Master of Research - Art: Exhibition Studies
- 2 years
- Duration
- 17,440 GBP/year
- Price
- September
- Start
- June
- Deadline
- Master
- Degree
- Campus
- Format
- London / United Kingdom
- Location
Program description
The MRes Art: Exhibition Studies pathway at Central Saint Martins critically examines the history and future of exhibitions, asking how they shape our understanding of modern and contemporary art and can inform more transformative, sustainable curatorial practices. Drawing on interdisciplinary theory, it explores the history of exhibitions and contemporary decentralised, relational approaches that reimagine art's relationship with its publics.
Delivered in collaboration with the Afterall Research Centre, the pathway provides unique access to a network of curators and theorists, encouraging students to interrogate institutional norms and advance decolonial, just, and sustainable futures. Through participatory learning, students engage with diverse perspectives, fostering critical thinking and teamwork skills while developing their research and writing within a broader cultural and socio-political context.
Program structure
- Unit 1: Exhibition Histories: Art in the Public Sphere
This unit critically examines how museums reinforce colonial power through canonical structures, while exploring oppositional, decolonial, and intersectional strategies that challenge hegemonic curatorial formats. It uses case studies from Afterall's Exhibition Histories research to analyze innovative approaches that redefine the relationship between artistic practice and its socio-political context.
- Unit 2: Methodologies and Methods I
Unit 2 brings together all MRes Art students to study core categories and approaches that define fundamental positions across the humanities, social sciences, and arts. It maps key schools of thought and methodologies to help you define your research topics and aims while training you to become a critical thinker.
- Unit 3: Methodologies and Methods II
Unit 3 develops your research skills by engaging with primary sources and situating them within a broader historical context. Working collaboratively with peers, you will produce new research on a specific institution or collective, potentially involving archival work, discussions with practitioners, and public dissemination, while creatively reflecting on methods for historicizing and analyzing artistic and curatorial practices.
- Unit 4: Individual Research Project
Unit 4 is divided into two parts: the first focuses on developing your individual research project proposal with tutors, centered on key issues in exhibition studies. The second part is dedicated to independent study, where you complete your research project, present at a cross-pathway symposium, and participate in group tutorials to form a supportive research community, culminating in a presentation at the school's Showcase.
Price
Tuition fee:
- 17,440 GBP per year*
*Tuition fees may increase in future years for new and continuing students on courses lasting more than one year. For this course, you can pay tuition fees in instalments.
You may need to cover additional costs which are not included in your tuition fees, such as materials and equipment specific to your course.
Requirements for applicants
The standard entry requirements for this course are as follows:
- An honours degree
- Or an equivalent EU/international qualification.
Exceptionally applicants who do not meet these course entry requirements may still be considered.
The course team will consider each application that demonstrates additional strengths and alternative evidence. This might, for example, be demonstrated by:
- Related academic or work experience
- The quality of the personal statement
- A strong academic or other professional reference
- Or a combination of these factors.
Each application will be considered on its own merit but we cannot guarantee an offer in each case.
English language requirements
- IELTS level 7.0 or above, with at least 6.0 in reading, writing, listening and speaking
About the university
The University of the Arts London (UAL) produces and encourages the creativity essential for a better future. Its colleges have been at the forefront of innovative education since 1842, creating work with a lasting impact on people and the planet, driven by curiosity, imagination, and purpose.
London is fundamental to UAL's identity, providing a vital context where the university connects and exchanges ideas with individuals from all walks of life. Globally, its creative network influences education, culture, business, and society.
Through innovative research and creative instruction, UAL's faculty and staff bring fresh perspectives to education. The university enables students to build the careers they desire by working with them at every level - from pre-degree to postgraduate, and from short courses to online learning.
UAL's colleges
Ranked second in the world for art and design, UAL comprises six distinct colleges:
- Camberwell College of Arts
- Central Saint Martins
- Chelsea College of Arts
- London College of Communication
- London College of Fashion
- Wimbledon College of Arts
Together, they form a community of creatives, innovators, trailblazers, and storytellers, united in their mission to reimagine the future.
Courses in the visual arts, animation, screen, communication, fashion, media, and performance are available at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
