History of Art with Collections Management MA

Birkbeck, University of London

Our MA History of Art with Collections Management will absorb you in the rich and dynamic discipline of the history of art. It will also prepare you for the museum workplace with an intensive collections management module that will equip you with essential skills and experience. Why choose this course? You will study with internationally recognised experts. Our teaching staff are defining the field, conducting groundbreaking research in periods from medieval to contemporary. You will meet experts in London museums and galleries to discuss their work, as well as engaging in hands-on activities relating to documentation, object handling and care. As well as regular gallery and museum visits, talks by visiting speakers and screenings, you will have the opportunity to gain further experience by applying for a 10-week supervised work placement in a museum, gallery or archive. What you will learn This course will train you in key art historical approaches so you can focus on areas and periods of particular interest. You will gain a solid grasp of the key issues and fundamental, professional skills involved in collections management and an insight into different working practices. You will develop a concrete understanding of the core processes by which museums and galleries ascribe value and meaning to artworks and objects, such as documentation standards and object entry and exit procedures, and the ideas, values and ethics which underpin these.