Aims

The aims of the module are to provide students with:
An introduction to key management practices and challenges in the museum/gallery/heritage sector;
An introduction to, and framework for, key analysis tools used before, during and after projects;
A critical introduction to key legislation and working practices common to museum/gallery/heritage organisations, and;
A critical introduction to key legislation and working practices common to freelance or self-employed professionals in the museum/gallery/heritage sector.

Outline Of Syllabus

This module provides an introduction to key management practices in the museum/gallery/heritage sector. It examines a number of challenges facing the management of such sites and venues, and aims to provide a critical and ethical introduction to such challenges, alongside key working methods, techniques and skills that may be employed. The module examines broader issues while at the same time relating them to specific examples drawn from the sector. The module has been organised in this way in order to: 1) enable you to explore the relationships between management and working practices ‘on the ground’; 2) expand your knowledge of museum, gallery and heritage sites and their running; 3) to critically consider a number of ‘real-life’ challenges facing the sector, and; 4) learn from these challenges via the reactive responses of the museums, galleries and heritage sites, as well as through small-group discussion.

Indicative issues to be covered in the module include: the management of teams; classic project management tools; complaint and conflict; budgets; hiring practices; the management of volunteers and external partners; generating projects; tenders, bids and commissions; the management of heritage sites; crisis; strategic plans, and; leadership.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Module talk: This teaching method will be used to introduce the module and brief students about assessment.

Lecture materials: This is the core teaching method used to achieve all of the knowledge learning outcomes.

Small-group teaching: This teaching method is intended to allow students to consolidate knowledge learning outcomes and to meet the skills outcomes through critically applying their new knowledge. It also allows students to practice all of the skill sets within the Graduate Skills Framework.

Independent study: This teaching method enables students to independently deepen knowledge outcomes and to practise all skills outcomes, as well as applying cognitive/intellectual, self-management and interaction skills in particular.

Guided independent study: This teaching method allows students to complete set reading/tasks to support small-group teaching.

Drop in/surgery: This allows students to raise questions about/discuss the assessment.

Lecture: This is the core teaching method used to achieve all of the knowledge learning outcomes.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The module is designed to introduce students to effective management practices in the museum/gallery/heritage sector, and to provide them with a variety of tools and techniques to use in ‘real-life’ situations. The assignment, written in the form of a report, will test the knowledge and skills gained by setting a number of scenarios common to the sector. The report will also allow students to build up specialist knowledge relevant to their chosen MA programme and to explore a specific set of issues in greater depth and in relation to the relevant literature.