Within a rapidly changing domestic and international environment, the work of arts and cultural managers is becoming more complex and significant. The creative industries are growing rapidly and patterns of cultural work are changing. Cultural organisations and festivals are in a period of fundamental, pervasive and long-term change; managers must deal with a host of dramatic, often contradictory demands and challenges. This leads to a situation where there is a need for graduates with more holistic and integrated perspectives regarding the management of cultural organisations and the political, economic, social and environmental conditions in which they function.

This course has been developed in response to this need and is rooted in a belief that great leaders in the cultural sector will recognise the value of management while acknowledging that approaches may need to be adapted to meet the particularities of cultural organisations and festivals. Through encouraging you to become critically reflective, the course will develop your knowledge of the contemporary issues affecting the management of arts organisations and festivals while equipping you with the practical management skills that are essential for developing a career in the field.

Mindful of the need for students to develop vocational skills, a number of assignments are orientated towards developing the knowledge and skills required to become an effective practitioner in the field. In addition, students are required to arrange and undertake practical experience within cultural organisations to complement their studies.

The course is designed as a conversion degree and we welcome applicants who have not studied management previously. It is suitable for both graduates who wish to add a vocational
management emphasis to their first degree and those with equivalent professional qualifications or experience. It is likely to be of interest to those who studied the arts and humanities at undergraduate level or those with significant workplace experience who would like to gain a formal qualification in a flexible manner.

Taught Modules (all 20 credits):

- Contemporary Debates in Cultural Policy

- Designing Qualitative Research

- Leadership, Governance and Strategy (Not-for-profit)*

- Fundraising, Development and Finance*

- Arts Management in Practice OR Evaluating Arts and Cultural Projects

- Planning and Marketing Cultural Projects OR another relevant module from the School of Arts, Social Sciences and Management

If studying for the full MA, you will also complete a dissertation or project (60 credits).

*These are the modules that will be taught on the block taught PgCert Arts, Festival and Cultural Management. This course is via intensive blocks of teaching are planed to be delivered at the end of September, the beginning of November, the end of January and the beginning of March. See here here for more details.

Apply online at via the programme page

Admission Requirements:

A UK honours degree or equivalent OR significant work experience in cultural organisations or festivals.

International: Where your honours degree has not been studied in English, you will be required to take an IELTS test receiving an overall score of 6.0 and no individual component score below 5.5.

2019/20 Postgraduate Fees

SCOT/UK Full time £5500 (includes dissertation)
SCOT/UK Part time £735 per 20 credit module
SCOT/UK Part time Dissertation £1100
International Full time £13000 (includes dissertation)
International Part time £1705 per 20 credit module
International Part time Dissertation £2770