Program Overview

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MA Cultural Heritage Management

The MA Cultural Heritage Management aims to enhance students' knowledge of the demands of leadership in the cultural heritage sector. This includes broadening the appeal of attractions and collections, anticipating sector-wide trends, exploring the possibilities of digital cultural heritage, and understanding visitors and users more effectively. A strong theme of social justice runs through the programme.

Course Overview

Academics who teach on the programme combine research insights with extensive practical experience, contributing business, social science, and humanities insights to the course. Students benefit from the close links developed to cultural heritage sites of major importance. During the programme, students may benefit from external guest lectures delivered by experienced practitioners, participate in study visits to cultural and heritage attractions, and participate in live projects that aim to provide hands-on applications of classroom-based learning.

Key Information

• Campus: Brayford Pool
• Start Date: September 2026
• Typical Offer: See More
• Duration: 1 year
• Part-time: 2 years

Modules

The programme combines modules that examine cultural heritage management from the perspective of both users and heritage sites. As much cultural heritage activity occurs within the context of tourism, there are also modules that link the sector to tourism and events, focusing on the important issue of sustainability. Modules include:

• Collections Management and Care
• Contemporary Issues in the Visitor Economy
• Critical Perspectives on Managing Cultural Heritage
• Digitising Cultural Heritage Collections
• Engaging Stakeholders in Cultural Heritage Development
• Final Research Project
• Heritage Interpretation and the Making of Usable Pasts
• Material Culture, Conservation and Significance
• The Visitor Experience at Cultural and Heritage Attractions

Module Overview

Each module provides a unique perspective on cultural heritage management, from the theoretical underpinnings of collections management and care to the practical applications of digitising cultural heritage collections. The Final Research Project is the capstone of the Masters programme, providing students with the opportunity to apply, integrate, and strengthen the knowledge, insights, and skills they have acquired through the whole programme.

How You Study

The programme combines taught elements with independent study, exploring the material covered in lectures and seminars. As a general guide, for every hour spent in class, students are expected to spend four to five hours in independent study.

Assessment

There is a wide variety of assessment types, tailored to the content of the module. Examples include blog posts, consultancy reports, building surveys, visitor audits, a record of digitising a collection, and more traditional essays. These are designed to develop skills needed for a career in cultural heritage institutions.

Entry Requirements

• First or second-class honours degree.
• Overseas students will be required to demonstrate English language proficiency equivalent to IELTS 6.0 overall, with a minimum of 5.5 in each element.

Course Fees

The University offers a range of merit-based, subject-specific, and country-focused scholarships for UK and international students. To help support students from outside of the UK, the University offers a number of international scholarships which range from È1,000 up to the value of 50 per cent of tuition fees.

Funding Your Study

Find out more about the options available to support your postgraduate study, from Master's Loans to scholarship opportunities. You can also find out more about how to pay your fees and access support from advisors.

Career Development

Graduates of the MA Cultural Heritage Management have gone on to a variety of careers, including curatorial posts in specialist and county museums, setting up their own heritage businesses, and managing backstage operations at music festivals. Others have gone on to further study at PhD level.