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Art Market, Provenance and the History of Collecting at University of Buckingham - UCAS

University of Buckingham

Degree level: Postgraduate

Art Market, Provenance and the History of Collecting (Research)

Course options

2025 - 2026
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There are other course options available which may have a different vacancy status or entry requirements – view the full list of options

Open days

26Apr
The University of Buckingham - Open Day
Postgraduate

Course summary

The University of Buckingham is:

  • Home of the two-year degree, the University of Buckingham, based in the South East of England, is ranked 6th for Student Satisfaction in the UK (National Student Survey, 2020).
  • We are proudly independent and not-for-profit, and offer courses in Allied Health, Business, Computing, Education, Humanities, Law, Medicine, Psychology and Security and Intelligence. We are one of the few universities in the UK that offer September and January start dates for almost all of our courses.
  • Based in Buckingham on a riverside campus, we are only 20 minutes’ from Milton Keynes central station and a short drive from Bicester, Aylesbury, Banbury and Northampton. There is free parking on-site and we are within easy reach of London and Oxford.
  • Our award-winning small class tutorials ensure every student is known by name and supported throughout their studies, including by dedicated personal tutors.
  • As pioneers of the two-year degree, we offer a condensed version of the traditional three-year degree, meaning you can gain a full honours degree and complete your studies a whole year earlier. Alternatively, you can complete both your undergraduate and master’s degree with us in just three years: saving you time and money.
Investigating European and global art markets and cultures of collecting, the MA is both academic and vocational. There is a strong focus on developing research skills, including for the practice of Provenance Research, on writing for a variety of audiences, and on the first-hand study of objects and collections within museums. The course is taught in London by specialists from The University of Buckingham and from outside experts, with frequent visits to museums and institutions.
  • Unique postgraduate degree, focusing on vocational skills such as Provenance Research and tools of research for the history of collecting and the art market.
  • Interdisciplinary and diverse in approach
  • Taught in Bloomsbury, London
  • Visits to key museums, collections, galleries and auction houses in the UK and abroad
  • Study Week in Vienna or Florence
  • Country House Study Week (shared with the MA Decorative Arts and Historic Interiors)
The MA in Art Market, Provenance and History of Collecting investigates these subjects across many centuries, from the evolution of Renaissance studioli and cabinets of curiosities to country house collections and current debates on provenance, restitution and cultural identity, from a global perspective. The MA is taught at Buckingham’s London campus in Bloomsbury. At the heart of a cosmopolitan city, whose institutions have been shaped by centuries of collecting and dealership, you will have globally renowned museums, galleries, auction houses, archives, and libraries at your fingertips and which we will visit frequently as a class. You will therefore not only learn from Buckingham’s team of lecturers, but also from representatives of relevant cultural institutions, equipping you to pursue independent, original, and rigorous research in this exciting field. This Programme has long-standing links to the Rothschild Collections at Waddesdon Manor and the British Museum. The Country House Study Week and Study Week to Vienna or Florence make this programme unique and allow for a comparative approach and a truly international experience. Country House Study Week & Study Week in Vienna or Florence The course will include a Country House Study Week (shared with the MA Decorative Arts and Historic Interiors), as well as a Study Week in Vienna or Florence , where students will have the opportunity to study several key European collections and participate in workshops organised in partnership with relevant institutions. The course includes frequent study visits to the British Museum, the British Library, the National Gallery, V&A South Kensington, the Wallace Collection, Sir John Soane’s Museum, Waddesdon Manor and many others.

Modules

Private collectors and collecting, The art market (dealers and auctioneers), Institutional collecting in the public sphere (the National Gallery and its contexts).

Assessment method

The research seminar programme has two strands. The first offers a broadly chronological survey of British prehistory, focusing on the internationally important landscape of Salisbury Plain and the Stonehenge World Heritage Site, enabling students to place their own individual research within the broader context of developments in human society and culture since the end of the last Ice Age. The second strand offers support to students considering how to devise a successful research project, and structure a dissertation. The seminar series complements the students’ individual research projects and dissertations, and at the heart of this MA is the close working relationship between student and supervisor. Dissertations may be either library- or fieldwork-based, and address themselves to any of archaeology’s sub-fields. While the final dissertation topic is chosen by the student and must be an independent work, it is the supervisor who offers advice on refining the topic as necessary, on primary sources, on secondary reading, on research techniques and on writing the final text, which should be no fewer than 20,000 words. Supervisors and students will meet frequently throughout the year – not less than twice a term – and the supervisor is the student’s primary contact for academic advice and support. The MA is taught by staff from the University of Buckingham, with the participation of a number of renowned scholars who give lectures and lead some of the seminars.

How to apply

International applicants

With staff and students from over 90 countries around the world, the University enjoys a wonderful and culturally diverse atmosphere. Voted top for student satisfaction in the National Student Survey since 2006, we provide support for students from outside the UK including: assistance with visa application and renewal; guaranteed accommodation in halls of residence; and a personal tutor to support your academic studies. Academic staff are available to help and advise, and operate an open-door policy. We have the best staff to student ratio of any university in the UK. Our students have formed a number of overseas clubs, and there is a sports and social programme each term to ensure you enjoy your time with us. Our idyllic setting between Oxford and Milton Keynes offers access to a range of cultural and social activities and Bicester Village, the renowned shopping outlet is a short bus ride away. English Language requirements: it is very important that your English level is of a good standard for you to be successful in your studies. All applicants must achieve specific requirements in all four components (listening, reading, speaking and writing). Please check our website for more details of the undergraduate or postgraduate language requirements for your course. https://www.buckingham.ac.uk/international/english-language-requirements/

Entry requirements

The minimum entry level required for this course is as follows: a first or second-class honours degree from a recognised university or, a recognised professional qualification with relevant work experience.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

England £10900 Whole course
Northern Ireland £10900 Whole course
Scotland £10900 Whole course
Wales £10900 Whole course
Channel Islands £10900 Whole course
EU £16480 Whole course
International £16480 Whole course
Republic of Ireland £16480 Whole course

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

No additional fees or cost information has been supplied for this course, please contact the provider directly.

Sponsorship information

The University would like to encourage students – both undergraduates and postgraduates – to come to Buckingham regardless of their financial circumstances. The bursaries and scholarships we offer are awarded on merit and/or on financial need. You may only accept one University award. All awards are subject to your meeting the University’s academic entry requirements and abiding by the University’s rules and regulations. To be eligible to apply for a scholarship you will need to have been offered a place to study at Buckingham. For details of our current range of scholarships and bursaries please see our website: https://www.buckingham.ac.uk/admissions/scholarships

Art Market, Provenance and the History of Collecting at University of Buckingham - UCAS