Museum Studies MA

This postgraduate course in Museum Studies is designed to connect rigorous academic research with the practical skills needed to thrive in today’s museums, galleries, and heritage organisations. Taught by internationally recognised staff at Leicester—a global leader in Museum Studies—the programme blends theory and practice to prepare you for a wide range of careers in the sector. Through this course, you will: Explore the foundations of Museum Studies You will challenge your assumptions about what museums are and why they matter. Through critical discussion and skills workshops, you will develop core research and professional abilities that will support you throughout your studies and your career. You will also examine museums in their global cultural, social, and historical contexts to consider how policy, justice, ethics, and digital innovation shape institutions today. Work with objects and collections From their histories and cataloguing practices to questions of ownership, rights, and care, you will investigate how collections are created and managed. Alongside critical debates, you will gain hands-on experience in handling, documenting, packing, and caring for objects, while reflecting on the changing values and meanings attached to them. Engage audiences and communities You will explore how museums act as agents of social change, engaging with contemporary debates on activism, human rights, and social justice. At the same time, you will develop practical expertise in museum communication, exhibition-making, and participatory approaches. Studio workshops and collaboration with museum professionals will give you the chance to design and install an exhibition. Develop a specialism An intensive teaching block allows you to focus on an area of your choice—such as heritage, museum education, curating art, the digital world, or the natural environment—to tackle emerging themes like digital transformation and sustainability. Gain professional experience Through an eight-week placement in a museum, gallery, or heritage site, you will apply your learning in practice. Working on a project devised with your host institution, you will find yourself caring for collections, developing an education programme, or experimenting with digital tools. A Career Development Programme runs alongside your taught modules to prepare you for employment in the sector. Undertake independent research You will complete a major research project on a topic of your choice, supported by expert supervision. This could take the form of a dissertation, a professional report, a critique, or even a film. Depending on the focus of your project, you can graduate with either a Master of Arts (MA) or a Master of Science (MSc). Alternatively, you may choose to complete the taught modules only and graduate with a Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip).

In recognition of the diverse employment needs of the culture sector, our admissions process recognises and credits a range of prior qualifications and experiences. Either a first class or second class degree, which can be in any subject area or be able to demonstrate equivalent skills and aptitudes through the possession of a professional or vocational qualification and/or the accrual of relevant work experiences. Relevant experience can come from a wide spectrum of work or voluntary environments but clear evidence of this experience must be provided. You should be able to demonstrate a commitment to, or strong interest in, museums, galleries, or other kinds of heritage or cultural organisation.