2026-27 entry

Cultural Heritage Management MA

School of History, Philosophy and Digital Humanities, Faculty of Arts and Humanities

Learn about cultural heritage and develop skills to address the challenges facing the historic environment in a dynamic global context.
  • Start date
    September 2026
  • Duration
    1 year
  • Attendance
    Full-time
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Explore this course:

    Apply now for 2026 entry or register your interest to find out about postgraduate study and events at the University of Sheffield.

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    Course description

    We're currently reviewing the title and structure of this course and there may be changes to core and/or optional modules. If you apply and are made an offer for this course we will be in touch once any changes are approved.

    This course provides students with the knowledge and skills needed to address challenges in global cultural heritage. You have the opportunity to develop skills necessary to work in the heritage industry and beyond, and to learn about debates and challenges in heritage management, digital heritage, archaeology, and the creative industries.

    We build our courses around real-world challenges. Our students contribute their own broad interests and expertise to debates and issues, ranging from sustainability to popular representations of the past. Students visit cultural heritage sites and meet with professionals in the sector.

    Graduates in cultural heritage studies at Sheffield go on to work in the heritage industry, in local government and in academia.

    Modules

    We're revising the curriculum of this course for this year of entry and are in the process of confirming the modules. The information on this page gives you an idea of the areas we expect the course to cover. There may be changes before you start. From May of the year of entry, formal programme regulations will be available in our Programme Regulations Finder.

    The content of our courses is reviewed annually to make sure it's up-to-date and relevant. Individual modules are occasionally updated or withdrawn. This is in response to discoveries through our world-leading research; funding changes; professional accreditation requirements; student or employer feedback; outcomes of reviews; and variations in staff or student numbers. In the event of any change we will inform students and take reasonable steps to minimise disruption.

    Open days

    Interested in postgraduate taught study? Register your interest in studying at Sheffield or attend an event throughout the year to find out what makes studying at here special.

    Duration

    1 year, full time

    Teaching

    Cultural heritage is a dynamic field, and this is reflected in the variety of teaching on the course. You can expect a balanced timetable of lectures, seminars and workshops.

    Many of our classes include a fieldwork or project-based component, which will take you out of the classroom to explore the rich historic environment of Sheffield and its surrounding area.

    We integrate humanities and science-based approaches to nurture a deeper understanding of the past and present. You’ll have the opportunity to explore different viewpoints and contribute your own expertise within our vibrant, multidisciplinary student community..

    We'll help you to apply what you learn to real-world challenges, and to develop skills you can use beyond university. What we ask of you, as a member of our lively academic community, is that you challenge, question and explore. 

    Fieldwork

    All our masters students have the option to get involved in research projects – in the UK, Europe and elsewhere.

    Assessment

    Your assessments will include essays, project work, creative tasks and a dissertation.

    Your career

    Cultural heritage graduates are valued by employers from many different sectors. These include charities, finance, retail and administration, teaching, environmental work, and of course the heritage sector, universities, museums, archaeology parks, national and local government.

    Employers increasingly recognise that in addition to rigorous academic training within an unusually broad-based framework, the study of cultural heritage also provides students with a variety of sought-after practical skills and the ability to work both independently and as part of a team.

    Recent cultural heritage graduates have gone on to work as:

    • Heritage and wellbeing lead
    • Museum staff
    • Historic buildings project officer
    • Heritage consultant
    • PhD researcher
    • Researcher and lecturer
    • Commercial field archaeologist
    • Deputy business manager

    School

    School of History, Philosophy and Digital Humanities

    A masters degree is the perfect way to extend your love of archaeological studies and take it to the next level.

    In the School of History, Philosophy and Digital Humanities, we interrogate some of the most significant and pressing aspects of human life, offering new perspectives and tackling globally significant issues.

    As a postgraduate history student at Sheffield you’ll be taught by historians who are engaged in cutting-edge research in a huge variety of fields which range from 1000 BCE right up to the twenty-first century and encompasses traditional historians and expert archaeologists. This diversity feeds into a vibrant and varied curriculum which allows students to pursue their interests across both space and time, from the ancient Middle East to modern day Europe, and from fifteenth-century human sacrifice to twentieth-century genocide.

    You'll join a thriving and supportive postgraduate community which organises a wide variety of social and research events to help you feel fully immersed in our community and allow you to share your ideas, challenge your thinking and broaden your understanding.

    Entry requirements

    Minimum 2:1 undergraduate honours degree in a relevant subject.

    Subject requirements

    Your degree should be in an Arts and Humanities or Social Sciences subject.

    View an indicative list of degree titles we would consider

    We also consider a wide range of international qualifications:

    Entry requirements for international students

    We assess each application on the basis of the applicant’s preparation and achievement as a whole. We may accept applicants whose qualifications don’t meet the published entry criteria but have other experience relevant to the course.

    The lists of required degree subjects and modules are indicative only.  Sometimes we may accept subjects or modules that aren’t listed, and sometimes we may not accept subjects or modules that are listed, depending on the content studied.

    English language requirements

    IELTS 6.5 (with 6 in each component) or University equivalent

    Other English language qualifications we accept

    Other requirements

    We will not ask you to provide references or referee details as part of your application.

    We do not require a supporting statement for this programme.

    Pathway programme for international students

    If you're an international student who does not meet the entry requirements for this course, you have the opportunity to apply for a pre-masters programme in Business, Social Sciences and Humanities at the University of Sheffield International College. This course is designed to develop your English language and academic skills. Upon successful completion, you can progress to degree level study at the University of Sheffield.

    If you have any questions about entry requirements, please contact the school.

    Fees and funding

    Studentships

    If you accept a place on a course, you may be eligible to apply for White Rose College of the Arts and Humanities (WRoCAH) and University of Sheffield studentships. We also offer a number of department and course-specific scholarships.

    Funding for postgraduate taught courses

    Alumni discount

    Save up to £2,500 on your course fees

    Are you a Sheffield graduate? You could save up to £2,500 on your postgraduate taught course fees, subject to eligibility.

    Apply

    You can apply now using our Postgraduate Online Application Form. It's a quick and easy process.

    Apply now

    Contact

    Start a conversation with us – you can get in touch by email, telephone or online chat.

    Contacts for prospective students

    Any supervisors and research areas listed are indicative and may change before the start of the course.

    Our student protection plan

    Recognition of professional qualifications: from 1 January 2021, in order to have any UK professional qualifications recognised for work in an EU country across a number of regulated and other professions you need to apply to the host country for recognition. Read information from the UK government and the EU Regulated Professions Database.