Heritage and Exhibition Design MFA



Explore the development of public spaces, civic amenities and heritage sites through applied principles of exhibition and display.

Course overview

The MFA Heritage and Exhibition Design will develop your understanding of core aspects of heritage, exhibition, and museum design, as well as site-specific interpretive installations in Scotland’s vibrant and extensive heritage sector.

Part of a community of practice, this course benefits from bringing together designers from a range of disciplines into core modules, as well as modules specific to your chosen pathway such as 'Interpretation & Design' and 'Design for Heritage & Culture'.

A core part of the degree is focused on self-directed learning in the modules Guided Studio Practice and Advanced Studio Practice. In these modules you will explore your own practice and develop the skills necessary to produce a major output to be included in our annual Degree Show.

The MFA is recognised as an advanced masters level degree and students already holding an appropriate MA can apply to enter directly into the second year of study.

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Mode of Study:

Part-time (also available Full-time)

Duration:

4 years

Course details

The City of Edinburgh is the perfect location for the MFA Heritage and Exhibition Design. Edinburgh is a UNESCO world heritage site, and arguably one of the most picturesque cities in the UK. Its world famous medieval Old Town has hundreds of historic sites, buildings, and monuments. The Regency New Town boasts some of the most import neo-classical buildings in the world. Beyond Edinburgh, we have access to Scotland’s extensive heritage industry with thousands of historic sites and buildings. Developing exhibition, interpretative and practical production skills, you will learn how to create visitor experiences and installations in key historic areas. With a strong sense of integrity, you will develop an understanding of and sensitivity to the authenticity and preservation of historic sites for visitors.

The four-year part-time MFA offers students the opportunity to extend project work through in-depth, research-led creative enquiry. Part-time routes are negotiated but it is expected that in your first year you will study taught modules with your peers on the taught MA courses. In the second year you will focus on the self-directed 60-credit module Guided Studio Practice where you will work to build a significant output for our annual Degree Show. Your third year will focus on taught modules that will expand your skill set. In the fourth and final year you will use the 60-credit module Advanced Studio Practice to develop and demonstrate your personal practice.

Colleagues teaching on the course are actively engaged in research, knowledge exchange and/or consultancy work. You will study a range of topics and given the opportunity to explore and develop new skills. Your studies will explore the latest theories and thinking around heritage and exhibition design as well as being applied in the production of real-world artefacts. Our well-equipped workshops will allow you to manifest your most ambitious ideas.

Popular modules

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    How you’ll be taught

    The programme uses practice-based learning, workshops, seminars, lectures, guest speakers and supported online learning in which core knowledge and understanding of design are developed and assessed in tandem with their specific application to your own individual projects.

    Our degrees are designed to fit around your life. We schedule modules on specific days, currently Monday and Friday. This means that if you are studying part-time it is possible to complete the course attending one day a week. Many part-time students find that their employers are sympathetic to this study pattern.
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    Assessments

     Assessment is through studio modules where practice-based student output is collated as a portfolio presentation.
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    Work placement

     You will choose a subject specific pathways and develop working linkages with practitioners in complementing fields of expertise that can be extended beyond your studies in professional spheres.
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    Facilities

    This course is taught in person at our Merchiston campus.

    All design programmes in the School of Arts & Creative Industries are delivered in studio learning environments.

Disclaimer

Study modules mentioned above are indicative only. Some changes may occur between now and the time that you study.

Full information is available in our disclaimer.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

The entry requirement for this course is a Bachelor (Honours) Degree at 2:2 or above in an art & design or related discipline (architecture, creative computing & engineering design)

We may also consider lesser qualifications if you have sufficient professional work experience within the industry. 

The University does not sponsor students to study on part-time programmes in the UK under the Student Visa route. International Applicants must therefore have other valid immigration leave to study on this programme.

 

English language

If your first language isn't English, you'll normally need to undertake an approved English language test and our minimum English language requirements will apply.

This may not apply if you have completed all your school qualifications in English, or your undergraduate degree was taught and examined in English (within two years of starting your postgraduate course). Check our country pages to find out if this applies to you.
We welcome applications from students studying a wide range of international qualifications.
Entry requirements by country

Please note that international students are unable to enrol onto the following courses:
  • BM Midwifery/MM Midwifery
  • MSc Nursing courses
  • All Graduate Apprenticeship courses

See who can apply for more information on Graduate Apprenticeship courses.

We’re committed to admitting students who have the potential to succeed and benefit from our programmes of study. 

Our admissions policies will help you understand our admissions procedures, and how we use the information you provide us in your application to inform the decisions we make.

Undergraduate admissions policies
Postgraduate admissions policies

Fees & funding

The course fees you'll pay and the funding available to you will depend on a number of factors including your nationality, location, personal circumstances and the course you are studying. We also have a number of bursaries and scholarships available to our students.

Tuition fees
Students from 2026/27 2027/28
Scotland, England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Republic of Ireland £5,960 tba
Overseas and EU £14,030 tba

You study this course over two academic years, fees listed are per annum.

Tuition fees are subject to an annual review and may increase from one year to the next. For more information on this and other tuition fee matters, please see our Fees and Funding links above.

Please note that the tuition fees liable to be paid by EU nationals commencing their studies from 1 August 2021 will be the Overseas fee rate. The University offers a range of attractive Tuition Fee bursaries to students resident in specific countries. More information on these can be found here.


Careers & employability

Graduates from this programme can pursue careers in: 

  • the heritage and museum sector
  • exhibition design
  • interpretation design
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