Museums and Collections
| 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 |
Museums and collections are in full motion now that their social functions are changing rapidly under political and economic pressure. There is increasing overlap between the traditional tasks of the museum curators, the educational department and the management. Globalisation and changing geopolitical relations have a major impact on the status of cultural heritage, including political, Legal and museological aspects.
In the Museums and Collections specialisation you will learn about the broad spectrum of ethical, political and practical dilemmas that affect museums. You will also be challenged to think creatively about sustainable, broad-based solutions.
Programme
The MA in Arts and Culture can be followed as a one-year full-time programme or as a 1 ½ year part-time programme. The part-time programme is derived from the full-time MA. All courses are day courses.
Programme structure
The MA in Arts and Culture has one compulsory methodological course for all students. In this class you are introduced to theories and viewpoints relating to various forms of art, and you learn to reflect on them in a critical way.
Besides this course you also prepare a reading list in your field of specialisation and you choose two research courses from the specialisations offered. These courses teach you how to carry out research in the period and specialisation you are interested in. The themes and subjects of these specialist courses vary each year and ensure the MA remains dynamic and challenging.
The rest of the programme is reserved for workshops, an individual internship in a museum or institution, or an individual project with one of the tutors. You complete your MA with your final thesis.
The programme takes one year, which is divided into two semesters.
Semester 1
During the first semester you follow a compulsory general course ‘Practices and Debates in Art History’. This course is taught by tutors from various specialisations. It addresses current methodological issues in art history which are of importance to any field of specialisation. Besides this course you follow lectures and research seminars in your field or period of specialisation. The topics of these seminars vary per year. You also prepare for the exam on your reading list in your field of specialisation.
Semester 2
Your second semester is dedicated mainly to your master’s thesis and the preparation for your final exam. In addition, you can give a personal emphasis to your programme through the free component which allows you to follow an internship, a workshop or an additional specialist or period research seminar.
Nearby museums
Throughout the master’s programme in Arts and Culture you will be able to take advantage of Leiden’s proximity to a network of major museums, collections, libraries and research schools, accessing a range of unique texts and works of art. These include:
- The National Museum for Ethnology
- The Municipal Museum de Lakenhal/Scheltema location for contemporary art
- The Museum for the History of Science
- The National Museum of Antiquities
- Leiden University Library with its many special collections of prints, drawings and photography
