# Curatorial Research

**Source**: https://english.spbu.ru/admission/programms/graduate/curatorial-research
**Parent**: https://english.spbu.ru/admission/programms/graduate

50.04.01 
*In English and Russian*

Level of education Master

Type of instruction Full-time

Duration 2 years

With the additional qualification ‘Teacher of Additional Education’

Programme description

The master’s programme ‘Curatorial Research’ is designed to train experts in contemporary art, with both practical experience in implementing their own curatorial projects, and the necessary expertise in contemporary art theory and art criticism. During the training, students learn to analyse contemporary visual products using current terminology and gain experience in developing their own curatorial projects. The programme is unique in that teachers and students of the programme are actively involved in various projects organised by the National Centre of Contemporary Art and other relevant organisations.

Main courses

- 20th Century Art in the Context of Art Criticism
- Philosophy of Art and Aesthetics
- Photo and Video Documentation of Curatorial Projects
- Curatorial Studies: Theory and Practice
- Foundations of Critical Theory
- Writing Techniques in New Media (in English)
- 20th Century Art in the Context of Art Criticism
- Curatorial Studies: Theory and Practice
- Foundations of Critical Theory
- Writing Technique in New Media (in English)
- Philosophy of Art and Aesthetics
- Photo and Video Recordings of Curated Projects

##### Optional courses

- Adapting and Studying at the University (eLearning)
- University. Intro to Corporate Ethics (online course)
- Chinese for Beginners. Part 1 (online course)
- Chinese for Beginners. Part 2 (online course)
- Chinese: five steps to success. Part 1 (online course)
- Chinese: five steps to success. Part 2 (online course)
- Chinese: five steps to success. Part 3 (online course)
- Chinese: five steps to success. Part 4 (online course)
- Chinese: five steps to success. Part 5 (online course)
- Hindi for Beginners. Part 1 (online course)
- Hindi for Beginners. Part 2 (online course)
- Intellectual Property Law in the Digital Age (online course)

Our advantages

- Development of the ability to design communication projects and support intercultural dialogue, and the formation of critical thinking and creative approach in professional activities;
- Gaining experience in creating exhibition projects, contemporary art festivals, as well as writing reviews, and critical and analytical articles on contemporary art;
- Opportunity to attend regular seminars with the engagement of leading Russian and foreign critics, curators and artists;
- Access to library resources, photo lab, video-editing lab and multimedia, electronic music lab, multimedia systems, video conferencing classroom.

Teaching staff

- Olesya Turkina, Candidate of Art Studies, curator of numerous contemporary art exhibitions in St Petersburg, Amsterdam (Netherlands) and Pori (Finland); Member of the editorial board of Art Margins Journal
- Viktor Mazin, Candidate of Science (Philosophy), author of books and articles that have been translated into English, Dutch, German, Slovenian, French, and Japanese; the founder of Sigmund Freud Museum of Dreams
- Gleb Ershov, Candidate of Art Studies, organiser and curator of around 70 fine art exhibitions in museums and galleries in Moscow, St Petersburg, Germany, and Poland; author of more than 100 articles on art history

Practical training and future career

Practical training locations

- Department of contemporary art of the State Hermitage
- Department of the latest trends of the State Russian Museum
- St Petersburg charity Fund of Culture and Art Pro Arte
- Museum of nonconformist art
- Funds and galleries of contemporary art in St Petersburg and Moscow

Graduates' fields of activities

- Development and implementation of curatorial and exhibition projects
- Preparation of museum expositions and exhibitions, the formation of museum collections in the field of contemporary art
- Organisation of information and educational activities, writing articles and reviews of events in the field of contemporary art
- Implementation of research projects in the field of contemporary art

Career

The graduates can work at scientific and educational institutions, research organisations, cultural institutions (museums, galleries, art centres, festivals), on radio and television, at information and analytical services, advertising and PR agencies, investment companies and banks, IT companies.

Main areas of research

- Art management: theoretical and practical methods of curatorship
- Implementation of curatorial projects
- Contemporary critical theory and practice (genesis, principal directions and trends)
- Theory and history of curatorial research (main names and key exhibition projects of the second half of the 20th — 21st centuries)

[This webpage may contain outdated information. The programme descriptions and admission requirements for the 2026/2027 academic year are currently being updated. For the latest information on 2026/2027 admission, please visit the Admissions Office website.](https://abiturient.spbu.ru/en/)

[Tuition](https://english.spbu.ru/admission/tuition)

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