Postgraduate Arts, Culture and Heritage Management

Arts & Culture Management Programme

The arts and culture management programme is a part-time or full-time Masters or Postgraduate Diploma course design to meet the needs of practicing and aspiring arts managers. Taught primarily in block release format, the course is design to facilitate the involvement of working professionals and students from other provinces. Graduates of the course include public servants, practicing artists, arts managers and aspirant arts managers.

Policy, Research and Leadership is a core course that engages with the theory and practice of arts policy around the world and also with the basic principles of leadership in the context of the arts and the importance of research for good policy. Using the South African White Paper on Arts, Culture and Heritage as the foundation, the course examines and critiques policy process, outcomes and impacts.

For the PGDA and MA it is recommended that two additional modules, Operational Skills and Fundraising and Marketing be taken, although it is possible to register for Heritage Management courses, such as Public Culture or Curating Exhibitions in consultation with the Head of Division. Operations Skills is a practical course that engages with the theory and practice of managing arts organizations, from planning, to financial and risk management, law and organizational development. The Fundraising and Marketing module provides insights into the competitive world of fundraising and marketing of arts projects and organizations and engages with new approaches to improve the chances of success.

Postgraduate Diploma students must complete three modules, and Masters students must complete three modules and a research report. Supervision in the programme is offered in a range of topics including the impact of arts policy, culture-led urban regeneration and managing arts organizations.

Eligibility

Generally students will need to have achieved at least 65% in their majors or in an Honours degree to get in at the appropriate level and the undergraduate degree would have to have been in a related discipline such as Archaeology, Architecture and Town Planning, Anthropology, History, Art History, Political Studies, Sociology, Visual or Performing Arts. We do have a Recognition of Prior Learning procedure for prospective students who may not meet the formal requirements, but have significant experience in the field of arts practice or management.

Monica Newton, a creative industries researcher and strategist manages the programme under the leadership of Professor Cynthia Kros who is the Head of Division.

For more information please contact mnewton@mweb.co.za or Sao.mendes@wits.ac.za

Queries: Monica Newton (mnewton@mweb.co.za)

Heritage Studies Programme

It’s a one year programme from February to February (except in the case of the PG Diploma) designed to give you critical, creative and hands on skills for the Heritage sector.

Public Culture is the compulsory core course offering you an opportunity to explore the latest theories and debates about culture, publics, the politics of memory, museums, intangible culture, cultural heritage landscapes, the ethics of dealing with human remains and more. It includes visits to local museums and heritage sites.

Choose two/ three electives – from Arts and Culture offerings, cognate disciplines for which you may be eligible or from Heritage/Art History. Heritage offers a course in the theory and practice of archives with an internship (Master’s level only). Heritage/Art History jointly offer a course on Curating Exhibitions also with an internship. Honours students are required to do three electives, Master’s students do two electives.

These courses, with the exception of the Theory and Practice of Archives are offered at Post graduate Diploma, Honours and Master levels.

Long Essay/ Research Report – compulsory for the Honours and Master’s versions of this programme respectively. We offer supervision in a variety of heritage topics. Some of the most recent – The Joy of Jazz Festival, the Silence of the Zimbabwean National Archives on the Gukahurundi massacre, civic engagement in Sophiatown, the history of Newtown as cultural precinct.

Eligibility

Generally students will need to have achieved at least 65% in their majors or in an Honours degree to get in at the appropriate level and the undergraduate degree would have to have been in a cognate discipline - Archaeology, Architecture and Town Planning, Anthropology, History, Art History, Political Studies, Sociology, Visual or Performing Arts. We do have a Recognition of Prior Learning procedure for prospective students who may not meet the formal requirements.

Prof Cynthia Kros, historian and heritage specialist directs this programme.

For more information please contact Cynthia.kros@wits.ac.za or Sao.mendes@wits.ac.za