Socially Engaged Practice in Museums and Galleries MA, MSc, PGDip, PGCert, short course, by distance learning

Program Overview

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Socially Engaged Practice in Museums and Galleries MA, MSc, PGDip, PGCert, short course, by distance learning

Overview

This course is designed for individuals who want to develop skills and expertise in addressing contemporary social issues in museums and galleries. It offers a flexible, part-time program that can be completed in 2 months to 2 years.

Course Description

The course will examine the role of museums and practitioners in shaping society's understandings of contemporary issues, upholding antiracist and anti-oppression values of inclusivity and accessibility, and ensuring that museums benefit their communities. It brings together cutting-edge examples of socially driven professional practice in dialogue with research undertaken by academics within the School of Museum Studies.

Entry Requirements

• 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.

English Language Requirements

• IELTS 6.5 or equivalent.
• If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability.

Fees and Funding

UK Students

• MA/MSc: £10,950
• PGDip: £9,855
• PGCert: £5,475
• Short course (one module): £1,370

International Students

• MA/MSc: £18,950
• PGDip: £17,055
• PGCert: £9,475
• Short course (one module): £2,370

Careers and Employability

Our Museum Studies graduates have been employed in some of the largest and most prestigious museums and galleries worldwide, in addition to some smaller specialist and local institutions.

Course Structure

MA/MSc Modules

• Core modules:
  • Exploring Socially Engaged Practice in Museums and Galleries
  • Ethical Practice: Access, Liberation, and Organisational Change
  • Activist Practice: Methods of Empowerment
  • Museums and Transformation: Evidencing Need and Assessing the Impact of Socially Engaged Practice
• Option modules:
  • Objects and Collections: Care, Management and Curation
  • Cultural Management and Marketing
  • Lifelong Learning
  • Museums and the Natural Environment
  • Heritage
  • Digital
  • Practice
  • Cultural Management and Marketing
• Dissertation

PGDip Modules

• Core modules:
  • Exploring Socially Engaged Practice in Museums and Galleries
  • Ethical Practice: Access, Liberation, and Organisational Change
  • Activist Practice: Methods of Empowerment
  • Museums and Transformation: Evidencing Need and Assessing the Impact of Socially Engaged Practice
• Option modules:
  • Objects and Collections: Care, Management and Curation
  • Cultural Management and Marketing
  • Lifelong Learning
  • Museums and the Natural Environment
  • Heritage
  • Digital
  • Practice
  • Cultural Management and Marketing

PGCert Modules

• Exploring Socially Engaged Practice in Museums and Galleries
• Ethical Practice: Access, Liberation, and Organisational Change
• Activist Practice: Methods of Empowerment
• Museums and Transformation: Evidencing Need and Assessing the Impact of Socially Engaged Practice

Teaching and Learning

You will be supported by a dedicated team of academics, tutors, and support staff. You will be allocated a personal tutor who can advise you on a range of issues and support you. In addition, for each module, you will be allocated a module tutor who is a specialist in that particular field.

Assessment

There is one piece of assessed coursework for each of the core modules. Together, these form a carefully designed, broad range of assignments including essays, project work, discussions, and presentations as well as practical exercises.

Key Dates

• Start date: 6 October 2025
• Application deadline for October 2025 start: 15 September 2025
• Start date: 13 April 2026
• Application deadline for April 2026 start: 23 March 2026

Program Outline

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Socially Engaged Practice in Museums and Galleries MA, MSc, PGDip, PGCert, Short course - one module, by distance learning

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Degree Overview:

This program aims to equip students with the skills and expertise needed to address contemporary social issues within museums and galleries. It focuses on the role of museums in shaping societal understandings, upholding anti-racist and anti-oppression values, and ensuring community benefit. The program explores the impact of museums on social justice and human rights advocacy, and how they can better address contemporary societal issues.

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Outline:

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Program Content:

• Examines the role of museums and practitioners in shaping society's understandings of contemporary issues.
• Upholds antiracist and anti-oppression values of inclusivity and accessibility.
• Ensures that museums benefit their communities.
• Explores the impact that museums and galleries can have on advocating for social justice and human rights.
• Brings together cutting-edge examples of socially driven professional practice in dialogue with research undertaken by academics within the School of Museum Studies.
• Draws on broader global shifts in practice and challenges students to think deeply about the role of culture in society and the characteristics of socially purposeful museums and galleries.

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Program Structure:

• MA/MSc: Four core modules, followed by four option modules, and a research project (dissertation, paper, professional report, or film).
• PGDip: Four core modules, followed by four option modules.
• PGCert: Four core modules.
• A short break is provided between modules.

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Individual Modules:

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Core Modules:

• Exploring Socially Engaged Practice in Museums and Galleries: This module introduces the concept of socially engaged practice in museums and galleries, exploring its historical development, theoretical frameworks, and contemporary applications.
• Ethical Practice: Access, Liberation, and Organisational Change: This module examines the ethical considerations and challenges of socially engaged practice, focusing on issues of access, liberation, and organizational change.
• Activist Practice: Methods of Empowerment: This module explores various methods and strategies used in activist practice within museums and galleries, emphasizing empowerment and community engagement.
• Museums and Transformation: Evidencing Need and Assessing the Impact of Socially Engaged Practice: This module focuses on evaluating the impact of socially engaged practice, examining methods for evidencing need and assessing the effectiveness of interventions.

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Option Modules:

• Objects and Collections: Care, Management and Curation: This module explores the care, management, and curation of museum objects and collections, considering their social and cultural significance.
• Cultural Management and Marketing: This module examines the principles and practices of cultural management and marketing, focusing on strategies for engaging audiences and promoting cultural institutions.
• Lifelong Learning: This module explores the role of museums and galleries in promoting lifelong learning, examining different approaches and methodologies.
• Museums and the Natural Environment: This module investigates the relationship between museums and the natural environment, exploring the role of museums in environmental education and conservation.
• Heritage: This module examines the concept of heritage, exploring its diverse forms, meanings, and interpretations.
• Digital: This module explores the use of digital technologies in museums and galleries, examining their impact on practice and audience engagement.
• Practice: This module provides students with the opportunity to engage in practical projects and develop their skills in socially engaged practice.

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Assessment:

• One assignment per module (2,500-word essay or equivalent).
• A range of assignment types, including essays, project work, reports, exhibition proposals, and consultancy briefs.

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Teaching:

• Delivered through online resources in the University's virtual learning environment, Blackboard.
• Includes recorded lectures, international case studies of museum practice, guided readings, group discussions, and self-led activities.
• Supported by a module tutor and a personal tutor throughout the studies.
• Flexible learning course designed with different learning styles and access requirements in mind.
• Optional Summer School offering live online or face-to-face teaching, discussions, group activities, and networking opportunities.

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Careers:

• Graduates have been employed in some of the largest and most prestigious museums and galleries worldwide, as well as smaller specialist and local institutions.
• Examples include: National Museums Liverpool, The British Museum, The Smithsonian Institution, Tropenmuseum, Netherlands, International Council of Museums, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Greek Ministry of Culture, Victoria and Albert Museum, Imperial War Museum, Guggenheim Museum.
• The University's Career and Employability Service provides support with interviews, CVs, work experience, and more.

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Other:

• The program is delivered by distance learning, allowing students to study flexibly around existing commitments.
• The program is designed to be sympathetically structured, allowing students to break up the work into manageable chunks and focus on one assignment at a time.
• Students receive high-quality support from module tutors and a personal tutor throughout their studies.
• The program offers a platform to explore and experiment with ways of maximizing the impact that museums and galleries can have on the wellbeing of communities, on civil debates around controversial topics, and on the building of fairer and more equal societies.
• The program is delivered in a variety of ways, including online lectures, seminars, tutorials, and discussion activities.
• Students are encouraged to undertake guided study visits in their own local area.
• Virtual study visits are included within the teaching material.
• Students are invited to an optional, non-assessed Summer School week, offering face-to-face teaching, discussions, group activities, and study visits.
• The program is designed to be flexible, allowing students to choose when to study.
• There is one live seminar in each of the core modules, which are recorded for those unable to attend.
• The program is equivalent to a part-time course.
• Students receive four supervisions with their allocated tutor for their dissertation.
• Support is offered between supervisions as and when needed.
• The program offers a carefully designed, broad range of assignments, including essays, project work, discussions, presentations, and practical exercises.
• The program is delivered by a dedicated team of academics, tutors, and support staff.
• Students are allocated a personal tutor who can advise on a range of issues and provide support.
• Students are allocated a module tutor who is a specialist in that particular field.
• The program is delivered by a world-leading hub for research, teaching, thinking, debate, and practice.
• The program offers maximum flexibility for students wishing to take anything from one module to a whole Masters degree.
• The program can be completed in a minimum of two years or built up module by module over a longer period.
• Students can take advantage of a network of 20 associate tutors who are all museum professionals working in the sector.

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UK fees:

£10,700

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International fees:

£18,950