied for. Your referees are also welcome to include any relevant contextual comments around your academic achievements. We’ll look at all these things when making a decision on your application, as well as your qualifications and grades, and may still be able to offer you a place.

International qualifications

We also accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the qualifications we accept from around the world.

If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification) of 6.0 with a 6.0 in writing and no element lower than 5.5 to study this programme. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of courses that can help prepare you for degree-level study.

BA Curating is a great platform from which to launch a career in the cultural sector. The degree will prepare you for life after university, ensuring you graduate with the ability and confidence to forge a successful career. Graduates are well placed to pursue careers in:

• Galleries and museums – for example as curators
• The art world – for example as artists, art historians or theoreticians
• The cultural sector more widely
• Journalism and the media
• Teaching and research
• The commercial world

Indeed, many of our alumni are active in the contemporary art world, whether working for major art and cultural institutions, or having set up cultural initiatives of their own.

Other graduates choose to continue their studies to Masters level and beyond.

You can read more about the career options open to you on our dedicated Visual Cultures careers page.

Skills

Through practical assignments and industry experience, students on the BA Curating degree will develop a number of attributes and skills that will prepare them to work in the cultural sector and beyond.

Some of the skills you'll develop during the degree include:

• Knowledge of contemporary art and culture
• The motivation and agile thinking required to get new projects off the ground
• Project management skills, including making things happen with small budgets and to tight deadlines
• Planning, programming and publicising exhibitions and events
• The ability to collaborate and forge strong working relationships with others
• The ability to communicate your work through presentations, digital platforms, and in writing
• A critical understanding of the opportunities and challenges of the cultural sector
• Strong research skills
• Critical thinking skills
• Creative thinking
• Resilience and resourcefulness
• The ability to question existing ideas and concepts
• A commitment to ethical and sustainable ways of living and working, to social justice and racial equity

By remaining attentive to the different audiences their work seeks to address, graduates learn to foster new connections between people and create new opportunities for collaboration.