Museums, Heritage and Society (PGCert, PGDip, MLitt) – online 2025 entry

The online MLitt in Museums, Heritage and Society prepares students for employment in museums and heritage organisations with broad training in all types of museums, galleries and other heritage facilities. We aim to train future museum and heritage practitioners with critical skills to engage with society and contribute to positive changes in the sector.

The Museums, Heritage and Society programme is online and self-paced, with options to study for a PGCert, PGDip, or MLitt.

Start date
September 2025
End date
Flexible
Duration
PGCert (up to one year), PGDip (up to two years), MLitt (up to three years)
School
Graduate School

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September 2025 entry

Application deadline: Monday 1 September 2025

Apply for PGCert Apply for PGDip Apply for MLitt

Entry requirements

The MLitt in Museums, Heritage and Society welcomes applications from students from all disciplines relevant to museum work, such as:

  • History
  • Archaeology
  • Anthropology
  • Languages
  • Media and Communications
  • Physical and Natural Sciences.

 

The qualifications listed are indicative minimum requirements for entry. Some academic Schools will ask applicants to achieve significantly higher marks than the minimum. Obtaining the listed entry requirements will not guarantee you a place, as the University considers all aspects of every application including, where applicable, the writing sample, personal statement, and supporting documents.

Application requirements

  • CV that includes your personal details with a history of your education and employment to date
  • personal statement (500 words)
  • sample of your own, single-authored academic written work (2,000 words)
  • two references (both professional and academic references are accepted)
  • academic transcripts and degree certificates

For more guidance, see supporting documents and references for postgraduate taught programmes.

English language proficiency

If English is not your first language, you may need to provide an English language test score to evidence your English language ability. See approved English language tests and scores for this course.

Course details

The MLitt in Museums, Heritage and Society is a taught postgraduate online programme run by the Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Studies, in association with the School of Art History and the Museums of the University of St Andrews. The MLitt is aimed at students wanting to start a career in museum and heritage work, or for those looking for a mid-career change. 

Highlights 

  • Taught by experienced practising museum professionals and academics
  • Flexible and fully online

Modules

The modules published below are examples of what has been taught in previous academic years and may be subject to change before you start your course. For more details of each module, including weekly contact hours, teaching methods and assessment, please see the module catalogue.

All modules are 15 credits, except the capstone project taken as the final module and accounting for 60 credits.

  • Core module: Introduction to Museums and Heritage
  • People in Museums: Audiences, Leadership and Strategy
  • Experiencing Museums: Exhibitions, Learning and Engagement
  • Active Collections: Development, Preservation and Access
  • The Museum: A Social History
  • Exhibiting Antiquity: Collecting, Curating and Displaying the Past
  • The Ethical Digital Museum
  • Critical perspectives on World Heritage and Intangible Cultural Heritage
  • Community Engagement and Participation
  • Dissertation or
  • Practice-based dissertation

Teaching

Teaching methods include lectures, discussion boards, individual, and group tasks. The programme's self-led approach means students can access modules and components at a pace and on a timetable that suits their work and study environment.

Students complete a range of assignments per module in a variety of formats including: 

  • essays
  • presentations 
  • object studies
  • exhibition or website reviews 
  • audience programme brief
  • reflective practice

Fees

  • MLitt (three years) £18,000 (charged £6000 per year of study)
  • PGDip (two years) £12,000 (charged £6000 per year of study)
  • PGCert (one year) £6,000

Fees will be charged evenly across each academic year, based on the maximum length of study confirmed for your specific programme. For example, an MLitt student will be charged £6000 per year for a three-year period.

Students completing in a shorter length of time will have fees adjusted at relevant points in their programme so that the full fee has been charged prior to completion.

Funding and scholarships

The University of St Andrews is committed to attracting the very best students, regardless of financial circumstances.

15% Recent Graduate Discount

If you have graduated from the University within the last three academic years, you may be eligible for a 15% discount on postgraduate taught tuition fees. Terms and conditions apply.

Taught postgraduate scholarships    Postgraduate loans

After your degree

Careers

Recent graduates of our in-person course, Museum and Heritage Studies, which includes similar modules, have gone on to work for a range of institutions, including: 

  • Chicago Institute of Art 
  • Victoria and Albert Museum 
  • National Trust for Scotland 
  • Scottish Fisheries Museum

The Careers Centre offers one-to-one advice to all students as well as a programme of events to assist students in building their employability skills.

Further study

Graduates from the programme may continue their education by enrolling in PhD programmes at St Andrews or elsewhere.

Postgraduate research

Contact us

Phone
+44 (0)1334 46 2032
Email
gradschool@st-andrews.ac.uk
Address
Graduate School