Art Design and Visual Culture University of Westminster

Overview

The Art and Visual Culture MA is an interdisciplinary, visual theory-based course established around the belief that visual literacy and the impact of visual forms of thinking and working play significant roles in our society. On the course, we interrogate visual perception and representation in high and popular culture, explore how these produce meanings, and how such meanings shape societies and individuals.

The course introduces you to a wide range of historical and contemporary debates that inform the theories and practices of visual culture, and supports you in developing a conceptual framework within which to evaluate the role of the visual arts, and other forms of visual production, in contemporary society and culture. The course gives you a solid grounding for careers in the art and cultural sectors as well as academia, and it is also suitable for practising artists wishing to further their research.

This MA balances historical and theoretical debates in the field of visual culture studies with a rigorous interrogation of cultural practices across a range of topics, including: contemporary visual arts; the visual and material culture of the city; modernism in art and architecture; popular and avant-garde cultures; fin de siècle visual culture; digital culture and new media technologies; migration, identity and gender as represented in cultural practices; activism and popular politics; theory and practice of archive research; and critical theories of modern and contemporary culture. 

Career opportunities:

If you choose to take our Work Placement in Cultural Institutions module, you can gain practical experience working in your area of interest, enhancing your professional skills and making connections within your chosen industry. 

Recent work placements have taken place at institutions including:

• Arts Catalyst

• British Film Institute

• British Museum

• Camden Arts Centre

• Chinese Film Festival

• Film London

• Museum of London

• Victoria & Albert Museum

• Wellcome Trust

This course will prepare you for a variety of roles, including:

• Cultural consultant

• Curator

• Editor 

• Events and communications manager

• Journalist 

• Media arts project manager

• MPhil/PhD study in fields such as art history and visual culture, cultural studies, and media

• Public relations specialist