Our flexible research programme focuses on our key research themes. These are: cultural politics and policy; identity, community and place; and representation and media. The course is ideal for professionals interested in enhancing their career through research. It will also suit those who want to progress to doctoral study..
The Heritage Museums and Galleries MLitt is a researched based programme with some taught elements. The taught research methods part of the programme provides structured learning. This is ideal if you're unfamiliar with academic research or have been away from academia for a long time.
The flexible nature of the assignments make this programme particularly suitable for sector professionals. It will suit those interested in advancing their career and knowledge through research. The assignments offer the opportunity for you to explore a variety of smaller topics or carry out in-depth research on a single topic.
The programme is in Media, Culture, Heritage, within the School of Arts and Cultures. We also have links with the International Centre for Cultural and Heritage Studies (ICCHS). This is a leading academic centre for research and teaching in museum, gallery, and heritage studies.
ICCHS has a thriving, high-profile interdisciplinary research community of:
- postgraduate research students
- experienced academic researchers who are key figures in their fields.
Our research students pursue a variety of topics related to museum, gallery and heritage studies. Our academic supervisors have significant experience in interdisciplinary research and professional practice. Our key research themes are:
Cultural politics and policy
- factors that determine how cultural policy is constructed: institutionally, locally, regionally, nationally and internationally
- how management strategies affect heritage resources
- the impact of large-scale constitutional change upon cultural policy
- intended and unintended consequences of implementing international
- conventions, charters and instruments
- contribution of research to cultural policy construction
- the intersection of political movements and agendas with heritage
- definitions and attributed values of heritage.
Identity, community and place
- construction and representation of identities, places and communities through heritage
- how heritage is used by and for communities
- relationships between local, regional, national and international notions of place and identities, communities and heritages
- principles of community museology and ecomuseology practice in different contexts
- relationships between heritage tourism and identities, communities and places
- identities produced through the consumption of heritage
- relationship between identity construction and wellbeing.
Media and representation
- how media works in heritage organisations and how organisations work as media
- factors shaping the production, morphology and consumption of media and media representations in heritage organisations
- representations made possible through institutional technologies specific to heritage organisations and how we analyse them to understand culture, society and knowledge
- study and design of digital heritage applications and digital cultural engagement.
We have an emphasis on empirical research and its grounding on professional practice in the UK and abroad. As a result, our research alumni have been successful in securing worldwide careers in:
- academia
- other governmental organisations
- the cultural and creative industry sectors.
Delivery
We deliver this programme at our Newcastle city centre campus. It combines two taught modules on research methods with two self-directed research-based modules. Research training classes usually take place once or twice a week in the first semester.
The main focuses of the programme are:
- small pieces of independent research
- a research-based dissertation carried out with the support of an academic supervisor.
You are also expected to take part in the research activities in Media, Culture, Heritage and the School of Arts and Cultures.
We will support you to complete fieldwork in:
- Newcastle
- other UK locations
- abroad
You will also have access to Blackboard, the University's virtual learning environment.
Recent MLitt research topics in ICCHS include:
- World Heritage Sites and tourism
- the Frontiers of the Roman Empire as a World Heritage Site
Our current research student profiles in ICCHS show the wide range of topics we can supervise.
Facilities
As a research student in Media, Culture, Heritage, you will have access to a dedicated study space with networked PCs, printing and photocopying facilities. You can also use the common room and kitchen to meet with fellow researchers and academics.
You will have access to our top quality facilities, plus the extensive cultural resources available on campus and in the city:
- our libraries and eResources
- the Great North Museum: Hancock, located on campus, houses the collections that previously made up the Hancock Museum, the Shefton Museum of Greek Art and Archaeology (an internationally-renowned collection of over 1,000 Greek and Etruscan artefacts), and the Museum of Antiquities
- the Hatton Gallery, located on campus, has been at the heart of cultural life in the North East since the early 20th century
- the Language Resource Centre is a specialist language facility providing free access to self-study materials in 50 languages
- computing facilities with access to relevant databases and over 1,400 fully networked PCs
- the Gertrude Bell Archive
- non-campus facilities that are often used for student projects include Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums and the Victoria Tunnel.
In addition to our expertise in heritage studies, the city of Newcastle and the wider region offers a wonderful resource with two World Heritage Sites, many heritage sites and over 80 regional museums and galleries. Much of the region's countryside is designated as National Park or Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
