BA (Honours) in Curating - Including Foundation Year in Colchester United Kingdom | University of Essex

Our four-year BA Curating program (including a foundation year) is ideal if you don't currently meet the entry requirements for our three-year course and need to strengthen both your subject knowledge and academic skills. The five-year option additionally provides an opportunity to study abroad during your fourth year.

This program begins with a foundation year (Year Zero), followed by either three or four additional years of study (including a study abroad year for the five-year track). In Year Zero, you'll explore three academic subjects related to your chosen field alongside a mandatory academic skills module, with extra English language support available for non-native speakers.

Upon successfully completing Year Zero through our Essex Pathways Department, you'll advance to complete your degree with our School of Philosophical, Historical and Interdisciplinary Studies.

Our BA Curating blends theoretical learning with practical museum and gallery experience. In the classroom, you'll study key art history developments - fundamental knowledge for aspiring curators. You'll also examine exhibition design history and theory, focusing on how curatorial decisions influence visitor experiences with displayed artworks and objects.

The Essex Collection of Art from Latin America (ESCALA), Europe's most extensive Latin American art collection, provides hands-on opportunities to practice artwork installation. Beyond developing practical skills, these experiences reveal how curatorial choices affect the narratives created when artworks are displayed together.

Regular faculty-led visits to London's museums and galleries will keep you informed about current curatorial trends, and we highly recommend completing a placement to gain firsthand insight into museum, auction house, or gallery operations.