Modern and Contemporary Art: History, Curating and Criticism MSc

Level: Postgraduate taught

Subject: History of Art

Year of entry: 2026

Study options

Mode of study

On campus

Full-time
  • MSc | 1 year | Start date: September 2026
Part-time
  • MSc | 2 years | Start date: September 2026

Key facts

School

Edinburgh College of Art

College

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

Programme website
Study location

Lauriston campus

Accreditation

Not available

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About the degree programme

Offered in one of the largest, oldest and most research-focused art history departments in the UK, set in a culturally rich capital city, the MSc in Modern and Contemporary Art provides in-depth understanding of art and its contexts of interpretation and mediation.

The programme focuses on the period from the 19th century to the 21st century, spanning from the historical avant-gardes to the latest trends of contemporary art.

Through two core courses and a wide range of option courses, you will acquire solid knowledge of art in the covered period and of how artworks are mediated to the public through curating, exhibition making and event organising.  

Our option courses are taught by expert academics and include a Work Placement, offered on a competitive basis and in collaboration with art institutions in and near Edinburgh.

The option courses include topics such as:

  • radical art movements, on critical positions such as feminism and postcolonialism
  • institutions such as modern art museums, art biennials and independent art spaces
  • practices such as artists' film, photography and performance.

The MSc combines a focus on art history, what is happening now in the art field, theoretical frameworks, and curatorial thinking while it prioritises the encounter of art and society.

Study options

Full-time

Full-time students complete the MSc in one year, from September to August. You will undertake two option courses in each of the two semesters. You will then research and write the dissertation between April and August.

Part-time

Part-time students complete the programme of study over two years. You will research and write the dissertation in Year 2 of your studies.

Programme benefits

  • The standing and diversity of academic staff ensures breadth and depth of knowledge as well as wide choice, and our students are confident that they are taught the latest developments in the field
  • Work placements, contact with the Fellow in Contemporary Art Theory and Curating, and research seminars by invited scholars enhance the student experience, expanding and gratifying intellectual enquiry
  • Excellent selection of option courses which deepen knowledge and understanding of modern and contemporary art in a unique way
  • State-of-the-art facilities, including library provision, and a central location in an exceptional capital city ensure a rounded experience of living and learning
  • Offered in the context of a world-leading University, with an emphasis on research-led teaching, the MSc offers an unparalleled learning environment for students interested in the art of modernity and the contemporary art world

My education as a student of the Modern and Contemporary Art: History, Curating, and Criticism program was invaluable and enriching. Being situated in Edinburgh is a privilege; the city offers a wealth of opportunities to engage with fine art and material culture through its numerous commercial and public galleries, archives, libraries, and active artist studios. The University of Edinburgh’s faculty are excellent, developing new and critical approaches to the study of art and art history which considers our present economic and social condition, making our work deeply relevant and engaging.

Astrid Bridgwood MSc Modern and Contemporary Art: History, Curating and Criticism, graduated 2025

Tuition fees

Tuition fees by award and duration

Tuition fees for full-time and part-time options are listed for one academic year.

Full-time
Part-time

Graduate discount

If you are a University of Edinburgh graduate, you will be eligible for a 10% discount on your tuition fees for this programme. You may also be eligible if you were a visiting undergraduate student.

Find out how to receive your graduate discount

Deposit

You do not have to pay a deposit to secure your place on this programme.

Costs

Additional programme costs

To fully participate in this programme, you should budget an estimated of £50 per year on top of the tuition fee for travel.
 
You may need to pay the cost of local or national travel to local monuments and institutions via public transportation for seminars and research.

Accommodation and living costs

You need to cover your accommodation and living costs for the duration of your programme.

We estimate that you might spend £1,167 to £2,330 per month if you are a single student.

Living costs include:

  • food
  • utility bills
  • travel, clothes, books and stationery
  • recreational costs (for example, TV subscriptions and social events)

Living costs

Accommodation costs depend on where you live while studying and the type of accommodation you choose.

University postgraduate accommodation options and costs

Funding opportunities

Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.

Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:

  • borrowing money
    • taking out a loan
    • family support
  • personal savings
  • income from work
  • employer sponsorship
  • scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

Search for other funding opportunities

You can find scholarships, bursaries and other funding you might be eligible for on our Scholarships and Student Funding site.

Postgraduate funding opportunities

These entry requirements are for the 2026-27 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2027-28 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2026.

Qualifications

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in a relevant subject.

International qualifications

To find international equivalent qualifications, select where you studied from the country or region list.

English language requirements

You must prove that your English language abilities are at a high enough level to study this degree programme.

This is the case for all applicants, including UK nationals.

You can meet our English language requirements with one of the following:

  • an English language test
  • a degree that was taught and assessed in English
  • certain professional qualifications

English language tests we accept

We accept any of the following English language tests, at the specified grade or higher:

  • IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in each component We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
  • C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 176 in each component.
  • Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
  • Oxford ELLT: total 8 with at least 7 in each component.
  • Oxford Test of English Advanced: total 155 with at least 145 in each component.
How old your English language tests can be
Tests no more than two years old

The following English language tests must be no more than two years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts, regardless of your nationality:

  • IELTS Academic
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition)
  • Trinity ISE
  • Oxford ELLT
  • Oxford Test of English Advanced
Tests no more than three and a half years old

All other English language tests must be no more than three and a half years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts, regardless of your nationality.   

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English-speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration.

UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English-speaking countries (non-MESC).

Approved universities in non-MESC

How old your degree can be

If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts.

This time limit does not apply to your degree if you are a national of a majority English-speaking country.

Find out more about our English language requirements

Find out about other English language qualifications we accept, including professional qualifications.

English language requirements

What you will study

The programme of study comprises two core courses, option courses, and the dissertation where you demonstrate you can develop and pursue your own research ideas.

Compulsory courses

The two core courses of the programme are taught by a team of experts.

Research: Theories and Methods (Semester 1)

This course introduces a variety of approaches to doing research in the field at postgraduate level, and is essential not just to students who will seek positions in the art field but also to those who would like to carry on to a PhD.

Cultures and Politics of Display (Semester 2)

This course offers more specialised knowledge on how we encounter art and/or mediate and contextualise it as professionals - especially through curatorial work. 

In the final part of this course, you will meet the Fellow in Contemporary Art Theory and Curating who will give you insider knowledge about their practice (the Fellow is often an established curator).

Option courses

Option courses can vary each year, but address developments from the art of the Industrial Revolution to the global art worlds and its challenges today, all exploring the changing role of art and art institutions in society. 

Potential topics include:

  • modern art movements (Impressionism, Surrealism, German Expressionism)
  • artists' use of photography and film, and how such artworks can be displayed
  • art policy and inequality
  • digital art and its frameworks
  • performance, participatory and socially engaged art
  • feminist, postcolonial and decolonial critiques
  • questions on class and labour
  • political memory, aesthetics and the lens
  • creativity, the city, and museums
  • the theories and politics shaping the contemporary art field
  • curating and exhibition-making for modernity
  • art in specific regions, countries and continents
  • work placements as an option course in Semester 2 (but preparation begins in Semester 1).

Our option courses are specially designed by staff as leading researchers in their fields (many with curatorial experience) with the aim of deepening your knowledge in a specific subject and exciting your intellectual curiosity. 

They engage theory-led debates while also introducing and contextualising a range of artworks and related cultural artefacts and their contexts of mediation. 

Find courses for this programme

Find out what courses you can study on this programme and how each of them are taught and assessed.

The courses on offer may change from year to year, but the course information will give you an idea of what to expect on this programme.

Full-time
Part-time

We link to the latest information available. This may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

Field trips

There is no mandatory field trip for the MSc, although specific courses may require visits to relevant collections and institutions.

Placements

The work placement option course is a popular feature of our programme.

If you choose this course, you will need to prepare for an interview with a partner institution or other art context to gain hands-on experience in appropriate tasks from a real work environment.

Work placements are offered on a competitive basis. The art institution offering the placement decides who receives the place. Work placements normally take place in Edinburgh or elsewhere in Scotland.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching

The two core courses of the MSc include both lectures by experts and small-group tutorials where the lecture content is further unpacked and discussed. 

In the final part of the Semester 2 core course, Cultures and Politics of Display, you will meet the annually appointed Fellow in Contemporary Art Theory and Curating to gain insider’s knowledge on a given subject or role.

The option courses are taught by individual staff members and student numbers are capped to ensure a small group learning environment. The work placement as option course is overseen by a staff member.

The dissertation is supervised by a staff member with relevant expertise, while dissertation workshops are also offered before you start.

Besides the teaching that forms part of our curriculum, you are expected to attend the History of Art Research Seminars that take place weekly during term time. These seminars are given by invited researchers in the field and are important for introducing students to new material and approaches beyond our in-house expertise. The seminars help you acquire broader knowledge of the field.

In addition, academic staff and research clusters may organise events throughout the year with invited speakers that further expand your knowledge and understanding of modern and contemporary art, its frameworks and interdisciplinary grounding.

Overall, you should prepare for an intellectually intense year with opportunities to meet people in the field and network.

Assessment

Each course has its own mode of assessment, appropriate to its learning outcomes.

These may be:

  • 4,000 or 3,000-word essays
  • a report or oral presentation
  • a combination of assessment methods.

Assessed assignments are monitored by a second staff member.

Assessment methods for this postgraduate degree do not include exams.

Once you complete the taught part of the MSc, you will begin to research and write a supervised 15,000-word dissertation on a topic you are interested in.

The dissertation is an exciting part of the programme where you develop your own ideas and specialise in a subject. You are asked to think about a dissertation topic early on, though you will get more ideas as your knowledge deepens and as you encounter new areas of study and questions through your core and option courses.

Learning outcomes

You will acquire knowledge and understanding of the field of modern and contemporary art, as well as transferable research skills.

The possibility of a work placement in a museum, gallery or comparable work environment can provide useful experience in a changing art world.

Our aim is to provide you with the knowledge and understanding necessary for your intellectual development in ways that prepare you for your future contribution to the field.

Support for your studies

You will have access to a range of support services if you need them throughout your degree.

We will assign you to a student adviser, and this should be the first person to contact if you need help. They can guide you to other University service teams depending on what support you need.  

How we support you

ECA’s Student and Academic Support Service (SASS) supports students throughout their studies in all degree programmes at ECA.

You will have a dedicated Student Adviser, based within SASS, who is specially trained to support you during your studies. Your Student Adviser will be your first point of contact for any support, including questions about your studies or your well-being. Your Student Adviser can support you with:

  • personal or wellbeing issues that you are facing, including how to access specialist support
  • queries related to your programme, such as course enrolments, programme transfers and academic progression
  • applying for extensions and special circumstances
  • advice about how to take a break from your studies
  • registering with the Disability and Learning Support Service

Our academic staff

At ECA, you'll join a community of practising curators, artists, illustrators, writers, critics and designers working across visual, and material culture. 

Staff on the programme include: 

  • Prof Angela Dimitrakaki: expert on feminism and Marxism, contemporary art theory and institutions, socially engaged art and photography, modernity and globalisation, with curatorial experience
  • Dr Lucy Weir: Head of History of Art 2025-26, expert on performance and dance as well as Soviet art
  • Prof Andrew Patrizio: expert on Scottish art and visual culture, contemporary art and the environment, with extensive curatorial experience
  • Dr Kirsten Lloyd: expert on curatorial theory, feminism, class and contemporary art, art and documentation, photography and the lens, active as curator 

Where you will study

Study location

Our courses are taught in lecture theatres and our purpose-built History of Art classrooms, normally on the ECA Lauriston Campus. The ECA campus is in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town, minutes away from Edinburgh Castle. Our campus enjoys easy, walking-distance access to parkland and busy city life.

Some of our courses also involve visits to the city's museums and art galleries. 

ECA are excited to be undertaking a capital redevelopment of ECA’s Lauriston Campus over the next 3 years, from April 2024 to April 2027.

The project aims to maximise the use of existing space, improve accessibility, and create a vibrant campus that fosters collaboration and innovation.

The project involves refurbishing and repurposing various spaces across the Lauriston campus, including technical facilities, student and teaching spaces, and the relocation of the Reid School of Music from Alison House to the Lauriston Campus. New social spaces, seminar rooms, and studios are being created to accommodate our growing community.

You can find more about the project at the below link:

Building work starts at ECA’s Lauriston Campus | Edinburgh College of Art

Academic facilities

The MSc benefits from two specialist art libraries as well as the Main Library and the University’s other libraries. You may also have access to the University’s Contemporary Art Research Collection.

About the Main Library

The University has its own contemporary art gallery, the Talbot Rice, set in Old College and its impressive surroundings. The Talbot Rice hosts notable exhibitions by contemporary artists.

Talbot Rice Gallery

Virtual tour

You can take a closer look at the Edinburgh College of Art and explore our facilities and campus with our virtual tour. 

Take a virtual tour of Edinburgh College of Art 

Career opportunities

The comprehensive nature of this programme, including its specialised option courses, will equip you for a confident start in a range of art world and related work contexts and will be invaluable if you are interested in further academic study, such as a PhD, or a career in an art-world setting.

Contact with scholars and professionals means that you can network and understand the demands of specific settings.

The diversity of regions and art scenes addressed through our courses, and the emphasis we place on the contemporary art field, broaden your horizons and allow you to pursue career paths with confidence.

Further study

After completing this programme, you may wish to consider applying for a PhD or other research programme.

Applying for research degrees

Moving on to a PhD (advice from the University's Careers Service)

Careers Service

Our Careers Service can help you to fully develop your potential and achieve your future goals. 

The Careers Service supports you not only while you are studying at the University, but also for up to two years after you finish your studies. 

With the Careers Service, you can: 

  • access digital resources to help you understand your skills and strengths
  • try different types of experiences and reflect on how and what you develop
  • get help finding work, including part-time jobs, vacation work, internships and graduate jobs
  • attend careers events and practice interviews
  • get information and advice to help you make informed decisions 

Visit the Careers Service website 

How to apply

You apply online for this programme. After you read the application guidance, select your preferred programme, then choose 'Start your application' to begin.

If you are considering applying to more than one programme, you should be aware that we cannot consider more than 5 applications from the same applicant.

When to apply

Programme start date Application deadline
14 September 2026 29 June 2026

We encourage you to apply as soon as possible so that we have enough time to process your application. This is particularly important if you are also applying for funding or will require a visa. Applications may close earlier than published deadlines if there is exceptionally high demand.

For an application to be reviewed, it must be a complete application by the application deadline with all supporting documentation uploaded, including your transcripts.

If you already have evidence that you meet the English language entry requirements, such as via an approved English language test, please upload this evidence at the time of your application. If you have not already met your English language requirements, we will still review your application and issue a decision providing it is otherwise complete.

Application fee

There is no fee to apply to this programme.

What you need to apply

As part of your online application, you will need to provide: 

You will also need to submit some or all of the following supporting documents:

When you start your application, you will be able to see the full list of documents you need to provide.

References

You do not need to provide a reference when you submit your application for this programme.

There may be certain circumstances when a reference will be required, for example if we need to verify work experience. If that is the case, we will contact you after we have reviewed your application to request a reference.

Apply

Select the award, duration and delivery mode you want to study. Then select the start date you want to apply for.

After you apply

Once you have applied for this programme, you will be able to track the progress of your application and accept or decline any offers.

Checking the status of your application

We will notify you by email once we have made a decision. Due to the large number of applications we receive, it might take a while until you hear from us.

Receiving our decision

What to do if you receive an offer:

What our students say

What is it really like to study here? Our students share their experiences on our social media. 

You can find out what a day in the life is like for an Edinburgh College of Art student, from late nights in the library to their favourite walks around the city! 

Instagram: Edinburgh College of Art 

Our community

At Edinburgh College of Art (ECA) we bring together creative practices that shape the world around us.

We deliver innovative teaching, research and public engagement in an inclusive and sustainable environment with outstanding services and facilities to support your ambitions.  

With degrees in Art, History of Art, Music, Architecture and Landscape Architecture, and Design, you’ll be joining a diverse community of artists, art historians, designers, academics, researchers, architects, landscape architects and musicians.  

ECA is a rich, textured, and inclusive learning environment. Diverse practices coexist as the embodiments of an individual and collective pursuit of knowledge, for the betterment of humankind and our planet.

Our approach is explicitly inclusive, future facing and interdisciplinary, embracing of bold innovation and continuous enhancement.  

Find out more about the Edinburgh College of Art community

Accommodation

We guarantee an offer of University accommodation for all new, single postgraduate taught students from outside the UK and new, single postgraduate research (typically PhD) students who:

  • apply for accommodation by 31 July in the year when you start your programme
  • accept an unconditional firm offer to study at the University by 31 July
  • study at the University for the whole of the academic year starting in September

University accommodation website

Accommodation guarantee criteria

We also offer accommodation options for couples and families.

Accommodation for couples and families

If you prefer to live elsewhere, we can offer you advice on finding accommodation in Edinburgh.

Accommodation information from the Edinburgh University Students' Association Advice Place

Societies and clubs

Our societies and sports clubs will help you develop your interests, meet like-minded people, find a new hobby or simply socialise.

Societies

Sport Clubs

The city of Edinburgh

Scotland's inspiring capital will form the background to your studies — a city with an irresistible blend of history, natural beauty and modern city life. 

Find out more about living in Edinburgh

Edinburgh’s dynamic cultural scene boasts the largest collection of historic buildings, museums, art galleries and theatres of any city in Scotland, making it the perfect location to study History of Art.

The University of Edinburgh’s museums and galleries include:

  • the Talbot Rice Gallery
  • the Centre for Research Collections
  • St Cecilia’s Hall: Concert Room and Music Museum

Edinburgh is home to several major annual festivals, each bringing talent from around the world to our streets and stages, making the celebration of diversity an intrinsic part of the city’s culture. These include the:

  • Festival Fringe
  • Film Festival
  • Art Festival
  • Book Festival
  • Jazz and Blues Festival

Some of our students even participate in our annual festivals.

Health and wellbeing support

You will have access to free health and wellbeing services throughout your time at university if you need them.

The support services we offer include: 

  • a student counselling service
  • a health centre (doctor's surgery)
  • support if you're living in University accommodation
  • dedicated help and support if you have a disability or need adjustments

Health and wellbeing support services 

Disability and Learning Support

General enquiries

Contact our enquiry team about your eligibility or how to apply.

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences Admissions Office

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