Visual Arts Management and Curating

The MA in Visual Arts Management and Curating is dually accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and validated by The Open University.

Richmond’s MA in Visual Arts Management and Curating equips students with the knowledge and skills required to critically engage with global visual cultures of the twenty-first century and become leaders in their fields.

7 important facts about the Programme

One-year program based in London

Dually recognised degree in the US & UK

A global perspective on the visual arts

Professional training for work in the arts and creative cultural industries

Accredited internship

International, research and professionally active faculty

Small class sizes and faculty supervision

Richmond University’s MA in Visual Arts Management and Curating prepares students in the professional knowledge, skills and experience required for career placement in visual arts institutions and the creative cultural industries. The program builds on the success of the MA in Art History and MA in Art History and Visual Culture, and offers sustained engagement, from an intercultural perspective, with professional practice in both non-profit and public institutions, and the commercial sector of private galleries and auction houses, with a strong emphasis on curating.

Students will take courses in: arts management and marketing; arts policy; arts education, social inclusion and urban renewal; the international art market; and curating, taken alongside an internship. To review the modules, visit Course Structure.

Richmond University’s MA in Visual Arts Management and Curating offers sustained engagement with the visual arts from an intercultural perspective, training students in the professional skills required for career placement in the arts and creative cultural industries. The programme brings art and design historians, theoreticians, professional practitioners and studio artists together to 1) offer a thorough grounding in the interdisciplinary theoretical and methodological issues related to the study of the visual, and 2) equip students with the professional skills and experience to work successfully in a variety of arts and cultural industries.

Successful professionals in the arts and creative industries of the 2010s and beyond will be as fluent with the burgeoning art markets in the Middle East, East Asia and the Indian Subcontinent, as those established in the West. Cosmopolitan students, trained to think globally and interdependently, will become the next generation of scholars and arts professionals. Richmond’s MA in Visual Arts Management and Curating equips students with the knowledge and skills required to critically engage with global visual cultures of the twenty-first century and become leaders in their fields.

Our alumni work as professionals in the art world, from galleries (e.g. National Gallery, Hauser & Wirth), museums (e.g. Metropolitan Museum of Art, V&A), auction houses (e.g. Sotheby’s) and to related fields including art education, and they progress onto PhD and other postgraduate programs, including doctoral programs in the US (e.g. Harvard) and the UK (e.g. York).

Course Structure:

FHEQ Level 7

• VAM 7100 (4 CREDITS) - Research Methods
• VAM 7102 (4 CREDITS) - Arts Policy
• VAM 7103 (4 CREDITS) - Arts Management and Marketing
• VAM 7104 (4 CREDITS) - Curating
• VAM 7105 (4 CREDITS) - Art Education and the Gallery
• VAM 7106 (4 CREDITS) - The International Art Market

Plus EITHER

• VAM 7902 (4 CREDITS) - Internship
• VAM 7500 (8 CREDITS) - Professional Research Project

OR

• VAM 7550 (12 CREDITS) - Extended Professional Research Project

Students are required to be in London from early May to Mid-June for thesis supervision and seminars. The thesis is handed in no later than September 1. Students must be registered for VAM 7550.

Graduate Certificate in Visual Arts Management And Curating

The Graduate Certificate in Visual Art Management and Curating is awarded to students registered on the MA who have successfully completed in good academic standing (with a 3.0 GPA / B average / Pass) for all coursework components but: 1) fail to submit the thesis ( without extenuating circumstances eligible for resubmission), or 2) fail to pass the thesis. The Certificate is therefore conferrable as an exit award in recognition of successful completion of graduate coursework, but it is not possible for students to register on the Graduate Certificate.

A minimum of 24 credits, are required from the following coursework:

Minimum Requirements:

FHEQ Level 7

• VAM 7100 (4 CREDITS) - Research Methods\
• VAM 7102 (4 CREDITS) - Arts Policy
• VAM 7103 (4 CREDITS) - Arts Management and Marketing
• VAM 7104 (4 CREDITS) - Curating
• VAM 7105 (4 CREDITS) - Art Education and the Gallery
• VAM 7106 (4 CREDITS) - The International Art Market

Academic BackgroundUS Bachelors degree from an accredited institution, or UK first degree with minimum second class honours, or an overseas equivalent as determined by the University. Relevant work experience is welcomed and may on occasion be accepted in lieu of a first degree, but is not required.Professional StatementWe seek students who are committed to engaging in serious research and who demonstrate a curiosity and interest in their chosen field. Therefore, all applicants must submit a Personal Statement of 1,500 words addressing their reasons for wishing to undertake the Masters programme at Richmond.Academic ReferencesTo help us evaluate your potential for success in the Richmond graduate programme, we require at least one academic references from an academic who know you and who knows your work.English Language ProficiencyThe language of instruction at Richmond is English, and non-native English speakers are asked to provide TOEFL, IELTS, or Pearson Academic Test of English language examination results as proof of their fluency in written and spoken English. We look for an IELTS of 6.5 overall with no element below 6.0 or iBT TOEFL of 88 overall with 20 in reading, 19 in listening, 21 in speaking and 20 in writing, or Pearson Academic Test of English with 61 overall and 56 in each element. Admissions Process:The admissions process is a multi-step team approach. Typically, applications are reviewed by the Postgraduate Applications Review Committee which consists of the Programme Director and the Head of Admissions. These parties will be responsible for deciding upon all matters pertaining to this area.Applications are reviewed holistically. Applications are not eliminated for admission based on test scores, nationality, gender, ethnicity or other factors. Each criterion is considered to provide a holistic picture of an applicant's qualifications. This process allows the committee to select those candidates most likely to be successful in our Programmes.

Masters Scholarship

Each year Richmond will award a scholarship to a maximum of three outstanding new entrants to our Masters programmes. Each will cover the duration of the programme, subject to grades, with one as a 100% remission of tuition fees payable and the remaining two worth 50% remission of tuition fees payable.

To be eligible for consideration, a prospective scholar must have, by 1st June preceding the programme start date:

accepted the offer of a place on a Richmond Masters programme for the entry year concerned and

submitted a complete scholarship application form.

Recipients of the scholarship will be decided by the Vice Chancellor on the basis of:

their applications for study and the Scholarship,

their level of academic achievement prior to entry to the Richmond Masters programme, and

advice from the Richmond academic departments concerned.

Scholars will be informed by July 15th. The University reserves the right to make the offer of a scholarship subject to certain conditions being met (for example, where the final outcome of undergraduate study is not known at the point of scholarship application)

Once awarded, continuation of the Scholarship into the second and subsequent semesters of study will be dependent on the Scholar:

progressing normally on the programme, having achieved a cumulative GPA of not less than 3.7 by the completion of the previous semester; and

remaining in good standing and making a positive contribution to University life.

The fee waiver is cancelled in total if the student does not remain actively enrolled for three successive semesters (full time programmes) or six successive semesters (part time programmes).

The Masters Scholarship may not be held in conjunction with any other form of financial or scholarship support from the University.

Financial Assistance

Tuition fees, books, a laptop computer (required), and living costs are the main items you will need to take into account in estimating the total cost of your MA Program.

MA students fund their studies from a variety of sources such as loans, grants, and personal resources.

United States Government Loans

Stafford Loans

U.S. citizens and U.S. green card holders may qualify for Stafford loans. To apply you must complete the Free application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). In the U.S. you can also call 1-8004FED AID to request a form. The U.S. Department of Education number for Richmond, The American International University in London is G10594.

Other Loans

There may be some private loans available to American students studying abroad. Private loans are subject to a credit check. Some Richmond students fund their studies through the Sallie Mae Smart Option Student Loans. We do not have a preferred lenders list and we are not currently aware of other U.S. private loan providers. You should consider terms and conditions carefully in comparison with Federal Direct Loans.