Architecture
Career
As a graduate of the MA in Arts and Culture, you will be qualified to work within a variety of professional fields, such as museums, galleries, cultural institutions or (art) libraries and archives. You will also find employment opportunities within the publishing and general media sectors, or within the art trade, in journalism or public relations.
Recent graduates are working with companies such as Hoogsteder & Hoogsteder, Sdu Publishers, Haags Gemeentemuseum, the Repeat Group, Gavelers Auctioneers and Lyppens.
Teacher-training in Arts and Culture
If you are interested in a career in teaching, you can follow a teacher-training MA at the ICLON Graduate School of Education once you have graduated from the master’s programme. You have to speak fluent Dutch to follow the course, and there are some additional entry requirements.
For more information see the Lerarenopleiding Kunstgeschiedenis (in Dutch).
Some figures about graduates of Arts and Culture
How successful are they in finding a job?
- 86 % found a job within six months.
- 73 % found their first job at professional or university level.
- 95 % held a position at professional or university level when the study was carried out.
In which sector do they find jobs?
- Culture, sports and leisure: 385
- Teaching: 192
- Travel and aviation: 38
- Research: 77
- Business services: 115
- Publishing / book sector: 38
- Other: 154
What are their main tasks and responsibilities? (%)
Source: Employment Market Study among Leiden Graduates in Humanities (2012, Student Career Service Humanities )
Master details
- This is a specialisation of: Arts and Culture
- Degree Master of Arts in Arts and Culture
- Mode of study Full-time, part-time
- Duration 1 year
- Start date September, February
- Language of instruction English
- Location Leiden
- Croho/isat code 60087
What our alumni say
Azinta Plantenga “I learned a lot during my study about the objects that I now actually see in my work. “
“Although art and art history have always fascinated me, it took some time before I realised that I wanted to work in this field. After completing my bachelor’s in Languages and Cultures of China at Leiden University, I moved to China to gain work experience. It was in Beijing that I really got into the art world. I loved it so much that I decided to focus on this area and to return to Leiden to take a Master’s in Arts and Culture.
Before I could start the master’s, I first had to do a pre-master’s programme. This programme proved to me that applied art and design was the right direction for me. I did a research internship at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, where I had my first opportunity to put my research experience into practice. Another big advantage of this internship was the chance to meet a lot of good contacts: one of these was Uniquole, a project consultancy that organises exhibitions on Dutch applied art and design.
While completing my master’s thesis, I joined the company as art historian and project assistant. I recently started to work at the Stedelijk Museum as research assistant, where I carry out research on different objects in the collection. Both these positions give me every opportunity to apply my research skills. The good work ethic that I acquired during my study, as well as the ability to handle deadlines, are skills that are important assets in my work today.
The Design and Decorate Art Studies programme was a good introduction to the different subjects that form part of my specialist field. I would recommend this master’s to everyone who is interested in applied art and design. There is an immense amount of knowledge available within Leiden University. The excellent training that I received during my study from true specialists taught me a lot about the objects that I am now seeing in my everyday work.
Azinta Plantenga
Art historian and project assistant at Uniquole
Research assistant at the Stedelijk Museum
Related Programmes
Humanities graduates
Graduates of the Leiden MA programmes in Humanities are successful in finding a job after they complete their studies.
A survey by the Student Career Service among alumni who just preceded you and graduated between 2008 and 2012, shows that, although these alumni first entered the job market during a recession, on average 71% of them found a job within two months. More than three-quarters of them found a job straight away at professional or university level.
Source: Employment Market Study among Leiden Graduates in Humanities (2012, Student Career Service Humanities )
*5% of the alumni who participated in the survey where international students.
