Collections and Curating Practices MScR

Core courses

Two interlocking compulsory courses underpin the programme:

• Collections: Theories, Practices and Methods

Specialists drawn from across the University and partner organisations deliver theoretical and practical sessions relating to curatorship.

• Guided Research Placement

This course offers a unique opportunity for you to work with a small group to devise and deliver a substantial project for one of our partner institutions. Though you will be given a high degree of autonomy, seminars and assignments will provide a supportive framework to help guide your development.

Option courses

You can then choose to undertake either two postgraduate option courses that complement your research interests, or an independent research essay with the support of your supervisor.

Dissertation

A 15,000 word dissertation is completed over the summer months.

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

You will be assigned a research supervisor at the outset of your degree.

The Collections: Theories Practices and Methods course offers tuition in a range of skills from object handling and collections management processes to exhibition making. The Guided Research Placement course includes training in project and budget management as well as presentation skills.

Career development opportunities are built into the syllabus.

Situated in the heart of Edinburgh's Old Town, Edinburgh College of Art has a wide range of studios and workshop spaces, libraries and collections, places to socialise, perform and show work; all within walking distance of world-class museums, music venues and galleries.

Our facilities range from the historic, to contemporary, specialist spaces for making work at all scales, in and across all media. In this directory, you’ll find details of our own facilities, and selected places in the city to be inspired, research, collaborate or gain work experience.

This degree will prepare you to establish or focus your career in the creative, cultural and heritage industries. You will also be equipped to undertake further postgraduate research, such as a PhD.

These entry requirements are for the 2023/24 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2024/25 academic year will be published on 2 October 2023.

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in any area of arts (e.g. fine art, digital arts, art, visual culture), or humanities (e.g. art history, cultural geography, literature, archaeology, cultural studies), or social sciences (e.g. social anthropology, sociology), or history of science, or a related field.

You should also have professional or internship experience in museums, galleries or other cultural organisations. You will be able to demonstrate aptitude for conducting research at a level beyond that expected in a taught masters degree, and will also be able to demonstrate willingness to work as part of team in a professional context.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country

English language requirements

You must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies, regardless of your nationality or country of residence.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 176 in each component.
• Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 70 with at least 62 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than three and a half years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

• English language requirements

Additional costs may include the travel fare to the site of local cultural institutions for training or seminars.

Featured funding

• Edinburgh College of Art scholarships

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

• your programme
• the duration of your studies
• your tuition fee status.

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

• UK government and other external funding

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding