MA in Cultural Policy & Arts Management
The MA in Cultural Policy and Arts Management is a one-year full-time course running from September to August. It is designed to enable participants to understand the theory and practice of cultural policy and arts management and to encourage research expertise. It is relevant to those developing professional careers in arts and cultural management, including the heritage and cultural industries.
Building on the Higher Diploma in Arts Administration which commenced in 1986, UCD has offered MA and MLitt programmes in Cultural Policy and Arts Management from September 2001. The underlying rationale for these courses includes the strong demand for higher standards of education in the cultural sector, in particular for education which takes place in the working environment as well as in the university.
In response to increasing professionalism in the cultural field, the MA responds to the substantial growth of publicly funded arts provision and the growing awareness of the social and economic importance of the arts. The academic and intellectual standards of the programmes are commensurate with the highest level of international developments in this sphere.
In recent years, the taught MA course has attracted numbers of high calibre international students, which has helped to enrich the learning experience for all participants. It has also informed a greater emphasis on international practice and comparative approaches to the way courses are delivered.
Course Information: The course has the following four broad elements & assessment is by means of examinations, coursework and dissertation:
- Policy Studies - This examines the policy context for the cultural sector and includes study of the social and economic context; public policy and administration; comparative studies in cultural policy; and management and employment policy for the sector.
- Business Studies - A range of business subjects appropriate to cultural management is provided. Courses include accountancy; management; business administration and marketing.
- Work Experience - An eight-week internship in a cultural organisation offers students the opportunity to apply theoretical concepts developed in the programme to the practical work environment.
- Dissertation - A 10,000 word dissertation in which the discipline of academic research is applied to a relevant policy or management topic chosen by the student.
In the Cultural Policy modules, students will be encouraged to debate and reflect upon the conceptual frameworks and cultural contexts within which cultural policy and arts management takes place. In particular, they will acquire a sound understanding of how the idea of culture has developed over the past two hundred years from a narrow definition based upon the ‘high’ arts to today’s much broader definition, which aims to be more socially inclusive and to cope with the particular challenges thrown up by theories of modernity, post-modernism, the cultural industries, and cultural diversity. In parallel, students will attend courses in management, marketing, accounting, law and finance to hone their practical skills. In the second semester, they will be given an opportunity to draw these skills together by designing a business plan for a cultural organisation. These skills will be further honed by an eight-week placement in a cultural institution, where the student will have an opportunity to observe and participate in a real working environment. The thesis, which concludes the programme, will help the student to exercise both their theoretical and practical understanding of policy and management issues through in-depth research and analysis of their chosen topic. It also provides a valuable opportunity to develop specialised knowledge in a field that may help your career goals and ambitions.
Course Structure: It is recognised that many of the students who participate in the one-year full-time MA course are taking time out from their career to enhance skills, or may be juggling other personal commitments over the year. The following information is intended to give you a clear a picture of the course structure and time commitments, so that you can plan your year accordingly. Please note that dates and timings are broadly indicative and not absolutely accurate, as such things as semester dates can vary from year to year.
- Semester 1 - normally begins in the first wll of September & runs for about 12 weeks until the last week of November. This is followed by a week or two of study. Short, two-hour examinations in Law & Finance take place in the second or third week of December.
- Break - the Christmas break runs (approximately) from 20 December through to the third week of January.
- Semester 2 - commencing about the third weel in January, the second semester involves a short, seven-week period of course work, ending in early March. In mid-March a day is set aside for presentation of business plans. In late March, two or three days are set aside for students to present their thesis proposals to the class.
- Placements - placements with relevant arts & cultural organisations usually commence the first week in April, although some flexibility is allowed here to meet either student or organisational requirements. The minimum duration of the placement is eight weeks.
- Dissertation - students are required to present a draft first chapter of their thesis to their supervisor in mid-May for advice and feedback. The complete thesis is normally due on a date in or about 15 August.
Applications: Admission is open to candidates who hold an honours university degree or equivalent qualification. Preference is given to candidates with relevant work experience. Please note that the course is not art-form specific: it welcomes students from a wide range of arts and cultural backgrounds (theatre, dance, visual arts, music, museums etc.) and we also consider applicants from other professional backgrounds who can demonstrate a strong interest and commitment to the arts and cultural sector, whether through voluntary or other forms of involvement.
In the first instance all applicants must complete an official online application. Please click on the following link to go directly to the MA in Cultural Policy and Arts Management application - MA [Z041] . Application closing-date for the 2012-13 programme, Monday, 16 April. Interviews will be held in early May.
In addition to completing the Online Application, all applicants must submit two references preferably one relating to academic performance and one relating to employment performance.
The referee should send their reference directly to the Director, Cultural Policy and Arts Management, Room J013, John Henry Newman Building, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4. The Reference Form is available to download [MA Cultural Policy & Arts Management Reference] PDF - MA Reference Form
Non-UCD graduates should note that they are also required to submit the following documents:
- One copy of the official transcripts of your academic qualifications.
- A photocopy of your Birth Certificate/Passport page.
If you are a citizen of a non-EU country, you may submit an online application at any time. Such applications are processed on a rolling basis. Please note that it will involve a telephone interview with the course director, to be conducted at a time that is mutually convenient.
Elizabeth Varley [Administrator]
Cultural Policy and Arts Management,
UCD School of Art History & Cultural Policy
John Henry Newman Building, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4.
Tel: [00 353 1] 716 8625 / Fax: [00 353 1] 716 8226 / Email: elizabeth.varley@ucd.ie
