Contemporary Art Theory MA (eca)

Level: Postgraduate taught

Subject: Art and Design

Year of entry: 2026

Study options

Mode of study

On campus

Full-time
  • MA (eca) | 1 year | Start date: September 2026
Part-time
  • MA (eca) | 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

Established in 2001, the Masters of Contemporary Art Theory (MA CAT) is a post-studio programme that supports the research and practices of artists and aspiring art professionals.

The MA CAT encourages practices that are speculative and reflective, developing artistic research on, and in, a range of media, sites and organisations.

The programme supports an applied knowledge of art now, grounding schooling in the practices of art and contemporary art theory as well as extra-disciplinary and intermedial approaches.

The taught curriculum consists of an innovative series of learning sprints designed to support the development of your artistic research and practice through:

  • workshops
  • practical partnerships with art organisations
  • carefully scaffolded approaches to collaborative inquiry (‘problem-based learning’)
  • peer-production (‘paragogy’) 

You will create art projects designed to engage and develop emerging hypereconomies of contemporary art and its variety of media, technologies, images, artefacts, tactics, texts, cultural contexts and professional practices.

Our philosophy and values 

A defining aspect of our theory programme is the emphasis we place upon speculative scepticism – not starting from the position of knowing what post-studio practice is but being motivated by speculation on what it might be. 

We generate a dynamic, intellectually ambitious environment in which staff and students can learn together. We attract students with very different backgrounds and experiences. This difference generates diversity and a richness that is key to learning about, and expanding, the field of contemporary art.

The focus on building a supportive creative community through innovative forms of peer-generated knowledge, the rigorous and experimental combination of theory and practice and the international profile of the student body makes our master’s programme unique. 

Our academic staff provide specialist support for students wishing to pursue research on and in established fields of contemporary art practices and theory, while fully engaging with the ever-changing context of emerging media and innovative forms of critical and organisational praxis.

Study options

Part-time study 

As a post-studio programme, the MA CAT is specifically designed to support part-time study. The CAT has a large community of alumni who have successfully completed their studies part-time.

Part-time students take one taught course each semester. You do not take any taught courses in the summer of Year 1. You complete the final capstone in a single semester in the summer of your second year after passing the four taught courses.

Part-time students must set aside 20 hours per week during each semester in total for their studies.

A single course will normally require a half-day attendance on-campus in Edinburgh each week for classes, with some additional time for 1:1 tutorials. These tutorials can be conducted online if this is beneficial for part-time students.

The MA CAT programme defaults to blended learning and is very well supported by the latest learning technology. Our substantial Virtual Learning Environment (Blackboard Learn) contains a wide range of structured learning resources, including recordings of lectures and live classes. This makes it particularly conducive to part-time study.

The CAT also enables the Contemporary Artistic Research Project capstone to be completed entirely off-campus which, again, is of great benefit to flexible learning.

Programme benefits

  • 'Art' is the culture that rings true to your community. The MA CAT integrates peer and project approaches to learning, fostering a vibrant community where students and staff support each other. Our unique approach to art education will inspire you to devise, then realise, your own artistic community.
  • The MA CAT programme is driven and transformed by what makes staff and students curious. The curriculum is led by our research, so it is 'new' each year. As a student, you become part of an evolving research project which aims to re-imagine the philosophy and values that constitute 'contemporary art'.
  • We use a practical approach to learning - we don't just theorise, we act. You will engage in 'live' projects in collaboration with Edinburgh's numerous arts organisations and apply your artistic learning in real-world settings.
  • Based in the University of Edinburgh - one of the world's leading research universities.
  • Exceptional academic facilities at the Edinburgh College of Art, including postgraduate study spaces, computing suites, creative industry-standard software, fabrication workshops and an MA CAT project space.
  • Combined with Edinburgh's incomparably rich cultural institutions (National Galleries, National Museums, 25+ festivals and so on), it is the perfect environment for your artistic research.

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

We advise budgeting an additional £50 on top of the tuition fee for travel each year.

You may need to pay the cost of local or national travel using public transport to visit local galleries and museums for 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.

We also welcome applicants who do not meet academic entry requirements but demonstrate relevant professional experience.

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 6.5 with at least 6.0 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 92 with at least 20 in each component We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
  • C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 176 with at least 169 in each component.
  • Trinity ISE: ISE II with distinctions in all four components.
  • Oxford ELLT: total 7 with at least 6 in each component.
  • Oxford Test of English Advanced: total 145 with at least 135 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

During the programme you will apply aesthetics, art theory and criticism, art historiography, anthropology, and conceptual personae to engage with contemporary art’s variety of media, technologies, images, artefacts, tactics, texts, cultural contexts and professional practices.

The programme consists of 4 taught courses and 1 research capstone. Each taught course is broken down further into 3 or 4 ‘learning sprints’ which last 2-3 weeks.

You will complete each learning sprint to build the knowledge and skills required to tackle the summative assignment at the end of each course.

Professional development

Our programme will help you develop a creative and organisational professional-practice, one that allows you to take control of the production and distribution of your work by effectively combining the roles of professional artist, theorist and programmer.

Our unique focus on artistic learning also means that you will graduate with a heightened awareness of the educational possibilities of contemporary art as a catalyst for social and political transformation.

Multidisciplinary development

Current professionals

If you are a professional artist, theorist and/or curator, the CAT programme will greatly expand and develop both your existing knowledge of contemporary art and your own practice. It will situate both in relation to emerging tendencies in cognate disciplines in the arts, humanities and social sciences such as:

  • materialist and cultural studies
  • educational research
  • geography
  • social anthropology.
Aspiring professionals

If you are an aspiring art professional with a non-art background, the CAT programme scaffolds and supports your conversion to contemporary art from related undergraduate disciplines in the arts, humanities or social sciences. 

Dedicated to widening participation in the arts and demystifying artistic learning, the CAT programme is unique in offering this bridge to anyone seeking a way in to our discipline.

Researcher development

This programme will specifically prepare you to establish a scholarly and artistic research-practice, enabling you to embark on a professional career as a researcher within the broad field of contemporary art in both academic (PhD) and artworld settings.

Compulsory courses

Semester 1
Themes in Contemporary Art (40 credits)

This course develops the core artistic research method of ‘thematic integration’ by focusing on three themes directly drawn from the current research of teaching staff.

Having completed the three learning sprints, you will then develop and work with your own theme in a summative project.

Contemporary Art and Open Learning (20 credits)

This multidisciplinary course engages with areas of overlap between the ‘educational turn’ in present-day artistic research and current developments in the field of open educational research.

Semester 2
Curating (40 credits)

This course develops the core artistic research method of ‘curating’.

Contemporary Art + Anthropology (20 credits)

This multidisciplinary course engages with areas of overlap between artistic research methods and research methods developed within the discipline of Anthropology.

Summer
Supervised Research Capstone: Contemporary Artistic Research Project (60 Credits)

After passing all four taught courses, you will continue to work on your own artistic research project over the summer with the support of your supervisor.

Your research capstone can take the form of a written text (thesis), or it can be practical (project).

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

Fieldwork

We make extensive use of fieldwork as a core component of teaching and artistic research. There are two broad forms of ‘fieldwork’:

Field-workshops

The MA CAT is dedicated to the development of authentic learning in real-life professional settings. As such, several of our classes take place off-campus at our partner institutions (galleries, art workshops, museums, artists’ organisations, and so on).

These classes are called ‘workshops’. In most cases, workshops are devised and run by staff employed at partner institutions.

From form to field

The shift from form towards field is core both to understanding contemporary art and pivotal to post-studio practices. As such, the MA CAT specifically teaches multidisciplinary methods that relate to the multiple perspectives of ‘field’. Key here are:

  • environmental art
  • relationalism
  • social practice
  • ethnography
  • fieldnotes
  • a/r/tography
  • augmented reality(games)
  • worlding
  • artistic learning.

Placements

Several summative projects in the MA CAT are ‘live’ and take place at, or in collaboration with, our partner institutions. For example, the ‘Open Toolkit’ project in Semester 1 is conducted in partnership with the Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop. 

The summative projects of the Curating course in Semester 2 have also been produced in collaboration with an array of Edinburgh and Glasgow-based arts organisations since the CAT programme was inaugurated in 2001.

You are free to establish and pursue placements as part of your work for your capstone Contemporary Artistic Research Project, should it be deemed suitable to your aspirations. There are many successful examples of such fieldwork in the CAT Archive.

We strongly advise students to fairly contract such placements in alignment with the Scottish Artists Union Recommended Rates of Pay. The MA CAT does not support (or require) unremunerated art-working (such as unpaid internships).

Teaching and assessment

Teaching

Artists think and act. Being contemporary means engaging with multiple perspectives and different ways of learning. Students of contemporary art theory conduct research in relation to a broad range of creative, cultural and historical contexts in ways that are speculative, writerly, philosophical, organisational, social and economic.

By engaging equally with the production of people and social relations, and the production of material objects, our students shift from seeing parts to seeing wholes, from being disempowered and reactive to actively creating their artworlds. For this to happen, our students do not simply learn how to see things from an artist’s viewpoint.

The MA CAT is an integrated curriculum specifically crafted to develop an understanding of multiple perspectives in ways that open new possibilities for our graduates. This means focusing not only on what we teach, but on how we learn, and on the many different environments we learn in.

On the CAT programme, artistic learning and research is conducted in a wealth of settings: in galleries, biennale, residencies, art fairs, and - of course - through artistic and theoretical practice.

Artistic learning and research are exploded networks; our students learn how to pool and share resources to cultivate a climate in which all communities flourish.

Assessment

Feedback

The MA CAT programme aims to increase feedback dialogue with students throughout the assessment process by shifting the balance or emphasis of feedback from the end of assessment period to earlier in the learning process. This allows you to learn from the feedback and improve your performance.

As such, each class in the MA CAT taught courses is designed to enable you to collectively reflect upon and develop the work you have produced over the previous week.

Tasks such as class assignments and end of sprint assignments are used specifically to allow for constructive and developmental feedback, and for you to reflect on and act upon it. Feedback is more developmental where it is formative (feedforward) in this way, offering you more opportunity for learning development.

  • Peer-led formative feedback is also a key component of the CAT curriculum design. Courses require (and assess) full participation in workshops.
  • Formative feedback is ongoing. It takes place in each class, in Learn, and in 1:1 tutorials (verbal feedback).
  • Written formative feedback is given at the end of each learning Sprint.
Assessment

Successfully completing all components of summative assessment means providing clear evidence that demonstrates 'what you are doing' to achieve the three learning outcomes of each course.

The three learning outcomes are absolute, they define minimum levels of competence required to pass.

In terms of grading, there are four possible awards for each learning outcome:

  • Fail
  • Pass
  • Pass with a Merit
  • Pass with a Distinction

To Pass, you must - at very least - successfully complete all components of summative assessment for each course.

Learning outcomes

The programme aims to provide you with both an overall level of expertise in recent developments in art practices and related cultural theories and research methods, and a high degree of specialisation within this field, culminating in an original Artistic Research Project. This programme has the following specific aims:

  • To undertake a systematic examination of major international art practices now.
  • To analyse the major themes within art theory and curatorial studies that are currently informing art practices, institutions and related cultural ecologies.
  • To explore some of the principal critical, methodological and theoretical positions from other disciplines informing the current production and interpretation of contemporary art and its organisational contexts.
  • To provide you with a set of research methods and critical tools necessary for the advanced analysis and creative organisation of your own artistic research.
  • To provide you with a set of competencies, skills and understanding that will enable you either to undertake further academic research or to pursue a range of creative careers.
  • To explore some of the principal critical and theoretical positions informing the interpretation of your artistic research and its organisational contexts.

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 writers, curators, illustrators, designers, critics and artists working across visual, and material culture. 

Staff on the programme include: 

Prof Neil Mulholland

Chair of Contemporary Art Practice and Theory
Course Organiser: Open Learning & Contemporary Art + Anthropology
Programme Director 

Dr Julie Louise Bacon 

Lecturer in Art
Course Organiser: Curating

Frances Davis 

ECA Tutor
Course Organiser: Themes in Contemporary Art 

Dr Marcus Jack 

Lecturer in Contemporary Art Theory
Course Organiser: Contemporary Artistic Research Project 

Dr Jake Watts 

Lecturer in Contemporary Art Theory
Tutor: Open Learning and CARP 

Where you will study

Study location

Classroom and tutorial teaching mainly takes place in the Main Building of Edinburgh College of Art, Lauriston Campus.

We also makes extensive use of blended learning (lecture recordings, Blackboard LEARN, MS Teams are key learning technologies).

The programme also uses ‘fieldwork’ - site-related and experiential learning off campus.

The programme has its own Project Space, used as a teaching resource for the Curating course.

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

You will have access to:

  • specialist facilities at ECA and the wider University
  • a range of study spaces and specialist classrooms
  • computing facilities and creator labs
  • libraries and special collections

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 programme nurtures the creative, organisational and economic knowledge required for a career in today’s contemporary art world(s), enabling you to integrate a range of perspectives traversing the roles of artist, academic, art critic, producer and curator.

The theory programme bridges the gap between undergraduate and doctoral research, preparing you to make an application to a PhD programme. The MA CAT will also support your creative and professional development as an art educator.

The programme is aimed both at aspiring arts professionals and professional artists who want to develop a research-practice by extending their practical, theoretical, organisational and economic engagement with contemporary art. It develops from a broad to a specialist understanding of the technical resources and validating contexts in which artists work today.

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 co-exist 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.

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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