Location:

London, United Kingdom

Program Type:

Full Degree

Degree Level:

Master

Specialty:

Business Administration & Management

Program Overview

Program Description:

This is a full year program that runs from October 2022 through October 2023. The regular decision application deadline is May 2, 2022. Please visit our site for more information on the application process.

Become an art business expert through the in-depth exploration of art markets and management.

The Master’s degree in Art Business offers a unique opportunity to study the art market both online and right in the center of the cultural and commercial art world: London. It provides students with an academic but highly practical understanding of those areas considered most important by art world professionals and employers: finance and management; law and ethics; and global art market dynamics. The MA in Art Business provides students with the necessary theories and skills to enable them to develop both a critical and practical understanding of art business. Students are also equipped with the necessary mathematical skills to enable them to engage in sophisticated financial analysis and business planning. Graduates of this program will thus emerge with the ability to place the art object within both its aesthetic and commercial context, and to discuss the legal/ethical implications of its historical provenance and current location.

Students will be assessed through coursework, which will typically include essays, individual and group presentations, projects, a written exam, and a final academic or practice based dissertation.

Academic Structure

The MA in Art Business was the first program of its kind and our innovative curriculum continues to set the industry standard. The Master’s degree is awarded for 120 taught credits across two semesters, as well as the completion of a 60-credit dissertation over the course of an additional semester. The program is of twelve months’ duration.

The first two semesters are intensively taught on three to four days per week. All students attend lectures, usually followed by a one-hour seminar. After seminars, students have access to tutors for individual instruction. In the first semester, Art Futures (15 Credits) brings students from different MAs together for an exploration of the art world of the future, with particular emphasis on technology, sustainability, inclusion and the politics of cultural property (restitution). In Professional Practice (15 credits) students are introduced to professional art world skills and career options and to a variety of research methodologies within the field of art business. During the program, specialist electives can be chosen from across all Institute Master’s programs, allowing a student to build a personalized Master’s profile. Students take two 15-credit electives across a variety of offerings for deeper expertise or to develop specialties. Core units (60 credits) for the Art Business degree include Art Business: Management and Finance and International Art World.

For the MA degree, students must complete the 60-credit dissertation in their third semester. During this final semester there is no formal teaching, with students researching their dissertation topics under the guidance of individual supervisors. At the start of the program, students are allocated a personal tutor who supports their academic and personal development throughout. Lectures are given by members of the faculty as well as by consultants whose main work is within the art world, thus facilitating networking opportunities.

Setting Description:

Found in the heart of Bloomsbury, the London campus is at the center of one of the world’s most important art capitals. The Institute is situated in Bedford Square, built between 1775 and 1783, one of the best preserved Georgian squares in London with a private central garden. The London Institute is part of the ‘larger academy’ of Bedford Square, located next door to premier educational institutions such as the Architectural Association and the Paul Mellon Centre, with the University of London and the British Museum in the neighbouring square. Sotheby’s auction house, the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery and the Royal Academy Of Arts? are a few minutes’ walk away. The Institute is also close to Mayfair, the traditional center of the London art market, where many dealers and galleries are located.

Additional Program Information

Accreditation:

Degrees from the London Institute are validated by the University of Manchester