University of Sydney launches new arts programs

University of Sydney

The University of Sydney has launched five new postgraduate degrees including a Masters of Art Curating and a Masters of Museum and Heritage Studies.

The courses, which are between 18 and 24 months in length, have been developed through extensive industry research.

‘These new master’s programs are a clear commitment to providing students with an outstanding educational experience and the opportunity to deepen their knowledge and hone their skills,’ said Professor Duncan Ivison, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

The Master of Art Curating is the first of its kind in Australia. The course is collaboratively designed and taught by the Department of Art History and Film Studies and the Sydney College of the Arts. The course aims to prepare students for a career in art curation or as a gallery professional, and has a focus on non-traditional art spaces such as pop-up galleries and festivals. The course also offers the option of two structured internship placements.

‘We’ll teach both on campus and in museums and galleries, giving graduates exposure to leaders in the field and valuable industry contacts,’ says program coordinator Dr Catriona Moore.

The Masters of Museum and Heritage studies will utilise the University of Sydney’s ties with Art Gallery of NSW, the Australian Museum, the National Maritime Museum, the Historic Houses Trust and the Powerhouse Museum. The course will look at the management and conservation of objects and heritage places.

‘It is designed to equip our graduates with professional and practical knowledge and experience,’ says Dr Annie Clarke, program coordinator of the Master of Museum and Heritage Studies. ‘All of the things you will learn in this course have real-life applications in the world of museums and the growing area of local and global heritage.’

The university also launched a Master of English Studies in which students will study the relevance of literature in society today. The course also includes electives only previously available to those studying creative writing studies such as contemporary poetry, fiction, and screenwriting.

The University of Sydney’s Arts and Social Sciences Faculty has been ranked among the top 40 faculties of Humanities and Social Sciences in the world by the Times Higher Education and QS Leagues table from 2006-2012.