Ranking
1st
Graduate Market Report 2024
Course overview
Discover how the past can be used today and preserved for future generations. Prepare for and enhance your career in the Heritage sector by gaining expert knowledge and practical experience.
How can heritage organisations balance business need with a commitment to historic truth? How do you decide which elements of the past to preserve and present to the public? Learn from our Heritage experts, who have practical experience working in this industry, and develop the skills to answer these questions and be a successful professional in this sector.
Course structure
The course runs over 12 months full-time.
September - December (11 weeks)
Students normally take three modules per term in the first two terms.
There are two hours of seminar time per module per week, and an emphasis on guided independent learning.
One-third of your degree is your dissertation. You begin planning and submit a proposal for your dissertation during term one.
Course highlights
You’ll take a global approach to heritage, giving you the ability to compare and contrast best practice from across the world. You’ll benefit from our national and international partnerships with government, third sector, NGOs and charitable organisations.
These include UK heritage organisations such as Chatsworth House, Historic England, Ironbridge Gorge Museums Trust and the National Trust. Our international partnerships include Biltmore Estate (US), Nemours Estate (US) and Indian Institute for Heritage. Get involved with placements and internships and benefit from teaching and specialist lectures from leading industry experts to take your practice to the next level.
- Engage with current heritage professionals, who will provide practical insights to enhance your career journey.
- This programme goes beyond subject boundaries, providing you with a qualification in heritage and its management while offering you the chance to study topics from other areas - including archaeology or art history - to enhance your learning.
- Meet people from all over the world and put your heritage knowledge into a global context.
- Take your learning from the classroom to the real world with a placement. Work with museums, archives or historic houses and gain valuable industry experience.
Connections to national and international heritage organisations.
Learn key skills like how to create an exhibition and how to manage a heritage site.
Practical placement opportunities to enhance your career prospects.
Prepare for your future career
Discover the key skills needed to successfully manage heritage sites, like project management, managing volunteers and an awareness of sustainability in the heritage sector. Put these skills into practice with our placement opportunities with one of our industry partners.
Our MA in International Heritage Management ensures you’ll gain real world skills and knowledge of the areas of heritage management which interest you most. What’s more, you can tailor your degree to your chosen specialism by combining the heritage modules with optional modules in history, archaeology, art history, or African studies and anthropology. Develop your theoretical knowledge whilst you learn skills like how to pull together an exhibition and how to manage a heritage site.
Course delivery
At Birmingham, research and teaching go hand-in-hand. Lecturers and professors continue to research in their field, offering valuable expertise in History and Heritage.
- Taught modules - each module represents a total of 200 hours of study time, including preparatory reading, homework and assignment preparation.
- Seminars – modules are mainly taught by small group teaching.
- Dissertation – you'll undertake a 12,000-word dissertation in an area that interests you.
Module information
The programme comprises 120 credits of taught modules and a 60-credit dissertation. Modules run for one term, and each module involves a two-hour weekly seminar which you’ll need to attend.
The modules listed for this programme are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods.
The optional module information listed for this programme is intended to be indicative, and the availability of optional modules may vary from year to year. Where a module is no longer available we will let you know as soon as we can and help you to make other choices.
2025/26 Session
The following must be taken:
| Module Title | Credits | Semester |
|---|---|---|
| LM Critical Approaches to Heritage | 20 | Semester 1 |
| LM Dissertation International Institute for Cultural Heritage DL | 60 | Full Term |
| LM Heritage Conservation Management | 20 | Semester 1 |
| LM Research Preparation | 20 | Semester 2 |
| LM The Business of Heritage | 20 | Semester 1 |
Students must choose 40 credits of optional modules, 20 from each semester.
This list is indicative: not all modules will run each year due to staff availability.
Entry requirements
To gain a place at Birmingham you will need to meet our general entry requirements, as well as those specific to your course. Your application will be reviewed by the course’s Admissions Tutor, who will decide whether your application should receive an offer.
- 2:1 Honours Degree
in a relevant subject
You should have, or expect to get, a 2:1 Honours degree in a relevant subject. We can also consider relevant equivalent study or professional experience.
You don't need previous experience of the subject, but we'd expect to see evidence of engagement with or enthusiasm about heritage in your personal statement.
English language requirements
If you are an international student, you will need to demonstrate you have a suitable level of English proficiency, usually through the form of an IELTS or equivalent qualification.
For this course we require IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any band, which is equivalent to:
- TOEFL: 88 overall with no less than 21 in Reading, 20 Listening, 22 Speaking and 21 in Writing
- Pearson Test of English (PTE): Academic 67 with no less than 64 in all four skills
- Cambridge English: C1 Advanced - minimum overall score of 176, with no less than 169 in any component
- LanguageCert ESOL SELT (UKVI): B2 'Communicator' with no less than 33 in each skill
English Presessional Programmes
Improve your knowledge of spoken and written English in preparation for studying at Birmingham with our pre-sessional English courses. If you have a conditional offer, you can take one of these courses as an alternative to retaking IELTS or other similar qualifications.
Fees and scholarships
- £10,900
Full-time
We charge an annual tuition fee. Fees for 2025 entry are above.
The fees quoted are for one year only; for those studying courses over two or more years, tuition fees will also be payable in subsequent years of your programme.
Paying your tuition fees
Tuition fees can either be paid in full or by instalments. You can check whether you are eligible for UK or international fees with our admissions team.
Learn more about postgraduate tuition fees and funding.
Postgraduate Masters Loan
To help with the cost of studies, this loan is available to all UK students. You can use this loan towards fees, maintenance or other costs at your own discretion. It’s available for all full-time, part-time and distance learning Masters programmes, as long as you don’t already have a Masters qualification (or equivalent).If you’re a student from Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, you can apply for Masters loans from your country’s government.
Scholarships
To help you afford your studies, we’ve put more than £33 million into student support and scholarships. We also offer a range of advice on searching for funding and managing your finances.
Birmingham Masters Scholarships
We want to welcome the brightest talent to our postgraduate community. That’s why our Birmingham Masters Scholarships award £3,000 to more than 300 students each year.
Application process
To apply for a postgraduate programme, you will need to submit your application and supporting documents online.
Select whether you are a UK student or an international student for relevant application deadlines.
- 31 August 2025
Application deadline for UK and non-tier 4 applicants. We will close applications as soon as the programme is full. Early applications are encouraged.
We have put together some helpful information on the taught programme application process and supporting documents. Please read this information carefully before completing your application.
Career opportunities
By studying a postgraduate degree in History or Heritage at Birmingham, you’ll develop transferable skills suited to a range of career paths. These skills include the ability to collate together information, strong written and verbal communication skills, and analytical skills.
Our History and Heritage graduates enter many roles, including:
- Events and Exhibitions Assistant and Heritage Guide
- Project Development Researcher
- Collections Assistant
Employers our History and Heritage graduates have worked for include:
- English Heritage
- Historic England
- Cottonwood Mansion Museum
The University is the top choice for the UK's major employers searching for graduate recruits [The Graduate Market in 2024, High Fliers report].
Receive one-to-one careers advice, including guidance on your job applications, writing your CV and improving your interview technique.
Meet employers face-to-face at on-campus recruitment fairs and employer presentations.
Careers Network
Get ready for tomorrow, with advice, guidance and opportunities at every step of your studies. From developing new skills to preparing for a PhD, our Careers Network can help you gain an advantage in the job market or advance in your field.
Whatever you plan to do after your degree, the Careers Network offers a range of events and support services including networking opportunities, career coaching, one-to-one guidance, careers fairs and links with leading graduate recruiters. We also offer subject-specific careers consultants and a dedicated careers website for international students.
Student experience
At Birmingham, your university experience isn’t just about studying. You will have the opportunity to discover new experiences, develop different skills and make friends for life.
Our bustling campus with its beautiful grounds, friendly community and excellent facilities will quickly make you feel at home. We offer you a huge variety of accommodation options in the UK’s second city, exciting activities to get involved in outside your studies, as well as all the support and advice you need.
Accommodation
Coming to Birmingham to study might be your first time living away from home. Our student accommodation will allow you to enjoy your independence in safe, welcoming and sociable surroundings.
Living in Birmingham
As one of the original pioneering cities, Birmingham has developed into a melting pot for shopping, food and drink, nightlife, sport, culture, and industry. It’s no wonder our students fall in love with the city.
Campus life
Our green and spacious campus is the place where our diverse community comes together to learn, relax and socialise. Like a town of its own, just minutes from the hustle and bustle of the UK’s second city.
Student support
Whoever you are and wherever you come from, we are committed to providing the best possible support to all of our students, both before you start and throughout your time on campus, so that you can get the most out of your university experience.
Take a virtual tour
Explore our beautiful campus from wherever you are. Get a feel for the wide range of historic and modern spaces and state-of-the-art facilities.