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MA
Cultural Heritage Management

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Key Information

Campus

Brayford Pool

Start Date

September 2025

Typical Offer

See More

Duration

1 year

Part-time

2 years

Validation Status

Subject to Revalidation

Academic Year

Course Overview

MA Cultural Heritage Management aims to enhance students' knowledge of the demands of leadership in the cultural heritage sector. These include broadening the appeal of attractions and collections; anticipating sector-wide trends, nationally and internationally; exploring the possibilities of digital cultural heritage; and understanding visitors and users more effectively. A strong theme of social justice runs through the programme.

Academics who teach on the programme combine research insights with extensive practical experience, contributing business, social science, and humanities insights to the course. Students benefit from the close links we have developed to cultural heritage sites of major importance

During the programme, students may benefit from external guest lectures delivered by experienced practitioners, participate in study visits to cultural and heritage attractions, and participate in live projects that aim to provide hands-on applications of classroom-based learning.

Why Choose Lincoln

Join a community of researchers and practitioners

Visit cultural and heritage attractions

Hear from expert industry speakers

Combine research with extensive practical experience

Participate in real-world projects

Lincoln Cathedral and the Bailgate area

How You Study

The programme combines modules that examine cultural heritage management from the perspective of both users and heritage sites. As so much cultural heritage activity occurs within the context of tourism, there are also modules that link our sector to tourism and events, focusing on the important issue of sustainability.

In addition to the taught element of the programme, students are expected to complete a dissertation which encourages innovation and diverse pathways to the final award.

Each module typically consists of two weekly teaching hours over a teaching term of 12 weeks. Four modules are usually studied per semester. Part-time students will generally study two modules per term, equating to four hours of contact time per week. Hours of study may vary from term to term for both full and part-time students and can be spread throughout the week.

Postgraduate level study involves a significant proportion of independent study, exploring the material covered in lectures and seminars. As a general guide, for every hour spent in class, students are expected to spend four to five hours in independent study. For more detailed information please contact the Programme Leader.

Modules

              † Some courses may offer optional modules. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed. Optional module selection may also be affected by staff availability.

              Collections Management and Care 2025-26CON9011MLevel 72025-26The module provides the underpinning theoretical study for understanding the principles and practice of collections management and care. The module introduces student to the “life-cycle” of museum objects and covers key issues concerning collections development, management of the internal and external environment, collections documentation and care. Procedures such as collections surveys, risk management, and emergency planning will be considered.CoreCommunity Organisation, Sustainability and Development 2025-26BUS9028MLevel 72025-26This module aims to introduce students to a range of non-traditional business models and to challenge established expectations and norms about business ethics, motivations, value-systems and practices. The module presents the notion that enterprises can operate due to motives other than profit-maximisation and that Social Purpose Organisations can exist to fulfil social functions using business models to create an alternative basis for sustainability and development. Students are challenged to think critically about these forms of organisation and their impact on societies (positive and negative). Students are also challenged to consider how issues such as performance management can translate into the operations of community enterprises.CoreContemporary Issues in the Visitor Economy 2025-26TOU9170MLevel 72025-26This module looks to develop students’ understanding of contemporary issues in tourism, hospitality, and visitor experiences at Masters level. It aims to enhance and develop further student appreciation of the 'context' within which tourism and hospitality businesses and destinations operate and the comparative opportunities and constraints available in the global tourism and hospitality economy. The module will focus upon the diversification of the ‘types’ and ‘styles’ of tourism destinations, products and experiences. Contemporary debates will be used where appropriate to facilitate a critical discussion of the philosophical contemporary issues of tourism and hospitality. Such debates will be utilised to facilitate a critical understanding of issues like sustainability, climate change, labour markets and tourism/hospitality, gender issues in hospitality/tourism/events, the economic, social and environmental impacts of tourism, the digital movement, dark tourism, the relationship between public and private sectors etc. The module seeks to expose students to a critical debate of understanding some contemporary issues in tourism and hospitality.CoreCritical Perspectives on Cultural and Heritage Management 2025-26TOU9155MLevel 72025-26This module addresses key issues concerning contemporary cultural and heritage management, of both a theoretical and practical nature. Examples can include: is there a funding crisis for cultural and heritage institutions? How should museums respond to requests for the return of items in their collections? How should ‘heritage at risk’ be safeguarded? Do cultural and heritage sites act as focuses for community cohesion – or contest? The module takes a broad, multicultural approach, providing the opportunity to examine case material from across the world.CoreDigitising Cultural and Heritage Collections 2025-26TOU9156MLevel 72025-26This module is designed to address key issues in collections management, with a focus on digital collections. As well as aiming to introduce key theory and concepts, the module contains a strong practical dimension, as students have the opportunity to participate in the production of metadata, the development of a content management system and the application of a content management system to supporting exhibition development.CoreEngaging Stakeholders in Cultural Heritage Development 2025-26TOU9017Level 72025-26Vibrant heritage organisations increasingly require the active participation of a range of stakeholders. Engaged stakeholders can help museums, galleries and heritage sites to attract funding, grow audiences and facilitate negotiations around the repatriation of objects and the decolonisation of collections. Indeed, their participation is often a necessary prerequisite to such processes. Understanding precisely who the stakeholders are – from employees, audiences and volunteers to charities, accrediting and public bodies - and the different ways in which they relate to heritage sites is crucial to understanding how the sector operates. Also fundamental to our understanding is an appreciation of the regulatory frameworks and funding environments that shape heritage activity and with which stakeholders must interact. The module will range over a number of country case studies and students will be encouraged to explore those related to their backgrounds. Students will further be encouraged to reimagine strategies for more effective stakeholder engagement.CoreFinal Project 2025-26MKT9718Level 72025-26The final project provides an opportunity for students with a range of experiences and interests to apply and develop their existing skills and knowledge to an independent study project, which affords an opportunity for both the expression of original thought and creativity, together with the application of analytical skills and critical reasoning. Our approach to research projects is to facilitate innovative approaches and diverse pathways to the final assessed piece of work.CoreMaterial Culture, Conservation and Significance 2025-26CON9059MLevel 72025-26The module challenges conservation students to think broadly about the objects that they conserve. This module will encourage students to explore this process of assessing significance which supports institutions in attaining a deeper understanding objects and the values that they might hold for different audiences. This module will help students develop the analytical skills needed to assess the value of an object and how these fit into current professional structures within the heritage industry. Lectures and workshops will explore different intellectual approaches material culture and how each might contribute to the meaning and significance of an object or collection. The assessments will encourage students to produce professional museological documentation and relate the content of this module to collections management.CoreThe Visitor Experience at Cultural and Heritage Attractions 2025-26TOU9143MLevel 72025-26Cultural and heritage sites, festivals and events are growing in number and popularity. Moreover, the divide between fixed attractions and events is to some extent dissolving. Attractions such as museums and galleries are increasingly attempting to reinvent themselves as spaces of multiple use. This module asks who the visitors are, and what they hope to gain from the experience. It is designed to provide students with an opportunity to develop a critical understanding of the approaches adopted with the intention of enhancing the visitor experience.Core

              What You Need to Know

              We want you to have all the information you need to make an informed decision on where and what you want to study. In addition to the information provided on this course page, our What You Need to Know page offers explanations on key topics including programme validation/revalidation, additional costs, contact hours, and our return to face-to-face teaching.

              How you are assessed

              There is a wide variety of assessment types, tailored to the content of the module. Examples include blogposts, consultancy reports, building surveys, visitor audits, a record of digitising a collection and more traditional essays. These are designed to develop skills needed for a career in cultural heritage institutions. There is a focus on group discussion in weekly class sessions, which enables students to receive feedback on their understanding of and approach to the subject matter.

              Visitor Economy Research Group

              Academics from MA Culture and Heritage Management are involved in Lincoln International Business School’s Visitor Economy Research Group (VERG). VERG aims to harness the research energies of a number of colleagues, both early career and well established, who are working in the areas of tourism, events, and leisure.

              A ferris wheel lit up at the Lincoln Christmas Market

              Industry Expertise

              Students are eligible for membership of the Lincolnshire Heritage Students’ Forum, established in 2020. The Forum runs a lively seminar/discussion programme and connects students to heritage sites in the county, as well as to influential national leaders in the sector. It also offers a range of volunteering opportunities, which are both rewarding and offer valuable experience.

              Students may also benefit from guest lectures delivered by experienced practitioners in the culture and heritage sectors.

              Real-world Experiences

              Students can join the Heritage and Archives Network at the University of Lincoln, a forum which connects our community of researchers and practitioners, and the Lincolnshire Heritage Students’ Forum, which enables networking across heritage institutions in the county. They can also benefit from our partnership with the International Bomber Command Centre in Lincoln.

              Students have the opportunity to participate in study visits to cultural and heritage attractions and can learn about preserving heritage materials for use in archives, museums, and exhibitions by participating in the creation of a digital archive. 

              How to Apply

              Postgraduate Application Support

              Applying for a postgraduate programme at Lincoln is easy. Find out more about the application process and what you'll need to complete on our How to Apply page. Here, you'll also be able to find out more about the entry requirements we accept and how to contact us for dedicated support during the process.

              A student listening in a seminar

              Entry Requirements 2025-26

              Entry Requirements

              First or second class honours degree.

              If you have studied outside of the UK, and are unsure whether your qualification meets the above requirements, please visit our country pages https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/studywithus/internationalstudents/entryrequirementsandyourcountry/ for information on equivalent qualifications.

              Overseas students will be required to demonstrate English language proficiency equivalent to IELTS 6.0 overall, with a minimum of 5.5 in each element. For information regarding other English language qualifications we accept, please visit the English Requirements page https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/studywithus/internationalstudents/englishlanguagerequirementsandsupport/englishlanguagerequirements/.

              If you do not meet the above IELTS requirements, you may be able to take part in one of our Pre-session English and Academic Study Skills courses. https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/studywithus/internationalstudents/englishlanguagerequirementsandsupport/pre-sessionalenglishandacademicstudyskills/ . These specialist courses are designed to help students meet the English language requirements for their intended programme of study.

              Course Fees

              You will need to have funding in place for your studies before you arrive at the University. Our fees vary depending on the course, mode of study, and whether you are a UK or international student. You can view the breakdown of fees for this programme below.

              Course Fees

              The University offers a range of merit-based, subject-specific, and country-focused scholarships for UK and international students. To help support students from outside of the UK, we offer a number of international scholarships which range from £1,000 up to the value of 50 per cent of tuition fees. For full details and information about eligibility, visit our scholarships and bursaries pages.

              Funding Your Study

              Postgraduate Funding Options

              Find out more about the optional available to support your postgraduate study, from Master's Loans to scholarship opportunities. You can also find out more about how to pay your fees and access support from our helpful advisors.

              Two students working on a laptop in a study space

              I was encouraged to think about things that wouldn’t otherwise have crossed my mind. It was really engaging from beginning to end and gave me the confidence to start my own heritage business.

              Sue Johnstone

              MA Cultural Heritage Management

              Career Development

              Graduates of the MA Culture and Heritage Management have gone on to a variety of careers, including curatorial posts in specialist and county museums, setting up their own heritage businesses, and managing backstage operations at music festivals. Others have gone on to further study at PhD level.

              Academic Contact

              For more information about this course, please contact the Programme Leader.

              Mrs Natalie Brimecome-Mills
              NBrimecomeMills@lincoln.ac.uk

              Working in Partnership

              Lincoln International Business School works with students and organisations to enhance the contribution of business to society. For students, that means developing their business skills and knowledge to improve their career readiness.The University of Lincoln is a member of AACSB, a global nonprofit association connecting educators, students, and businesses to achieve a common goal: to create the next generation of great leaders.

              AACSB logo

              Postgraduate Events

              To get a real feel for what it is like to study at the University of Lincoln, we hold a number of dedicated postgraduate events and activities throughout the year for you to take part in.

              A group of students sat around a table, working together on a project
              The University intends to provide its courses as outlined in these pages, although the University may make changes in accordance with the Student Admissions Terms and Conditions.