Prestigious Scottish Funding Council Awards are available to high calibre applicants for this programme. The SFC has selected this programme in recognition of the high demand for students with these qualifications. The awards cover all tuition costs; for further information, please see: funded places.

This Masters introduces you to the study of the history of collecting, as it has been pursued by individuals and by civic, educational or national institutions. It examines cultures of collecting and various modalities for the presentation of collections as developed in Asia, Europe, and more specifically Britain, from the late 18th century onwards through to the present. You will consider a range of theoretical and ethical issues as well as financial and societal mechanisms, which have informed collecting practices historically and that continue to do so. You will explore methodological approaches and core concepts, such as connoisseurship, taste and professionalisation, and consider how international travel, the trajectory of the art market and other types of exchange have impacted upon collecting practices.

Programme overview

• MLitt: 12 months full-time; 24 months part-time

You will take five core courses and one optional course and complete a dissertation on a chosen topic. For the forthcoming year, there is a strong contemporary weighting to the courses offered through this programme, in response to the momentum around contemporary art in Glasgow and in Scotland as we move towards the Commonwealth Games 2014.  You will also have the opportunity to take part in a field trip to Newcastle and the Northeast.

Core courses

• Research methods in practice
• Cultures of collecting
• Mapping Contemporary Art in Collections in Scotland
• Glasgow: Collecting and Curating Contemporary Art 1990 to the present

Optional courses

You may choose one of

• From Freeze to Frieze: Economies of Collecting Contemporary Art
• Collecting East Asian Art

And then you may choose

• a Humanities Advanced Technology and Information Institute (HATII) course: 2D Digitisation (Theory and Practice
• a course from elsewhere in the College of Arts, subject to the approval of the programme convenor.

Or from these options offered by History of Art

• Independent study
• Hunterian placement
• Work placement

Career prospects

This Masters programme is intended to provide students with a strong foundation from which to embark upon a career in the  visual arts, the art market, museums and galleries, heritage and historic properties.

Students who have graduated from this programme have gone on to hold positions in public museums and galleries and in commercial galleries in Scotland and London, and have, more broadly, entered the wider cultural and heritage fields in a number of roles. The programme also provides an excellent platform for you to move onto PhD studies and an academic career.

Academic entry requirements

Entry requirements for postgraduate taught programmes are a 2.1 Honours degree or equivalent qualification (for example, GPA 3.0 or above) in a relevant subject unless otherwise specified.

Note: A minimum 2.1 in History of Art or a related subject is required. You should also submit a writing sample of 2-3000 words, a CV and a personal statement.

International students with academic qualifications below those required should contact our partner institution, Glasgow International College, who offer a range of foundation courses.

English language requirements

For applicants whose first language is not English, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level.

International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic module (not General Training):

• overall score 6.5
• no sub-test less than 6.5
• or equivalent scores in another recognised qualification (see below)
   

Common equivalent English language qualifications:

• ibTOEFL: 92; no sub-test less than 24
• CAE (Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English): A minimum
• CPE (Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English): B minimum
• PTE Academic (Person Test of English, Academic test): 68; minimum 60 in writing

Pre-sessional courses
The University of Glasgow accepts evidence of the required language level from the Language Centre Pre-sessional courses. We also consider other BALEAP accredited pre-sessional courses:

• Language Centre, University of Glasgow
• BALEAP guide to accredited courses 

FAQs

Visa requirements and proof of English language level

It is a visa requirement to provide information on your level of English based on an internationally recognised and secure English language test. All test reports must be no more than 2 years old. A list of these can be found on the UK Border Agency website. If you have never taken one of these tests before, you can get an initial idea of your level by using the Common European Framework self-assessment grid which gives you a level for each skill (e.g. listening B1/writing B2 etc.) However, please note that this is not a secure English language test and it is not sufficient evidence of your level of English for visa requirements.

If you require a Tier 4 student visa, your qualification must be one of the secure English language tests accepted by UK Border Agency:

• UK Border Agency Tier 4 English Language requirements
• UKBA list of approved English language tests [pdf]

For further information about English language requirements, please contact the Recruitment and International Office: pgadmissions@glasgow.ac.uk

Please note: applications for SFC funded places are open for entry in September 2013.

Apply now

For 2013-14

MLitt