Master

Arts and Heritage: Policy, Management and Education

The master's programme in Arts and Culture focuses on culture in the making. Culture can refer to the products of intellectual and artistic creativity, such as scholarly and literary texts or works of art. It also indicates the cultural practices that shape the everyday life of people, and is expressed in their individual tastes and forms of associating with one another. Finally, culture is at the heart of the processes through which people explicate and contest ethical, aesthetic, and political meanings and values.

The specialisation Arts and Heritage, Policy, Management and Education, which you can choose to follow in English or Dutch, examines the concepts of ‘arts’ and ‘heritage’ as expressions of both past and present culture. You will develop insights into how the meanings, values and usages of art and heritage have transformed throughout modern history. You will also develop the knowledge and skills set needed to critically assess and contribute to the accessibility, diversity, authenticity and sustainability of current and future arts and heritage practices. You will investigate current challenges and opportunities in the field of arts and heritage suchs as decolonialism, the changing role of experts and expert knowledge, public participation, financialisation and digitalisation from an interdisciplinarity approach.

Instead of choosing the English taught specialisation Arts and Heritage: Policy, Management and Education, it is also possible to choose the Dutch programme Kunst en Erfgoed where you follow several courses, including the academic skills training in Dutch and write your essays and master’s thesis in Dutch. In the programme Kunst en Erfgoed, the Dutch context is emphasized and placed within a larger international framework.

For more information, please check the programme website.

Other specialisations in this master's programme:

Fast facts

1-year, full-time master's programme, taught in Dutch or English
Specialise by selecting elective courses, a project or internship
Truly international: students from 16 nationalities
Selective admission, starts in September
Weekly: 8-10 hrs classes, 30-32 hrs independent study/group work
You will get an MA in Arts and Culture with a specialisation in Arts and Heritage: Policy, Management and Education

Want to know more about this programme? Request a brochure

Explore FASoS

Get to know all about FASoS and life in Maastricht and follow us on Facebook, Instagram or YouTube. We offer vlogs, columns and interesting background articles. Interested in a specific master’s programme? Just follow the ambassador of your choice on Facebook or Instagram to get all the inside information you are looking for. And don’t hesitate to ask questions!

Daniel Rivera Rodriguez, Student Ambassador Arts and Heritage

Daniel completed his bachelor’s as a musician at the Maastricht Conservatory. After doing a pre-master in Arts and Heritage he decided to stay in Maastricht to follow up with a master’s in Arts and Culture at FASoS.

Why Daniel decided to study Arts and Heritage: Policy, Management and Education:
“In this programme we critically analyse the field of arts and heritage in current society. As an artist and musician, I think it’s important to know what we can change in society and how we can make that change happen. I want to work closely with the institutions to help other artists to broaden their horizons, to shape their ideas and to support them in making their dreams come true. “

Follow Daniel:
on Instagram

Daniel Rivera Rodriguez, Studient Ambassador MA Arts and Culture: Arts and Heritage 2022-2023

“Coming from Mexico City, the contrast with Maastricht was huge. But the international community of fellow students and all the activities here can easily outweigh the size of the city.”

UM Campus Tour

Are you about to start a Master's programme at Maastricht University? Our UM Campus Tour offers prospective students the opportunity to explore the city, our faculty buildings and facilities for students. Discover and learn what it is like to live and study in our vibrant city.

Kickstart your career at our Master's Open Day

Experience Maastricht University: find out more about one of the most international universities in Europe, immerse yourself in your programme of choice, and explore our beautiful city. The next Master’s Open Day is on Saturday 11 November 2023.

For other events we offer, take a look at our Online Master events page.

UM Campus Tour - Register now!

More information and registration

Pre-master's programme

If you do not satisfy the admission requirements of this Master's programme you may be able to enrol in a Pre-master's course year. Check out the Pre-master information and learn more about the programme, the courses and the requirements.

Arts & Culture Pre-master

UM is the ninth best Young University in the world

Times Higher Education 2022 Young Universities Ranking

Student testimonials

I would like arts institutions to be more inclusive. It’s my dream to contribute to that, hopefully through research in a PhD position.

Alejandra Murillo Sosa

With Problem-Based Learning you get used to a daily workload, which is preparing you for your working life later on.

Zoë Rivas Zanello

Eventually I want to go back to Lithuania to make an impact there in the fields of Arts, Culture and Heritage. The country needs people like me.

Silvija Burbaite

Maastricht University was the perfect option, since it does not solely focus on academic side but also takes the practices into account. I was super delighted to have been accepted!

Honey Kraiwee

I’m very happy with the program because it helped me to discover new methodologies and fields related to arts and culture which I never had the chance to explore before.

Gabriel Noguera Vich