Metadata
Title
Contemporary Art History and Curating MA
Category
graduate
UUID
12dcdaf9aa8f4acba59036c70ef4d223
Source URL
https://www.ncl.ac.uk/postgraduate/degrees/4184f/
Parent URL
https://www.ncl.ac.uk/postgraduate/degrees/
Crawl Time
2026-03-19T01:38:10+00:00
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Contemporary Art History and Curating MA

Source: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/postgraduate/degrees/4184f/ Parent: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/postgraduate/degrees/

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Overview

This course combines art history with the practical curatorial skills needed to work in the contemporary arts sector.

Newcastle has a vibrant contemporary art scene and provides a living case study for you to engage with, learn from, and contribute to.

Study our Contemporary Art History and Curating MA and develop the skills required to work in the contemporary arts sector. You’ll have the opportunity to:

Important information

We've highlighted important information about your course. Please take note of any deadlines.

Your course and study experience - disclaimers and terms and conditions

Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption, for example in response to Covid-19.

View our Academic experience page, which gives information about your Newcastle University study experience for the academic year 2025-26.

See our terms and conditions and student complaints information, which gives details of circumstances that may lead to changes to programmes, modules or University services.

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What you'll learn

As a Contemporary Art History and Curating Master’s student you will learn about:

You’ll be taught by a diverse community of experts made up of practicing art historians, artists and curators who will prepare you to make meaningful contributions to the field of contemporary art history and curating.

Practicing your learning through the design of workshops and exhibitions, you’ll frequently plan and run your own exhibits in the Hatton Gallery. You’ll also regularly visit a diverse range of local galleries and creative art spaces in the city and surrounding areas.

Modules

You will study modules on this course. A module is a unit of a course with its own approved aims and outcomes and assessment methods.

Course content changes

The module information below is intended to provide an example of what you will study.

Our teaching is informed by research. Course content changes periodically to reflect developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback.

Full details of the modules on offer will be published through the Programme Regulations and Specifications ahead of each academic year. This usually happens in May.

To find out more please see our terms and conditions.

Optional modules availability

Some courses have optional modules. Student demand for optional modules may affect availability.

Contemporary Art History and Curating MA modules

Compulsory Modules Credits
Contemporary Art History: Theories and Methods 20
Art Writing 20
Art and Ecology 20
Art History Research Project 60
Contemporary Curating: Histories, Ethics, Sites 20
Creative and Cultural Sectors: Past, Present, Future 20
Optional Modules Credits
Management Practices in Museum, Galleries and Heritage Studies 20
Curating Art in the Gallery 20

How you'll learn

Delivery and teaching methods

You’ll be taught using a range of methods, including:

Assessment methods

Depending on your modules, you'll be assessed through a combination of:

Student support

Throughout your studies, you’ll have access to support from:

You'll also be assigned an academic member of staff, who will be your personal tutor throughout your time with us. They can help with academic and personal issues.

Your teaching and learning is also supported by Canvas. Canvas is a Virtual Learning Environment. You'll use Canvas to submit your assignments and access your:

Your development

Professional skills

You'll learn to advocate for art and articulate its role in a variety of contexts in contemporary society. You'll communicate effectively about art and curating both orally and in written form. Upon graduating, you will have the ability to apply art historical skills to a variety of roles in the contemporary art sector.

Practical skills

This course offers a curatorial aspect, helping you to develop your practical skills. You'll learn to programme and manage events, projects and exhibitions, and perform administration and management with confidence.

Research skills

You'll be exposed to leading-edge research and practice in contemporary art and art history, with a particular focus on addressing the urgent issues facing global society.

Your future

This Contemporary Art History and Curating postgraduate course encourages collaboration and interpersonal development. You’ll advance key skills that will prepare you for a career in the arts or to progress into further academic study.

Possible careers include:

Our Careers Service

Our expert Careers Service is here to help you take the next steps in your professional life. We will support you while you’re studying with us and for up to three years after you graduate.\ \ You will have access to expert one-to-one advice and guidance through our campus careers centre and online, along with digital resources, workshops, networking opportunities, and careers and recruitment events.\ \ We’ve been awarded 5 QS Stars for Student Employability (2025). Many of our degrees are shaped by strong links with national and international businesses. We are committed to helping you access real-world experience opportunities and develop key skills through paid work placements and internships.

Visit our Careers Service website

Quality and ranking

Recognition of professional qualifications outside of the UK

If you’re studying an accredited degree and thinking about working in Europe after you graduate, the best place to find current information is the UK Government’s guidance on recognition of UK professional qualifications in EU member states. This official resource explains whether your profession is regulated in another country, what steps you need to take, and which organisation you should contact.

Facilities

School of Arts and Cultures

Based in the heart of Newcastle city centre, our Fine Art department is part of the School of Arts and Cultures, which is home to a wide variety of courses, including:

At the School of Arts and Cultures, we're committed to the education of artists, along with the practice, exhibition, history and theory of art.

We offer interdisciplinary practice, research and engagement within centres such as:

We also offer:

All students have the use of the Phillip Robinson Library and computer clusters around the University.

We're based in the same building as the Hatton Gallery. This is one of the largest exhibition spaces in North East England. It accommodates both student shows and large touring exhibitions. The Hatton's permanent collection consists of works of art from five centuries and includes the Elterwater Merzbarn construction by Kurt Schwitters.

Find out more about our facilities

Fees, Funding and Scholarships

Tuition fees for 2026 entry (per year)

Qualification: MA Full time
Home students Full time: 12 months Tuition fees (per year) £11,400
International students Full time: 12 months Tuition fees (per year) £25,900
Qualification: MA Part time
Home students Part time: 24 months Tuition fees (per year) £5,700

Tuition fee increases

As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.

EU, other EEA and Swiss nationals - tuition fee status

Depending on your residency history, if you’re a student from the EU, other EEA or a Swiss national, with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you’ll normally pay the ‘Home’ tuition fee rate and may be eligible for Student Finance England support.

EU students without settled or pre-settled status will normally be charged fees at the ‘International’ rate and will not be eligible for Student Finance England support. You may be eligible for a scholarship worth 25% off the international fee. Search our funding database.

If you are unsure of your fee status, check out the latest guidance here.

Scholarships

We support our EU and international students by providing a generous range of Vice-Chancellor's automatic and merit-based scholarships. See our searchable postgraduate funding page for more information.

What you're paying for

Tuition fees include the costs of:

Find out more about:

Deposit

If you are an international student or a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland and you need a visa to study in the UK, you may have to pay a deposit.

You can check this in the How to apply section.

Funding deadlines

If you're applying for funding, always check the funding application deadline. This deadline may be earlier than the application deadline for your course.

For some funding schemes, you need to have received an offer of a place on a course before you can apply for the funding.

Search for funding and scholarships

Find funding available for your course

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Entry requirements

The entrance requirements below apply to 2026 entry.

Academic entry requirements

A 2:2 Bachelor’s or equivalent in art history, fine art or another relevant subject.

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There may be circumstances where professional experience in the field may be considered alongside an undergraduate degree in a relevant field. Professionals with considerable industry experience, but no undergraduate degree, might be eligible for Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) for direct entry into the programme.

Qualifications from outside the UK

Select your country AfghanistanAlbaniaAlgeriaAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBhutanBoliviaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBrazilBritish Virgin IslandsBruneiBulgariaBurundiCambodiaCameroonCanadaCaribbeanCayman IslandsChileChinaColombiaCosta RicaCroatiaCubaCyprusCzech RepublicDenmarkDominicaDominican RepublicEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEritreaEstoniaEswatiniEthiopiaFijiFinlandFranceGabonGambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGreeceGrenadaGuatemalaGuyanaHaitiHondurasHong KongHungaryIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIsraelItalyIvory CoastJamaicaJapanJordanKazakhstanKenyaKiribatiKosovoKuwaitLaosLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLibyaLithuaniaLuxembourgMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaltaMauritiusMexicoMongoliaMontserratMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNauruNepalNetherlandsNew ZealandNicaraguaNigeriaNorth MacedoniaNorwayOmanPakistanPalestinePanamaPapua New GuineaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPolandPortugalQatarRepublic of IrelandRomaniaRussiaRwandaSaint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da CunhaSaint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesSamoaSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbiaSierra LeoneSingaporeSlovakiaSloveniaSolomon IslandsSouth AfricaSouth KoreaSpainSri LankaSudanSurinameSwazilandSwedenSwitzerlandSyriaTaiwanTajikistanTanzania, United Republic ofThailandTogoTongaTrinidad and TobagoTunisiaTurkeyTurkmenistanTurks and Caicos IslandsTuvaluUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUruguayUSAUzbekistanVanuatuVenezuelaVietnamZambiaZimbabwe

English Language requirements

Select your qualification IELTSPearsonsDuolingo English TestTOEFLOtherPre-Sessional Entry - 6 weeksPre-Sessional Entry - 10 weeks

Admissions policy

This policy applies to all undergraduate and postgraduate admissions at Newcastle University. It is intended to provide information about our admissions policies and procedures to applicants and potential applicants, to their advisors and family members, and to staff of the University.

University Admissions Policy and related policies and procedures

Credit transfer and Recognition of Prior Learning

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) can allow you to convert existing relevant university-level knowledge, skills and experience into credits towards a qualification. Find out more about the RPL policy which may apply to this course

Pre-Master’s and English Language courses

Need an alternative route to study this course? Our International Study Centre offers Pre-Master’s degrees and English language courses to prepare you for study.

Explore these courses

How to apply

Before you start

Start Dates

The course starts in September.

Closing Dates

There is no application closing date for this course, but we recommend that you apply by the start of September.

We suggest international students apply at least two months before the course starts. This is so that you have enough time to make the necessary arrangements.

Deposit

All International students

If you are an international student or a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland and you need a visa to study in the UK, you must pay a deposit or submit an official letter of sponsorship. The deposit is payable after you receive an offer to study with us. This deposit is non-refundable and will be deducted from your tuition fees when you register. You may also be subject to academic and English language qualification verification, confirmation of funds and credibility interviews.

International students who received an offer before 18 March 2026

International students Bangladesh, Ghana, Myanmar, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan who received an offer after 18 March 2026

All International students (excluding those from the markets above) who received an offer after 18 March 2026

Programme codes

Qualification: MA Full time
Full time: 12 months Programme Code: 4184F
Qualification: MA Part time
Part time: 24 months Programme Code: 4184P

Using the application portal

The application portal has instructions to guide you through your application. It will tell you what documents you need and how to upload them.

You can choose to start your application, save your details and come back to complete it later.

If you’re ready, you can select Apply Online and you’ll be taken directly to the application portal.

Alternatively you can find out more about applying on our applications and offers pages.

\ Apply Online

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Find out about how you can visit Newcastle in person and virtually

Overseas events

We regularly travel overseas to meet with students interested in studying at Newcastle University.

Visit our events calendar for the latest events

Get in touch

Questions about this course?

If you have specific questions about this course you can contact:

School of Arts and Cultures

Telephone: +44 (0)191 208 5336 (School of Arts and Cultures Office) \ Email: fineart@ncl.ac.uk

General enquiries

For more general enquiries, you could also complete our online enquiry form.

Fill in our enquiry form

Application enquiries

If you've got a question about your application, send us an enquiry via the application portal you applied through.

If you haven't applied yet, you can send your questions via our enquiry form.

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