Museum Practice and Management

PgDip, MA

2023/24 Part-time Postgraduate course

Award:

Postgraduate Diploma, Master of Arts

Faculty:

Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

School:

School of Arts and Humanities

eLearning:

This course is taught online so you can study where you want, when you want.

Start dates:

September 2023

January 2024

Overview

Preparing you to work or to advance your career in the museum and heritage sectors.

Summary

This established programme shares best practice and expertise in various aspects of museum studies, cultural management, exhibition practice and care of collections. The modules draw upon the expectations of the museum standards programmes in UK and Ireland and present these within an international context. Lectures include points of discussion on key issues concerning the museum profession globally. Tutors are either lecturers in Ulster University or senior staff in the museum sector.

We’d love to hear from you!

We know that choosing to study at university is a big decision, and you may not always be able to find the information you need online.

Please contact Ulster University with any queries or questions you might have about:

  • Course specific information
  • Fees and Finance
  • Admissions

For any queries regarding getting help with your application, please select Admissions in the drop down below.

For queries related to course content, including modules and placements, please select Course specific information.

We look forward to hearing from you.

About this course

About

This course prepares you for working in the museum sector in UK, Ireland, Europe and internationally. The content will develop your knowledge of issues and practice in the sector, reflecting the requirements of accreditation and standards schemes in UK and Ireland as well as issues explored by the museum profession internationally.

There are four modules in the taught part of the programme:

Museums and Culture: Policies and Values

This module considers the meaning, purposes and impact of museums. It looks at the value of objects, histories of museums as well as issues in relation to governance, museum ethics, social policies and display. It draws on key debates in the museum sector both nationally and internationally and encourages students to reflect upon the potential of museums.

Management and Strategy for the Museum

Issues of management, marketing, finance and strategic planning are core to this module. Module content explores key thinking and principles in these areas and applies them to the museum sector.

Communication and Learning in Museums

The focus of this module is museum communication through exhibition development and learning policies. Units relating to exhibitions focus on the importance of display, writing museum text and evaluation. Lectures also reflect upon contemporary learning theories, how these might be applied in museums, and writing an education policy for a museum. Consideration is also given to engaging lifelong learners and employing new media in museums.

Collections Care and Management

Collections are the basis on which most museum work is developed. This module considers how to make collection management a strategic part of a museum service. It considers the development of standards and accreditation, issues relating to acquisition and disposal of collections as well as documentation. Lectures relating to the care of collections consider preventive conservation; storage; object handling; movement of collections; disaster planning; and the broader context of collections care.

MA Research Project

This module gives students the opportunity to conduct supervised research in an area of museum studies, chosen and undertaken in consultation with their tutors.

Attendance

This is an entirely online programme, with no requirement to attend the Ulster University. However, there is an annual calendar of museum events in Ireland which many students attend and the tutors use as an opportunity to informally meet with students.

Start dates

  • September 2023
  • January 2024

Teaching, Learning and Assessment

When enrolled you are provided, week by week over a period of 12 weeks, online access to lectures, readings, and discussion topics. Lectures and all required reading can be downloaded via the module area. Each lecture contains discussion topics to encourage dialogue between you, fellow students, and your module tutor. Each module has approximately two assignments. The first assignment is submitted during the module, with feedback within three weeks, and the final assignment is due a fortnight after the module is completed.

On successful completion of 4 modules (a total of 120 credits), you may exit with Postgraduate Diploma in Museum Practice of Management. You also have the option to continue to the research module (60 credits) and exit with Master’s Museum Practice and Management.

Academic profile

Your Course Director is Prof Elizabeth Crooke, Professor of Heritage and Museum Studies at Ulster University.

  • Follow Elizabeth on twitter for regular posts about the MA programme and issues in the museum and heritage sectors @MuseumStudiesUU #MAmuseumsUU

Elizabeth has close links with the museum sector

  • Principal Investigator, UK Research and Innovation-funded project in partnership with Museums Association, National Heritage Lottery Fund, NI Museums Council, working with local museums (2020-22);
  • Principal Investigator, AHRC/Northern Bridge-funded Collaborative Doctoral Award with Irish Museums Association(2020-24)
  • Chair Board of Directors, Northern Ireland Museums Council(2015-2021) and current University Representative
  • Current Member Museum Standards Programme Advisory Committeeof the Heritage Council (Ireland)

Elizabeth has published three books in museum and heritage studies, as well as many peer reviewed journals and book chapters in the field. In 2018 she published a report with the Irish Museums Association.

Drawing on her extensive knowledge of the sectors, Elizabeth works with a team of expert and experienced tutors to deliver this programme.

The University employs over 1,000 suitably qualified and experienced academic staff - 59% have PhDs in their subject field and many have professional body recognition.

Courses are taught by staff who are Professors (25%), Readers, Senior Lecturers (20%) or Lecturers (55%).

We require most academic staff to be qualified to teach in higher education: 82% hold either Postgraduate Certificates in Higher Education Practice or higher. Most academic staff (81%) are accredited fellows of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) by Advanced HE - the university sector professional body for teaching and learning. Many academic and technical staff hold other professional body designations related to their subject or scholarly practice.

The profiles of many academic staff can be found on the University’s departmental websites and give a detailed insight into the range of staffing and expertise.  The precise staffing for a course will depend on the department(s) involved and the availability and management of staff.  This is subject to change annually and is confirmed in the timetable issued at the start of the course.

Occasionally, teaching may be supplemented by suitably qualified part-time staff (usually qualified researchers) and specialist guest lecturers. In these cases, all staff are inducted, mostly through our staff development programme ‘First Steps to Teaching’. In some cases, usually for provision in one of our out-centres, Recognised University Teachers are involved, supported by the University in suitable professional development for teaching.

Figures correct for academic year 2021-2022.

Modules

Here is a guide to the subjects studied on this course.

Courses are continually reviewed to take advantage of new teaching approaches and developments in research, industry and the professions. Please be aware that modules may change for your year of entry. The exact modules available and their order may vary depending on course updates, staff availability, timetabling and student demand. Please contact the course team for the most up to date module list.

In this section

Year one

Museums and Culture

Year: 1

The module provides an overview of policies and values related to museums and the heritage sector which are essential in understanding the complex forces at work which influence how museums operate and how policies and values are shaped and evolve.

Management and Strategy for the Museum

Year: 1

Effective management and the ability to think strategically are crucial to an organisation's ability to achieve its objectives effectively. This module integrates the theories and methodologies of other modules within the wider context of organisational management.

Year two

Communication and Learning in the Museum

Year: 2

The module provides an overview of current thinking in museums on their role as educators and facilitators of learning and communication. It focuses on exhibitions as tools for social, cultural, educational and political influence, and develops an understanding of exhibitions and other elements within museums as forces for learning and communication and evolving learning policies and priorities.

Collections Care and Management

Year: 2

The module has an overview of current practices in museums on collections care and management. It focuses on planning for collection management, museum registration and accreditation and questions surrounding the meaning of objects and acquisition and disposal. The practical elements of collections care and management are further investigated with regards to collections information, access, security and insurance, preventative conservation, and the monitoring and controlling of the museum environment.

Year three

MA Research Project

Year: 3

This module gives students the opportuinity to conduct supervised research in an area of museum studies, chosen and undertaken in consultation with their tutors.

Standard entry conditions

We recognise a range of qualifications for admission to our courses. In addition to the specific entry conditions for this course you must also meet the University’s General Entrance Requirements.

Entry Requirements

Postgraduate Diploma: You should normally hold a degree in a relevant discipline.

MA: You should preferably hold a good honours degree in a relevant discipline.

Exceptionally, candidates who do not satisfy these requirements may, by virtue of relevant experience or learning, be admitted. Students who satisfactorily complete the Postgraduate Diploma at the required level will automatically be considered for progress to the MA. An interview may form part of the application process.

English Language Requirements

English language requirements for international applicants

The minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5. Trinity ISE: Pass at level III also meets this requirement for Tier 4 visa purposes. Ulster recognises a number of other English language tests and comparable IELTS equivalent scores.

Exemptions and transferability

You may choose to complete one module as a stand-alone course (30credits), two modules for a PG Cert (60 credits) and four modules for a Post Graduate Diploma (120 credits). All modules are Master’s level (Level 7).

Careers & opportunities

Career options

The majority of the students on this programme are working the museum or related sectors, recent examples being libraries, archives, education or community arts/ heritage. Those working in the sector want to learn more about museum practice and theory. Others are keen to enter the sector and the programme provides invaluable learning about the work of museums, the challenges they face, and professional requirements. All students gain a lot from discussion with their peers and tutors. In addition, the Course Director can advise you on finding a work placement in a museum.

Work placement / study abroad

On request, we work with students and local museums or heritage properties to arrange work placements.

Apply

Start dates

  • September 2023
  • January 2024

Fees and funding

Fees (total cost)

The price of your overall programme will be determined by the number of credit points that you initiate in the relevant academic year.

For modules commenced in the academic year 2023/24, the following fees apply:

Fees
Credit PointsNI/ROI/GB CostInternational Cost
5 £186.65 £440
10 £373.30 £880
15 £559.95 £1,320
20 £746.60 £1,760
30 £1,119.90 £2,640
60 £2,239.80 £5,280
120 £4,479.60 £10,560
180 £6,719.40 £15,840

NB: A standard full-time PGCert is equivalent to 60 credit points per year. A standard full-time PGDip is equivalent to 120 credit points per year.

Where the postgraduate course selected offers multiple awards (e.g. PG Cert, PG Dip, Masters), please note that the price displayed is for the complete Masters programme.

Postgraduate certificates and diplomas are charged at a pro-rata basis.

Find out more about postgraduate fees

Additional mandatory costs

It is important to remember that costs associated with accommodation, travel (including car parking charges) and normal living will need to be covered in addition to tuition fees.

Where a course has additional mandatory expenses (in addition to tuition fees) we make every effort to highlight them above. We aim to provide students with the learning materials needed to support their studies. Our libraries are a valuable resource with an extensive collection of books and journals, as well as first-class facilities and IT equipment. Computer suites and free Wi-Fi are also available on each of the campuses.

There are additional fees for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines.

Students choosing a period of paid work placement or study abroad as a part of their course should be aware that there may be additional travel and living costs, as well as tuition fees.

See the tuition fees on our student guide for most up to date costs.

Contact

We’d love to hear from you!

We know that choosing to study at university is a big decision, and you may not always be able to find the information you need online.

Please contact Ulster University with any queries or questions you might have about:

  • Course specific information
  • Fees and Finance
  • Admissions

For any queries regarding getting help with your application, please select Admissions in the drop down below.

For queries related to course content, including modules and placements, please select Course specific information.

We look forward to hearing from you.


For more information visit

Testimonials

Dr Marsia Bealby, completed 2018

After having volunteered on heritage sites for several years, I decided to take my interest in museums further and enrol into a Masters Degree in Museum Practice and Management at Ulster University (Part Time, via e-learning). This proved to be an excellent choice. This programme allowed me to build my CV and opened new career opportunities for me.

Learning was tailored around my own tight schedule and research interests, complementing my volunteering at the heritage sector. Even though this program was not my first experience in online education, e-learning has always been my preferred way of study, as it offers flexibility and the advantage of studying from home, or anywhere with an internet connection. The Masters in Museum Practice and Management at Ulster University consisted of four modules and a Dissertation. As such, during the course of my studies I advanced my knowledge in museum audiences and programming, how museums and heritage sites are managed and run, and how exhibitions are planned.

E-learning has a social aspect, albeit in the digital world. I never felt isolated throughout these three years of my studies, as my co-students were very active on the course, and instructors were always an email away, ready to support me and advise me. Communication with instructors was always prompt and encouraging, and the course material was well structured and easy to follow and comprehend. In addition to the high quality reading material, I also enjoyed the interactive activities, links to external sources and informative videos.

The part of the programme I enjoyed the most was my dissertation. I chose to investigate the meaning of sports cars as Museum objects from a gender perspective; a topic that fascinates me. Even though I believe that the topic I selected to work with was challenging, I had the full support of Professor Elizabeth Crooke, who supervised this project and enthusiastically encouraged and advised me throughout. It was thanks to this dissertation topic that I managed to land my dream job in 2017, and I now feel equipped with knowledge, skills, experience and practice to continue working towards a successful career in my sector.

Isabel Bennett, Curator, Músaem Chorca Dhuibhne, Baile an Fheirtéaraigh, Tralee, Co. Kerry

I was very lucky to be accepted into the first intake of the distance-learning PGD Museum Practice and Management, graduating in 2008. Having come from an archaeological background, I didn’t have the basic foundation that many working in the museum world would have. Our museum was involved in the Pilot Study, run by the Heritage Council, which eventually evolved into the Museum Standards Programme for Ireland, which made me realise how much I still had to learn about working in a museum!

As the only year-round employee in this small, local museum, I have to cover many areas including education, exhibition, maintenance of the website and Facebook, as well as all the other day-to-day curatorial tasks that take place.

The studies I undertook while following the PGD Museum Practice and Management have given me a wonderful foundation on which to build to enable me to carry out all these tasks with confidence.

It was wonderful that this distance-learning programme was available. Otherwise it would be extremely difficult for someone like me, who lives far away to attend any other 3rd level course of this quality. I commend the Ulster University for having given me this opportunity.

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