Course summary
The cultural heritage sector, which encompasses museums, historical sites, monuments, and the visual arts, as well as intangible elements such as traditions, languages, and rituals, plays a crucial role in enriching public understandings of culture and history. The field is experiencing rapid change and institutions are looking for researchers and professionals that can tackle some of its most current and pressing challenges. This programme trains you to look back critically on the histories that have informed our cultural institutions, both in the UK and globally, and to use this knowledge to explore how inclusive and innovative practices can shape this sector in the future. The combination of practical and theoretical teaching on a range of topics relating to cultural heritage will equip you with the skills to move into a career in the sector or pursue further research in the field. You will work with a broad range of cultural heritage institutions, via collaborative projects with partners and skills-based teaching, providing you with hands-on experience that could lead to a wide variety of careers, including exhibition curating and design, collections management, community engagement, development, fundraising, digital interpretation and further study. Located in the city of Bristol, one of the most important cultural hubs in the UK, and housed in the world-leading School of Humanities, you will benefit from the School's teaching and research strengths in historical and visual studies, as well as the wealth of museums and heritage organisations on your doorstep. Through a range of innovative teaching methods, you will:
- Acquire a comprehensive understanding of the major debates and challenges in this rapidly developing field.
- Collaborate with University of Bristol heritage partners on projects relating to their collections and institutions, gaining hands-on experience working with museums, galleries, and heritage sites. Current partners include the National Trust and the RWA gallery.
- Learn how to communicate your research and knowledge to public audiences in a variety of formats, from exhibitions to digital projects and community engagement initiatives.
- Explore issues of representation and sustainability in the cultural heritage sector and encounter inclusive practices that are being pioneered by heritage organisations in Bristol and beyond.
- Deploy theoretically informed frameworks to analyse current heritage practice, while appreciating the complexities of local and global contexts.
- Work across disciplines to understand the challenges facing the heritage sector and gain skills and resilience for a successful career in this field.
Assessment method
https://www.bristol.ac.uk/study/media/postgraduate/admissions-statements/2026/ma-cultural-heritage.pdf
How to apply
International applicants
The University of Bristol welcomes applications from international students and accepts a wide range of qualifications for postgraduate study. If you study or have studied at a university outside the UK, please select the relevant page for further information on qualifications, scholarships and education representatives in your country/region: bristol.ac.uk/international/countries
Entry requirements
You will typically need an upper second-class honours degree or international equivalent in any discipline. If you are currently completing a degree, we understand that your final grade may be higher than the interim grades or module/unit grades you have achieved during your studies to date. We will consider your application if your interim grades are currently slightly lower than the programme's entry requirements and may make you an aspirational offer. This offer would be at the standard level, so you would need to achieve the standard entry requirements by the end of your degree. We will also consider your application if your final overall achieved grade is slightly lower than the programme's entry requirement. If your achieved grade is lower than our entry requirements, your application may be more likely to receive an offer if you have additional qualifications. If you have additional qualifications, please include your CV (curriculum vitae / résumé) when you apply, showing: - a postgraduate qualification in any discipline. See international equivalent qualifications on the International Office website.: https://www.bristol.ac.uk/international/countries/
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| Channel Islands | £7300 | Year 1 |
| England | £7300 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £7300 | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £7300 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £7300 | Year 1 |
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
Fees are subject to an annual review. For programmes that last longer than one year, please budget for up to an 8% increase in fees each year.
For more information, please view the programme page on our website.
Sponsorship information
Funding and studentship opportunities are listed on the Faculty of Arts, Law and Social Sciences funding pages. Further information on funding for prospective UK and international postgraduate students: https://www.bristol.ac.uk/students/support/finances/
Provider information
University of Bristol
Beacon House
Queen’s Road
Bristol
BS8 1QU