COURSE CURRICULUM

This course provides students with advanced knowledge and practical experience in contemporary curatorial practice, preparing them for professional careers in museums, galleries, heritage organisations, and the wider cultural and creative industries. Through the Curating Collections and Access module, students develop a deeper understanding of collections management, development, and display while exploring inclusive and decolonial approaches to curatorial practice. The module encourages critical engagement with institutional practices and equips students with expertise in audience development, communications, interpretation strategies, public events, and learning programmes that enhance accessibility and public participation within cultural institutions. The Global Critical Contexts module develops students' awareness of the social, political, ethical, and conceptual issues that shape contemporary curating and cultural practice. By exploring historical and contemporary theories, debates, and professional approaches, students strengthen their research, analytical, and communication skills while critically examining themes such as representation, identity, diversity, sustainability, and the evolving role of curators in society. The programme culminates in the Major Project: Curatorial Practice module, which provides an advanced professional environment where students can demonstrate their knowledge, creativity, and practical expertise through an extended curatorial project. Supported by academic supervision and professional guidance, students are encouraged to develop their own curatorial voice and original practice while producing a portfolio of research, contextual analysis, and professional documentation. They also design and present an exhibition, event, or public project for an audience, allowing them to apply theoretical understanding to real-world curatorial challenges. Together, these modules provide graduates with the critical understanding, practical experience, research capabilities, and professional confidence required to succeed in curatorial roles across museums, galleries, cultural institutions, heritage organisations, and other areas of the global creative and cultural sectors.