Museum and Heritage Studies (MLitt)

Run jointly by the School of Art History and University Museums this MLitt prepares students for employment or further academic study and is aimed at students wanting to start a career in museum or gallery work, or for those looking for a mid-career change.

Covers museums, galleries and heritage facilities, and includes collections care, exhibition planning and design, decolonial practice, environmental sustainability, and digital theory and practice.

KATIE EAGLETON >> The Museum and Heritage Studies programme here at St Andrews has been really carefully designed to bring together perspectives from theory and perspectives from practice.

In my case I've had 20 years working in libraries, archives and museums and I really bring that into the teaching.

Other colleagues who do more research based work bring that to the teaching and we work together to make this course something for whatever path you're taking.

MATTHEW SHEARD >> One of the things that makes the course here at the University of St Andrews unique is that you're bringing together that cutting edge professional expertise within the Wardlow Museum and the Bell Pettigrew Museum of Natural History.

Staff at those museums are thinking about what a museum can be and rethinking what a museum can be.

So we're carrying out experimentations and research to really understand what the best museum looks like.

DR BRUNO BRULON SOARES >> We are in a moment where museums are changing and heritage and the relations between society and cultural heritage are changing strongly in the present time so we really like to prepare our students to deal with these changes in very specific and critical topics such as sustainability to decolonisation and working with digital in different kinds of institutions.

EAGLETON >> St Andrews I think is a unique place to come.

It's a beautiful little spot on the coast of Scotland.

We've got an incredible academic team, really really strong practitioner team in the museums and we've worked hard to make those really integrate and intertwine to make this course a combination of theory and practice.

SHEARD >> Museum and Heritage Studies prepares you for the career in museums that you want.

You begin by looking across the broad range of everything that happens in a museum and then have the opportunity to specialise in the area that you are interested in.

You get to work alongside museum professionals who are currently doing the job themselves so they will often be teaching you in the afternoon what they themselves have been doing in the morning so you get that up-to-date knowledge from people who have the skill sets already.

NICOLE MEEHAN >> One of the benefits of being part of the Graduate School for Interdisciplinary Studies is that you'll be exposed to different types of learning from across a number of subjects and you'll also meet students who are working on radically different programmes from you.

You can share perspectives and you can learn from them.

EAGLETON >> This course is ideal for people who want to work in museums or who want to study them and go on to further research and maybe a PhD.

We really work with you from the beginning to see what your path is going to be and how we can best support you to be successful in it.

If you want more information about studying Museum and Heritage Studies at the University of St Andrews, have a look on our website, have a look for the museums on social media, have a look for the museums, galleries and collections institute online as well and get in touch, we'd be happy to talk to you.

Entry requirements

The qualifications listed are indicative minimum requirements for entry. Some academic Schools will ask applicants to achieve significantly higher marks than the minimum. Obtaining the listed entry requirements will not guarantee you a place, as the University considers all aspects of every application including, where applicable, the writing sample, personal statement, and supporting documents.

Application requirements

• CV that includes a history of your education and employment to date
• personal statement (500 words)
• sample of your own, single-authored academic written work (2,000 words)
• two original signed academic references
• academic transcripts and degree certificates

For more guidance, see supporting documents and references for postgraduate taught programmes.

English language proficiency

If English is not your first language, you may need to provide an English language test score to evidence your English language ability. See approved English language tests and scores for this course.

After your degree

Careers

Recent Museum and Heritage Studies graduates have gone on to work for a range of institutions, including: 

• Chicago Institute of Art 
• Victoria and Albert Museum 
• National Trust for Scotland 
• Scottish Fisheries Museum

The Careers Centre offers one-to-one advice to all students as well as a programme of events to assist students in building their employability skills.

Further study

Many graduates continue their education by enrolling in PhD programmes at St Andrews or elsewhere.