MA Cities

About this course

Dive right into contemporary UK and international cities from an exciting socio-economic, cultural, theoretical and practical perspective with this cross-disciplinary masters.

Get ready to explore how people and policy shape our cities, and the key role culture and creativity have in driving the development of modern cities.

• Gain understanding of key urban theories, trends, policies and dynamics
• Examine how cultural policy fits with broader strategies for re-imagining and regenerating cities
• Examine grassroots culture, social infrastructure and community development through captivating case studies and field visits
• Explore concepts such as city marketing, place identity, place brand and branding
• Develop your research design, project management and qualitative research skills
• Critically engage with the theories, principals, debates and policies that underpin the study of cities, cultures and creativity
• Benefit from our partnerships with LJMU’s
• Cities Lab, FACT cinema and media art gallery, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Liverpool Biennial festival, the Everyman cinema and theatre, Tate Liverpool art gallery, the Institute of Cultural Capital (ICC), the Liverpool Business School, and the School of Humanities and Social Science

If you are already working in the industry or a related industry, this holistic and multidisciplinary programme will inform and enhance your practice. If you are progressing from undergraduate or changing career, this masters will open doors to job roles within culture, heritage and the creative industries including museums, tourism boards, community and voluntary sector, local councils, cultural centres, festival organisation, charities, marketing, communications, PR, urban regeneration and community development to name only a few.

"I chose to study the MA Cities course as I had always had an interest in cities and the way they function and attract people to visit and/or invest in them. I was excited to find a course which replicated my interests in such subject. The course covered a variety of topics and included a good balance of different assessment types. Following on from graduation, I now work in Sustainability and ESG in the regeneration field, and the course has provided me with the perfect backdrop as I help to implement sustainability within our Placemaking activities."

Olivia Milligan, MA Cities graduate

• a minimum 2:1 honours degree in a related subject plus a reference

Employability

Further your career prospects

LJMU has an excellent employability record with 96% (HESA 2018) of our postgraduates in work or further study six months after graduation. Our applied learning techniques and strong industry connections ensure our students are fully prepared for the workplace on graduation and understand how to apply their knowledge in a real world context.

The programme has institutional ties with FACT, the Philharmonic, Liverpool Biennial, the Everyman Theatre and Tate Liverpool and these relationships offer insights into contemporary practice as well as work-related learning opportunities. Such hands-on experience is vital for your future professional success.

On graduation you will understand the development of urban environments and will be able to interpret place-making for a wide variety of purposes. For those who prefer a holistic approach to understanding cities - including social, economic, cultural and local historians, geographers, art historians, planning specialists, media practitioners, film-makers and journalists - this programme will inform your practice and deepen the range of your output.

Career opportunities for graduates include positions in: culture, heritage and creative industries within urban environments, museums, community and voluntary sectors, cultural centres, city councils, festival organisation, charities, regeneration projects, marketing and communications, public relations, arts and cultural bodies, administration, management, funding management and monitoring, teaching, research and academia.

"Liverpool's cultural programme is world renowned and the potential to keep telling our story in new ways is a driver both for local engagement and tourism. To do this we need new ideas, fresh thinking and great imagination. By working with LJMU we hope to nurture and develop talent for the future good of the city."

Claire McColgan MBE, Director of Culture, Liverpool City Council

"Since starting the course, I have learnt in depth about cultural policy and its place in urban development, and the importance of grassroots community projects in invigorating and democratising the arts sector, as well as training in research methods."

Laura Parsons, Development Officer at Tate Liverpool