Museum Studies

Entry requirements

2:2 UK Honours degree, or an Honours degree from a non-UK institution which is judged by the University to be of equivalent worth, in a relevant discipline such as (but not limited to) anthropology, history, art history, media studies, cultural studies, digital heritage, archaeology, geography, environmental sciences, biology, ecology or science communication.

Applicants without this qualification may be admitted subject to having an alternative qualification, or an approved level of work experience appropriate to the field of study. Also taken into careful consideration is the trajectory of results, an applicant without an overall 2:2 but with 2:2 results in their final two years of study may be admitted.

Months of entry

January, September

Course content

The one-year Museum Studies master's programme draws on the University’s extensive museum collections to enable you to explore critical approaches to museum theory while also studying the application of museum practice and research at first hand.

The University of Aberdeen is one of the very few UK universities to have international-quality museum collections relating to the natural and cultural worlds. Our collections are among the oldest, largest and most significant in the country.

The Museum Studies programme makes significant use of these collections to enable you to study the historical and contemporary roles of museums in society and develop skills in public engagement with research while gaining practical experience of museum work.

You will gain foundational curatorial skills and an appreciation of contemporary issues museums face. With a range of optional courses available to supplement our core courses that address museum professional practice, career planning, and collections-based research skills, you can customise your degree to specific areas of interest. Optional courses include Museums and the Digital World, which involves designing a digital intervention for the University Collections, and Decolonising Museums, which tackles one of the most pressing issues facing the sector today.

Alongside developing an understanding of museum theory, you will hone the practical skills utilised in the heritage sector including curation practice, grant application writing, and interpreting academic and specialist knowledge for the wider public.

During the summer three options are normally available: ‘Curating an Exhibition’ involves working with museum staff to design an online exhibition using the University’s collections with associated display cases around campus. You may prefer to research a topic in depth through writing a Museum Studies dissertation, a route recommended for those aiming to continue to the PhD in Museum Studies. There are many opportunities to work directly with the collections if this route appeals. Finally, the Museum Studies Placement option allows students to put their skills into practice by carrying out a project with a partner museum.