Art Business MA
Subject and course type
- Creative Arts
- Creative Professions
- Postgraduate
Kingston University’s Art Business MA will give you the key skills and knowledge needed to pursue a rewarding career in the world of art. You’ll understand global art markets in the context of their ever-changing artistic, cultural and economic environments.
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Give your creativity the commercial edge
Study the UK’s only Art Business MA of its kind.
Studying this MA in Art Business at Kingston University will give you the commercial acumen to secure roles in galleries, auction houses, insurance and more. You might even graduate ready to set up and manage your own gallery or collection.
Through high quality, interdisciplinary teaching, you’ll gain insights, develop practical skills and hone your academic rigour. You’ll explore core business and legal concepts alongside industry-specific knowledge, preparing for the diverse professional landscape you’ll enter when you graduate.
During the course, you’ll benefit from being close to London – Europe's art market capital. You’ll learn from both rising and established art market practitioners, and have opportunities to visit a range of galleries, auction houses and art fairs.
Because Kingston School of Art and Business School deliver this course in partnership, you’ll learn in a uniquely creative, stimulating environment. This is the only course of its kind in the UK.
The course is all about meeting professionals from the industry and learning from them, rather than just studying theoretical disciplines. We had dozens of guest speakers and almost all of them were senior managers from amazing organisations like Christie's, Gagosian and Hauser & Wirth.
Why choose this course
While you study, you’ll benefit from top quality teaching at Kingston University. Not only are we ranked Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework, our teaching staff have close professional links to keep your studies relevant to the changing work environment.
Keen to engage with the industry through an internship or work placement? Our partnership with the Society of Fine Art Auctioneers will help you find opportunities with contemporary art galleries, PR agencies and other organisations across the UK.
Kingston University has two on-site galleries, Dorich House and the Stanley Picker Gallery. We’re also a 30-minute train journey away from internationally acclaimed galleries and auction houses in London, including Tate Britain, the V&A, Sotheby’s, Christie’s and more.
Plus, you’ll experience the art market first-hand with trips to TEFAF in Maastricht and Art Basel. Other trips include visits to auction houses, market dealers, shippers, collections and foundations across London.
You’ll also have access to our learning resource centre (LRC) at Knights Park. Here, you’ll find specialist book and journal collections, a range of electronic resources and a large slide collection.
The Art School Experience
As part of Kingston School of Art, students on this course benefit from joining a creative community where we encourage collaborative working and critical practice.
Our workshops and studios are open to all disciplines, enabling students and staff to work together, share ideas and explore multi-disciplinary making.
Course content
You will benefit from a systematic approach to understanding the core functions of the art market across different sectors and geographies, understanding the importance of pre-modern markets and learning about the complexities of today's international art market. This will allow you to cater your studies to your individual needs and future career interests.
The History of the Art Market focuses your understanding of past and present art business practices and changes to the art market over the past 400 years. Object Analysis & Appraisal will teach you how to handle and value an artwork: how an art work is catalogued, its commercial value established and what happens during the process of selling a work of art. Art valuation classes are through lively and hands-on workshops and seminar sessions with teaching staff and art market professionals.
Through the Business and Art module, delivered at Kingston Business School, you will understand the complex and dynamic relationship between art and commerce. You will be taught the latest business practices, which will be tied to the context of the commercial art world.
Modules
This course gives you both an overview of the art market business and the opportunity to gain detailed knowledge in a specific area of fine art and collectibles.
Fundamental to the course are modules which introduce you to wide-ranging subjects, from connoisseurship, object identification and authentication to cataloguing.
The modules will enhance your business practice skills, and through the research element of the programme, you'll develop your critical analysis skills as well as detailed knowledge within a chosen specialist area.
Core modules
30.00 credits
This module introduces you to the history of the art market, an interdisciplinary academic discipline of great dynamism. It draws attention to the developments of the key agents in the art market within their historical perspective, such as notion of patronage, distribution channels for works of art and the auction and dealer systems. The module emphasises the way in which the European phenomena of collecting and exchange were globalised in the 20th century and continue to develop in multiple ways in the 21st century. The module guides you through the resources available for research into the history of the art market and introduces you to the cross-disciplinary skills involving economic, political and collecting histories, which are necessary to develop a rounded understanding of the subject. On completion you should achieve a new perspective upon the history of art within its markets, integrating the aesthetic and the economic. Taught through a series of lectures and seminars, it is assessed by presentation and a critical essay. Independent learning skills will be developed throughout the module, through directed reading and study visits.
30 credits
This module introduces students to the specifics of object analysis and valuation within a primary and secondary market context. Students will examine and critically analyse objects for different purposes, and examine the role of different stakeholders within the market, including gallerists, auction houses and collectors. The module is delivered through a series of lectures, seminars and debates and built around contributions from visiting professional practitioners. The module is assessed through a practical investigative exercise involving the research for and production of an auction catalogue in which the practice of valuation is thoroughly explored. Students will submit an individual catalogue.
60 credits
This module is designed to break down the barriers between art and commerce, blending these dual imperatives to fulfil and sustain personal passions and the aesthetic, while building sustainable revenue streams and investment. This module considers the elements of commercialising art in its broadest sense, and building and managing an arts-based business within current local and global environments. The module will react to current opportunities and challenges affecting the broader economy and the art market in particular with a special emphasis on technology and innovation, sustainability and governance. It also considers the role and opportunities presented by art within businesses and the broader commercial environment.
60 credits
The Major Project is the capstone module of the Masters programme. Focusing on critical research, analysis, and presentation, the capstone project enables students to synthesise and apply the knowledge and skills they have acquired throughout the course. The module provides students with an extensive programme of training and resources which are designed to aid them in the development, planning, research, and writing of their projects. It brings together students from several MA programmes in the School of Critical Studies and Creative Industries and embeds a range of interdisciplinary and practice-led approaches to their respective fields of study. It provides students with the opportunity to craft their own approach to their field through critical-theoretical and/or creative, practice-based research. The Major Project can accommodate research projects developed through a range of academic and professional contexts depending on the motivation and interests of the student. It can be presented either as a written dissertation or as a creative project, such as a portfolio comprising a chosen medium or media, accompanied by a critical commentary. The intensity of the workload increases across the three teaching blocks, allowing increasing focus in line with the level of your expertise.
Optional modules
120 credits
The Professional Placement module is a core module for those students following a masters programme that incorporates professional placement learning, following completion of 120 credits. It provides you with the opportunity to apply your knowledge and skills to an appropriate working environment, and to develop and enhance key employability skills and subject-specific professional skills in your chosen subject. You may wish to use the placement experience as a platform for your subsequent major project module, and would be expected to use it to help inform your decisions about future careers.
Additional year with placement
Many postgraduate courses at Kingston University allow students to do a 12-month work placement as part of their course. The responsibility for finding the work placement is with the student; we cannot guarantee the work placement, just the opportunity to undertake it. As the work placement is an assessed part of the course, it is covered by a student's Student Route visa.
Find out more about the postgraduate work placement scheme.
Career opportunities
After you graduate
You’ll complete this course with globally recognised knowledge and skills. Many of our international graduates return to their home countries to apply their learnings. Some progress to roles in commercial galleries, major auction houses, and art insurance. Others have set up galleries and online platforms, managed collections and advised collectors.
Industry experts
During the course, you’ll have the opportunity to hear from a wide range of art market professionals. Previous speakers include valuation and art insurance experts, PR professionals, Christie's Auction House, independent evaluators, valuers, appraisers, gallerists, artists, fair organisers and recruitment agencies.
Research with impact
Many of our staff are active in research, which means they bring the latest thinking and best practice to your studies. Our research culture covers the critical practices of fine artists, curators, cultural commentators, historians, designers, filmmakers and architects.
Teaching and assessment
The course is assessed through a mix of academic essays, seminar papers and presentations, case studies, and a major research-based project or dissertation. There are no written exams, but a focus on coursework only.
When not attending timetabled sessions, you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. This typically involves reading and analysing articles, regulations, policy documents and key texts, documenting individual projects, preparing coursework assignments and completing your PEDRs, etc.
Your independent learning is supported by a range of excellent facilities including online resources, the library and CANVAS, the University's online virtual learning platform.
At Kingston University, we know that postgraduate students have particular needs and therefore we have a range of support available to help you during your time here.
A course is made up of modules, and each module is worth a number of credits. You must pass a given number of credits in order to achieve the award you registered on, for example 360 credits for a typical undergraduate course or 180 credits for a typical postgraduate course. The number of credits you need for your award is detailed in the programme specification which you can access from the link at the bottom of this page.
One credit equates to 10 hours of study. Therefore 180 credits across a year (typical for a postgraduate course) would equate to 1,800 notional hours. These hours are split into scheduled and guided. On this course, the percentage of that time that will be scheduled learning and teaching activities is shown below. The remainder is made up of guided independent study.
- 11% scheduled learning and teaching
The exact balance between scheduled learning and teaching and guided independent study will be informed by the modules you take.
Your course will primarily be delivered in person. It may include delivery of some activities online, either in real time or recorded.
Assessment typically comprises exams (e.g. test or exam), practical (e.g. presentations, performance) and coursework (e.g. essays, reports, self-assessment, portfolios, dissertation).
The approximate percentage for how you will be assessed on this course is as follows, though depends to some extent on the optional modules you choose:
- 100% coursework
We aim to provide feedback on assessments within 20 working days.
To give you an indication of class sizes, this course normally enrols between 15 and 20 students. This can vary by academic year and study mode.
Fees and funding
| Fee category | Fee |
|---|---|
| Home (UK students) | |
| Full Time | £13,500 |
| Part Time | £7,425 |
| International | |
| Full Time | £22,800 |
| Part Time | £12,540 |
| Fee category | Fee |
|---|---|
| Home (UK students) | |
| Full Time | £12,900 |
| Part Time | £7,095 |
| International | |
| Full Time | £21,900 |
| Part Time | £12,045 |
Funding support for postgraduate students
If you are a UK student living in England and under 60, you can apply for a loan to study for a postgraduate degree on the government's website.
Scholarships and bursaries
Interested in studying Art Business MA at Kingston? The following funding support is available:
Get a 40% reduction in fees for taught masters or postgraduate diploma courses with September start dates. Find out more.
Receive up to £5,000 towards tuition in your first year of study. Find out more.
Get a 15% reduction in tuition fees. Find out more.
Kingston University offers a 10% discount on full- and part-time postgraduate degree course tuition fees to our alumni. Visit our alumni discount page to find out more.
Additional course costs
Some courses may require additional costs beyond tuition fees. When planning your studies, you’ll want to consider tuition fees, living costs, and any extra costs that might relate to your area of study.
Your tuition fees include costs for teaching, assessment and university facilities. So your access to libraries, shared IT resources and various student support services are all covered. Accommodation and general living expenses are not covered by these fees.
Where applicable, additional expenses for your course may include:
Our libraries have an extensive collection of books and journals, as well as open-access computers and laptops available to rent. However, you may want to buy your own computer or personal copies of key textbooks. Textbooks may range from £50 to £250 per year. And a personal computer can range from £100 to £3,000 depending on your course requirements.
While most coursework is submitted online, some modules may require printed copies. You may want to allocate up to £100 per year for hard-copies of your coursework. It’s worth noting that 3D printing is never compulsory. So if you choose to use our 3D printers, you’ll need to pay for the material. This ranges from 3p per gram to 40p per gram.
Kingston University will pay for all compulsory field trips. Fees for optional trips can range from £30 to £350 per trip.
Your tuition fees don’t cover travel costs. To save on travel costs, you can use our free intersite bus service. This route links the campuses and halls of residence with local train stations - Surbiton, Kingston upon Thames, and Norbiton.
How to apply
Before you apply
Please read the entry criteria carefully to make sure you meet all requirements before applying.
How to apply online
Use the course selector drop down at the top of this page to choose your preferred course, start date and mode, then click 'Apply now'. You will be taken to our Online Student Information System (OSIS) where you will complete your application.
If you’re starting a new application, you’ll need to select ‘new user’ and set up a username and password. This will allow you to save and return to your application.
Application deadlines
We encourage you to apply as soon as possible. Applications will close when the course is full.
After you apply
If the admission tutor wants to see your portfolio, we will email asking you to upload your zipped portfolio to the OSIS portal within three weeks. If we need more information or want to invite you for an interview, we will be in touch directly. After that you will then hear whether your application has been successful.
Course changes and regulations
The information on this page reflects the currently intended course structure and module details. To improve your student experience and the quality of your degree, we may review and change the material information of this course. Course changes explained.
Programme Specifications for the course are published ahead of each academic year.
Regulations governing this course can be found on our website.
What our students and graduates say
The course at Kingston was instrumental for what I am doing today. It taught me about the dynamics, history and stories of the art market. We also looked at issues on issues on authenticity, connoisseurship, collecting and auction business. All this continues to help me inspire my team, as we build the next logical step in art dealing history: a database to systematise the private art market.
The course gave me the chance to survey the art market from lots of different perspectives. By the end of the year I'd worked out what I really wanted to do - work for a contemporary art gallery, nurturing and promoting artists. This is exactly where I am now, thanks to the opportunities that opened up to me while I was researching my dissertation.
