MA Arts Management, Policy and Practice

Year of entry: 2025

Overview

Degree awarded
MA
Duration
1 year [full-time], 2 years [part-time]
Entry requirements

We normally expect students to have a First or Upper Second class honours degree or its overseas equivalent in a humanities-based subject area.

Full entry requirements

How to apply
Apply online

Course options

Full-time Part-time Full-time distance learning Part-time distance learning
MA Y Y N N

Course overview

  • Combine key knowledge and skills in arts management and cultural policy with specialist options.
  • Benefit from more than 50 active partnerships with arts, cultural and policy organisations, offering opportunities for practice-based research, expert teaching and placements.
  • Join our growing international network of current and future arts leaders, made up of alumni, arts, museum and heritage professionals and current students from all over the world.

Fees

For entry in the academic year beginning September 2025, the tuition fees are as follows:

  • MA (full-time)
    UK students (per annum): £14,000
    International, including EU, students (per annum): £28,500
  • MA (part-time)
    UK students (per annum): £7,000
    International, including EU, students (per annum): £14,250

Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.

The fees quoted above will be fully inclusive for the course tuition, administration and computational costs during your studies.

All fees for entry will be subject to yearly review and incremental rises per annum are also likely over the duration of courses lasting more than a year for UK/EU students (fees are typically fixed for International students, for the course duration at the year of entry). For general fees information please visit: postgraduate fees . Always contact the department if you are unsure which fee applies to your qualification award and method of attendance.

Self-funded international applicants for this course will be required to pay a deposit of £1000 towards their tuition fees before a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) is issued. This deposit will only be refunded if immigration permission is refused. We will notify you about how and when to make this payment.

Policy on additional costs

All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).

Scholarships/sponsorships

Each year the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures offer a number of School awards and Subject-specific bursaries (the values of which are usually set at Home/EU fees level), open to both Home/EU and international students. The deadline for these is early February each year. Details of all funding opportunities, including deadlines, eligibility and how to apply, can be found on the School's funding page  where you can also find details of the Government Postgraduate Loan Scheme.

See also the University's postgraduate funding database  to see if you are eligible for any other funding opportunities.

For University of Manchester graduates, the Manchester Alumni Bursary offers a £3,000 reduction in tuition fees to University of Manchester alumni who achieved a First within the last three years and are progressing to a postgraduate taught master's course.

The Manchester Master's Bursary is a University-wide scheme that offers 100 bursaries worth £3,000 in funding for students from underrepresented groups.

Contact details

School/Faculty
School of Arts, Languages and Cultures
Contact name
PG Taught Admissions
Facsimile
+44 (0)161 275 3098
Email
Website
http://www.alc.manchester.ac.uk/icp/
School/Faculty

See: About us

Courses in related subject areas

Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.

Entry requirements

Academic entry qualification overview

We normally expect students to have a First or Upper Second class honours degree or its overseas equivalent in a humanities-based subject area.

English language

We accept a range of qualifications from different countries that equate to a UK 2.1. For these and general requirements including English language see entry requirements from your country .

If English is not your first language, please provide us with evidence of: 

  • an overall grade 7.0 (with a minimum writing score of 7) in IELTS; or
  • 100+ in the IBT Internet-based TOEFL).

The other language tests we accept can be found here: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/applicationforms/new-approved-english-tests.pdf

Exceptions to needing a language test (if English is NOT your first language) are:

if you have successfully completed an academic qualification deemed by UK NARIC as equivalent to at least a UK Bachelors Degree or higher from one of the following countries:

Antigua & Barbuda; Australia; Bahamas; Barbados; Belize; Dominica; Grenada; Guyana; Ireland; Jamaica; New Zealand; St Kitts and Nevis; St Lucia; St Vincent and the Grenadines; Trinidad and Tobago; UK; USA.

English language test validity

Some English Language test results are only valid for two years. Your English Language test report must be valid on the start date of the course.

Relevant work experience

In the personal statement section of the application form, you can outline any work experience you have in an arts management and/or cultural policy-related context, for example in arts venues and organisations, cultural services, voluntary organisations.

Application and selection

How to apply

Staged admissions

As there is a high demand for our courses we operate a staged admissions process with selection deadlines throughout the year. Due to the competition for places and high quality of applications that we receive, we give preference to students from high ranking institutions and with grades above our minimum entry requirements.

Please ensure you submit all supporting documentation with your application before the application deadline to avoid a delay in processing.

Applications for 2025 entry:

Stage 1: Application received by 6th December 2024 ; Application update by 21st February 2025

Stage 2: Application received by 3rd March 2025 ; Application update by 2nd May 2025

Stage 3: Application received by 5th May 2025 ; Application update by 6th June 2025

Stage 4: Application received by 4th July 2025 ; Application update by 25th July 2025

Whilst we aim to give you a decision on your application by the deadline date, in some instances due to the competition for places and the volume of applications received, it may be necessary to roll your application forward to the next deadline date.

Applications received after our final selection deadline will be considered at our discretion if places are still available.

Please note: All places are subject to availability and if you apply at one of the later stages, some courses may already be reaching capacity or be closed to further applications. We, therefore, recommend that you apply early in the cycle to avoid disappointment.

Advice to applicants

If you have applied to more than one course within the School, you will be asked to attend an online information session designed to help you decide which course to accept.

Applicants with multiple offers will be invited by email.

Overseas (non-UK) applicants

The University will take into account the academic standing of a candidate's University, as advised by our international office using published world and country rankings.

Deferrals

Applicants may defer entry for 12 months provided they contact the course administrator ( Andy Rigg ) before September 1st. Please note that applicants are subject to the fees for the entry year they will start the course.

Re-applications

If you applied in the previous year and your application was not successful you may apply again. Your application will be considered against the standard course entry criteria for that year of entry.  In your new application you should demonstrate how your application has improved.  We may draw upon all information from your previous applications or any previous registrations at the University as a student when assessing your suitability for your chosen course.If you are applying for a place for the same year of entry through UCAS Extra, you should provide additional evidence of your suitability for the course. If you are applying through clearing you are required to meet the clearing requirements. In both UCAS Extra and clearing the places will be subject to availability.

Course details

Course description

Our interdisciplinary MA Arts Management, Policy and Practice course covers the wide range of expertise associated with running arts organisations and coordinating arts and cultural programmes and events, as well as the strategic development of art forms, cultural leadership practices and local cultural management. 

You will draw on broad literatures and sources, covering areas from the creative arts, drama, music, art history, critical theory and cultural economics, to business studies, organisational studies and critical cultural policy studies. 

This course brings together theory and practice in diverse areas including: 

  • production and programming
  • policymaking
  • strategic management and leadership
  • finance and resource development
  • marketing
  • audience development
  • engagement
  • participation
  • education
  • research
  • evaluation 

You will develop your knowledge and understanding of the history, theory and practice of arts management to gain an insight into the range of professional opportunities in the creative and cultural sector, and to acquire direct experience of many areas of arts management. 

You will benefit from a strong practical, hands-on element while also receiving a solid theoretical grounding that explores cultural policy in its historical context and encourages critical engagement with the philosophical, political, social and economic imperatives informing contemporary practice.

Aims

This course is an entry-level qualification for graduates, as well as offering professional development for mid-career practitioners. It offers flexibility and opportunities for specialisation while ensuring a thorough grounding in essential principles and methodology. 

It provides a solid foundation for careers in different areas of the arts and creative industries, and caters for arts practitioners, as well as aspiring managers.

Special features

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'Manchester Wakes' Student Project

Culture in Manchester

Manchester states within its local cultural strategy that it aims to become the most culturally democratic city in the world and has an arts offering to help it achieve this ambition.

Along with the biennial Manchester International Festival, and its new home, the Factory, a multi-million-pound large scale arts production house and venue, the city-region of Greater Manchester has a host of brilliant arts organisations including theatres, orchestras and music organisations, a network of galleries, museums, libraries and heritage sites, as well as digital and outdoor arts, festivals, studio collectives and community-based groups.

We are lucky to be based at the heart of a vibrant cultural ecosystem, with these organisational partners and our own campus-based cultural organisations, including the Manchester Academy, Contact Theatre, and university museums, Manchester Museum and the Whitworth Art Gallery.

Links with other subjects and industry

We work particularly closely with staff from the University's Music and Drama departments. A wide range of regional arts venues and organisations contribute to the course by providing guest lecturers, site visits and work placements.

Work Placement

Whilst undertaking MA in Arts Management, Policy and Practice, students will have the opportunity to apply to undertake a 20-day work placement on a relevant project or programme within a creative/cultural organisation. The Institute for Cultural Practices has many partners offering placements each year, such as the Science and Industry Museum, HOME, Contact Theatre, and Manchester International Festival).

Please note that the number of placements on offer varies yearly. There is also the potential for students to self-organise their own industry placement, subject to the approval of the course unit convenor.

Teaching and learning

You will learn through a variety of teaching methods, depending on the units you take. These may include lectures, seminars, workshops and group work.

All units include a programme of guest lectures and/or practical seminars by experienced professionals based in cultural institutions in and around Manchester.

The course also features visits to a selection of key sites and venues in the north-west.

Coursework and assessment

You will be assessed through a variety of methods, depending on the units you take. These may include written assignments such as essays and policy analyses, and individual or group oral presentations.

Course unit details

You will undertake units totalling 180 credits. Core and optional units combine to make 120 credits, with the remaining 60 credits allocated to the dissertation.

All students take two core units (Arts Management: Principles and Practice, and Cultural Policy) and write a dissertation (15,000 words, or for a practice-based dissertation 8,000-10,000 words plus project documentation).

The remaining credits (two or three additional units) are taken from a range of options. Subject to availability, units may also be selected from the MA in Art Gallery and Museum Studies or from other arts, languages and cultures courses.

Course unit list

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

TitleCodeCredit ratingMandatory/optional
Arts Management Principles and Practice SALC60011 30 Mandatory
Cultural Policy SALC60021 30 Mandatory
Dissertation SALC60090 60 Mandatory
Creative Learning: Approaches and Contexts SALC60052 30 Optional
Business Strategies for Arts, Culture and Creative Industries SALC60072 30 Optional
Decolonise the Museum! SALC60242 15 Optional
Intangible Cultural Heritage SALC60302 15 Optional
The Arts & International Cultural Relations SALC60312 15 Optional
Creative Placemaking and Cultural Development SALC60322 15 Optional
The Arts & International Cultural Relations SALC60332 30 Optional
Creative Labour: Inequality, Diversity and Inclusion SALC60342 15 Optional
Managing relationships: Audience, Participation and Engagement SALC60392 30 Optional
Global, Cultural and Creative Industries SALC60402 15 Optional
Creative Learning: Approaches and Contexts SALC60502 15 Optional
Business Strategies for Arts, Culture and Creative Industries SALC60702 15 Optional
Curating Art SALC60802 15 Optional
Curating Art SALC60882 30 Optional
The Digital Museum SALC60902 15 Optional
Art Markets SALC61022 15 Optional
Records and Information Management Practise (RIMP) SALC61052 15 Optional
Intangible Cultural Heritage: Practices, Communities and Landscapes SALC61302 30 Optional
Global, Cultural and Creative Industries SALC61402 30 Optional
Creative Producing and Managing Projects SALC61812 30 Optional
Decolonise the Museum! SALC62242 30 Optional
Creative Producing and Managing Projects SALC68812 15 Optional
Curating and managing library collections SALC70072 15 Optional
Duplicates And Variants: Describing And Cataloguing Rare Print SALC70092 15 Optional
Placement SALC70300 30 Optional
Displaying 10 of 28 course units

What our students say

The highlight of the programme for me was definitely my placement at Manchester Art Gallery where at present I am still active as a member of the board of trustees. This placement taught me various marketing, fundraising, and development skills such as how to liaise with potential sponsors and advertise the gallery online through working with paid ads and social media, which have further enriched my development as a young professional. Read more. 

Viktoria Barillova MA Arts Management, Policy and Practice 2024

Studying this master's course helped me to build a bridge between these theoretical concepts and practical ways of how to implement them while understanding how they shape cultural policy and the cultural sector as a whole. Throughout my postgraduate studies, I enjoyed the opportunity to write essays about topics that I am passionate about, for example, I wrote about participatory decision-making, urban regeneration, social network analysis, DIY culture and the music industry. Read More.

Markus Hetheier,MA Arts Management, Policy and Practice 2018

The course gave me an excellent theoretical foundation as well as relevant practical experience. The modules Arts Management and Cultural Policy introduced me to key questions surrounding audience research, impact evaluation, urban and rural arts, sustainability, resilience and more. The insights won back then continue to inform my thinking today. Read more.

Nadja Degen, MA Arts Management, Policy and Practice 2015

Facilities

You will benefit from our extensive library and study facilities for master's students , as well as a wide range of cultural assets.

These include the Whitworth, which is home to world-famous collections, including masterpieces by Durer, Turner, Blake, Van Gogh, Gauguin and Picasso, and is used extensively in teaching and learning.

Manchester Museum houses one of the UK's most important collections, including artefacts of particular relevance to ancient historians. The John Rylands Research Institute and Jodrell Bank also provide research and practice opportunities through their collections, exhibitions and events.

Find out more about our facilities .

Disability support

Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service. Email: dass@manchester.ac.uk

Careers

Career opportunities

Viktoria Barillova smiling

Everyone working in this industry will let you know that networking is crucial to make it, without this degree I would never have been able to meet and enrich my network to its current level.

I’d highly recommend this degree to anyone interested in entering the cultural industries from a business perspective or understanding how wider politics shape the arts & culture industry.

Viktoria Barillova / MA Arts Management, Policy and Practice Graduate

As well as going into further research, our postgraduates pursue successful careers as managers, administrators, policymakers or practitioners in various branches of the arts, cultural and creative industries.

Opportunities exist in: 

  • the public, private, and voluntary sectors;
  • theatres, opera houses, concert halls, arts centres, festival management, museums and galleries;
  • orchestras, theatre companies and dance companies;
  • the Arts Council, British Council, local authorities, tourist boards and various funding bodies.

The University has its own dedicated Careers Service that you would have full access to as a student and for two years after you graduate. At Manchester you will have access to a number of opportunities to help boost your employability.