MA Cultural Heritage and Museum Studies

Course Overview

Museums and heritage organisations bring material worlds into existence. They shape ideas and interpretations through cultures of preservation and display. They lead debates on challenging political, social, and ethical concerns. Based in the world-famous Sainsbury Centre. The Cultural Heritage and Museum Studies Master course places you at the centre of these conversations. You’ll become part of a unique community. We're the only Art History Department in the UK located within a world-renowned art museum.

You’ll develop a unique combination of theory and practice. You’ll be able to connect the present to the past and the future. You’ll use the Sainsbury Centre's collection of world art to address big issues. Learning from world-leading experts, you’ll gain insights into both museum and heritage sectors. You’ll consider global and local perspectives on art, history, culture, communication, and identity.

A distinctive feature of the course is short-term work placements. This provides you with real-world opportunities to develop your professional skills. You’re supported every step of the way and choose a location that suits your interests. Over fifteen days, you experience at first-hand how museums address collections and visitors. You’ll examine how museums and heritage organisations communicate to different audiences.

You’ll learn through an inter-disciplinary approach. This includes museum studies, art history, archaeology, history, and anthropology. You can immerse yourself in the historic city of Norwich and its heritage sites, including the Norwich Castle Museum. You’ll connect with our many partner organisations across the region. Your work placement will foster a wealth of relevant and transferable skills. The course thus prepares you for a variety of careers in the museum and heritage sectors.

Our ethos is about inclusion and partnership. The Sainsbury Centre, Norfolk Museums, and Ipswich Museum are formal partners. We have associations with National Trust, Norfolk Archaeology Trust, and South Asia Collection. Other links include the Britten Pears Arts and the Norwich Historic Churches Trust. These organisations run diverse programmes of cultural activity which you can contribute to. Representatives from the Museums Association are often involved in our training programmes. Many of our alumni now work with these partner organisations. We look forward to welcoming you to join our community.

This course is open to

This course is open to UK, EU and International applicants. This course's annual intake is in September of each year.

Typical International Entry Requirements

Degree classification

UK Bachelors degree - 2.2 or equivalent

Degree Subject

Humanities or Social Sciences

English Foreign Language

Applications from students whose first language is not English are welcome. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading):  

• IELTS: 6.0 overall with minimum 6.0 in Writing & Speaking and 5.5 in Listening & Reading

Test dates should be within 2 years of the course start date.

We also accept a number of other English language tests. Review our English Language Equivalencies for a list of qualifications that we may accept to meet this requirement. 

If you do not yet meet the English language requirements for this course, INTO UEA offer a variety of English language programmes which are designed to help you develop the English skills necessary for successful undergraduate study:  

• Pre-sessional English at INTO UEA  

• Academic English at INTO UEA 

Admissions Policy

Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all postgraduate applicants.

Employability

By the end of the course, you’ll have acquired a balanced combination of practical experience, theoretical and historical knowledge, and critical awareness. This will make you attractive to arts and heritage organisations, cultural heritage sites, historic properties management, as well as to those involved in museum curation, collections care, learning, and development.

Examples of careers that you could enter include:

• Curator/assistant curator
• Collections and research manager
• Conservation manager/assistant
• Education and outreach manager/assistant
• Media manager/assistant
• Property/site manager

Discover more on our Careers webpages.