Course entry year:
Arts Management - PgCert
Do you work in arts management and want to take your career to the next level? This PgCert in Arts Management is designed for professionals already working in the arts and cultural sectors who want to build their skills and knowledge while remaining in their current roles. It is also suitable for those with a relevant undergraduate degree who are looking to move into management in this sector. The PgCert is delivered in a flexible format, available full-time or part-time, with start dates in September or January. The programme is structured around three block-taught modules covering key areas such as fundraising, governance, leadership, and finance, ensuring a comprehensive grounding in essential management practices.
Arts organisations and festivals face ongoing challenges, including funding, recruitment, sustainability, leadership, and international development. This course explores how professionals can respond effectively to these issues and lead organisations confidently in uncertain and rapidly changing environments. Through a blend of practical project work and theoretical study, you will deepen your understanding of modern arts management and gain valuable, up-to-date skills.
A distinctive feature of the course is the opportunity to evaluate a live project you are already involved in. This allows you to produce a report that demonstrates impact, supports future development, and strengthens your professional practice. In addition, you will consolidate your learning through a placement within an arts organisation.
Why QMU?
- Our small class sizes are perfect for sharing experiences and fostering new ideas: Enjoy the support of staff and encouragement of fellow students. While lecturers are experts in their fields, we believe it is vitally important to have a strong community of learners around you. These will no doubt be important to your learning and development, as well as to your future colleagues and support networks.
- Unique course content designed to prepare you for this broad sector: Our focus on the relationship between theory and practice aims to ensure that you become a reflective practitioner who is not only aware of the insights of festivals and cultural management, but also aware of the contextual realities of this practice. The course offers a variety of learning experiences, including industry-based learning, which are sure to enrich your studies. Real-world assignments are designed to develop and consolidate your new key skills.
- Teaching team with wide-ranging expertise: Our staff have a wealth of experience in both the theory and practice of cultural management, and all come from very different perspectives, giving our students a broad overview of the subject. The lecturers have collectively been involved in activities such as writing national policies, guiding international research, leading cultural projects and businesses, and advising the government on cultural policy. Our team’s research has also been published widely - including several books on the subject - and we have written reports for national bodies on a wide variety of subjects. As such, we have significant, broad knowledge of the sector to share with students.
- Great location for studying and future employment in this area: Our location, just six minutes by train from the heart of the world’s greatest festival city, is sure to enrich your learning experience and provide many opportunities for work-based experience and future employment.
- Industry input and our professional links ensure you are up to date with key developments: The course has been developed over time in co-operation with key national cultural agencies and other bodies with a strategic interest in the development of arts organisations and festivals. Our location in the ‘Festival City’ also enables strong practical links between the course and the many arts, festival, and cultural organisations based in and around Edinburgh, across Scotland, and the UK.
Structure and exit awards
You will complete three 20-credit modules to obtain a PgCert (60 credits).
This PgCert also counts as credit towards our MA Arts, Festival and Cultural Management. After completion of the PgCert, you’ll have the option to obtain the MA on a part-time basis the following year by completing three additional modules and a dissertation. Contact Alice McGrath for more information on single module study.
Teaching, learning and assessment
Teaching comprises a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials, case studies and projects. Assessment will take the form of essays, reports, exams and presentations.
Placement/industry-based learning
While the course does not require a formal placement, we do require students to take up industry-based learning positions to assist their learning and to put theory into practice. These opportunities are offered by many of the world-famous organisations that are based in Edinburgh (eg the Edinburgh International Festival or the International Film Festival).
Although we support students to find opportunities, you are required to secure your own arrangements in line with your personal interests.
As we are in Edinburgh, the world’s first and best Festival City, there are no end of opportunities in this regard, and we are well regarded by our industry peers - many of our alumni work in these organisations now and advocate for us.
If you are already working in the sector, you can use your existing employment as the site for your industry-based learning.
Teaching hours and attendance
The three modules would require approximately four days of on-campus learning each semester, meaning that the PgCert could be completed within 12-14 days of intensive study that is spread over the course of a year.
Class sizes
You will be taught alongside students on the MA Arts, Festival and Cultural Management. Normally, there are around 30-35 students enrolled each year.
Teaching staff
You can read more about the teaching staff on this course at the bottom of this page. You can also click on the staff profiles immediately below. Please note that teaching staff is subject to change.
Alice McGrath (Programme Leader)
Kyla Tully
You will study the following modules:
- Strategy and Sustainability within Cultural Organisations (20 credits): The module explores economic, social and environmental sustainability within the arts and cultural sector in the face of global environmental, economic, and social change. It aims to support students to expand their strategic knowledge, thinking, and practices about sustainability issues. In addition to the development of strategic knowledge and skills, the module will emphasise the importance of values, attitudes, and behaviours that transform ways of thinking in relation to sustainable development within the arts and cultural sector.
- Fundraising, Finance and Development (20 credits): This module will equip students with a critical understanding of the principles and practices of fundraising, development and financial management. The assessments invite students to examine financial support mechanisms (e.g. completing a funding application or designing a sponsorship pack) as well as financial literacy exam. This module marks our course as quite unique in this regard.
- Managing Relationships in the Arts and Cultural Sector (20 credits): This module will support students to become reflective practitioners, confident in their ability to employ and adapt theory in relation to the organisational contexts in which they may work. Students will attend field trips and hear from experts in the field who will talk about their practical realities as cultural managers. This is the module that also houses the ‘industry-based experience’ element
You will be qualified for a broad range of management positions within a wide spectrum of cultural organisations and festivals. Previous graduates have gone on to work in theatres, performing arts organisations, galleries, local government and cultural agencies. In addition, many now work in festivals within the UK, Europe and internationally. Potential careers might include producing, fundraising, marketing, programming or audience development, as well as many other roles across the cultural industries.
Entry requirements
- UK Honours degree or equivalent
- Bachelor ordinary degree or equivalent plus two years relevant work experience
- HND or equivalent plus five years relevant work experience
- No undergraduate degree study could be considered with a minimum of seven years relevant work experience
If you do not meet any of the above criteria, we may still consider you for the Associate route, which would allow you to enrol in one module initially.
International: You will be required to provide evidence of English language competence at no less than IELTS 6.5 with no individual component score less than 6.0.
Disability/health conditions
If you have a disability, long-term physical or mental health condition, or learning disability, it should not stand in the way of your studying at QMU. However, if you are not sure whether your disability might be a barrier in your studies or in relation to the professional standards, please contact the disability service who will be able to have a conversation with you about reasonable adjustments and supports available to you.
Applying for this course
For more information on applying, or to apply for this course, please follow the links in the 'Start your application' box at the top right of this page.
Application deadline
Home students: End of August for September 2027 start and December for January 2028 start.
International students: This course is not open to international students. Please refer to the MA Arts, Festival and Cultural Management instead.
Contact Alice McGrath (Programme Leader) or contact Admissions
We would be delighted for you to visit us on campus to find out more about our PgCert Arts Management.
If you have any further questions, you may find answers on the general MA Arts, Festival and Cultural Management page, which has a list of Frequently Asked Questions.
- The delivery of this course is subject to the terms and conditions set out in our 2027/28 Entry - Terms and Conditions (Postgraduate).
- The information on this page is correct at the time of posting (October 2026) but is subject to change. In the event that modules change, QMU will seek to use reasonable endeavours to ensure that there is no detrimental impact on students. Please keep an eye on this page for updates.
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