Participatory Arts - PgCert

Interest is growing in how artists and creative practitioners can work beyond traditional venues like galleries, theatres and museums. This PgCert in Participatory Arts explores how creative skills can be applied in social contexts, including community work, health, education and social welfare. This PgCert in Participatory Arts is designed to help you understand how to apply your creative practice within these wider social contexts. It is delivered full-time or part-time, with September and January start dates. The course allows you to study alongside employment.

The course equips you with the knowledge and skills needed to work with organisations that have community outreach programmes, while also supporting the development of a freelance career. It is suitable for those already working, or aiming to work, in participatory arts, individuals with relevant professional experience seeking a flexible formal qualification, and recent graduates in fine, contemporary, or performing arts who want to apply their skills to community-based projects. With over 60 credits of taught classroom-based study, you will explore theory, ethics, and engagement methods, preparing you to apply creativity effectively in community- and socially focused settings.

Over recent decades, participatory arts have expanded significantly in the UK, supported by national strategies that encourage creative practice across sectors such as health, business, and education. With increasing recognition of the arts in health and wellbeing, including social prescribing, this PgCert introduces key concepts shaping the field.

Why QMU?

Unique course content designed to prepare you to work in arts and social practice: The combination of modules on this MA makes it unique in Scotland and will prepare you to play a key part in the growing creative health and wellbeing of the nation.
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. Not only will this be important to your learning and development whilst studying, but also as future colleagues and support networks.
Teaching team with wide-ranging expertise: Our staff are highly experienced in both the theory and practice of participatory art, and all bring very different perspectives, giving our students a broad overview of the subject. The lecturers have collectively been involved in such activities as delivering international socially engaged art projects, guiding international research, leading cultural projects and businesses, and advising the government on cultural policy. Our team’s research has also been published and exhibited 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.
Optimum balance of theoretical and practical learning: The course offers a variety of learning experiences, including industry-based learning, which are sure to enrich your studies. Our location in Edinburgh means rapid access to a variety of communities and arts organisations to work with.
Industry input and our professional links ensure you are up to date with key developments: You’ll benefit from a range of professional expertise as well as insight from key cultural organisations working this way across Scotland. Teaching staff have extensive professional experience and networks, including local and national bodies. We also have formal partnerships with a variety of organisations, such as Out of the Blue, Craigmillar Now, Artlink Edinburgh, and North Edinburgh Arts, that students can access as part of their learning.

Studying our PgCert Participatory Arts (formerly known as Applied Arts and Social Practice)

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Admissions FAQs How to Apply

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 Participatory Arts. 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.

You can also register as an associate student to complete a single module for CPD. On completion of a single module, you may wish to complete further modules and progress your studies to a named award. Please contact Anthony Schrag for more information on the 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.

Teaching hours and attendance

Our 10-week semester offers some flexible attendance: please speak to the Programme Leader to get insight on how to make this flexible schedule work for you.

Placement/industry-based learning

We require students to take up industry-based learning opportunities to put theory into practice. Although we support students to find opportunities, you are responsible for securing your own arrangements in line with your personal interests. We have numerous connections across a wide variety of organisations, and we are particularly well-regarded by our industry peers in the cultural sector. If you are already working in the sector, you can use your existing employment as the location for your industry-based learning.

Class sizes

You will be taught alongside those studying on the MA. Normally, around 10–15 students enrol 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.

You will study the following modules:

Participatory Art Laboratory (40 credits): This module examines the practical skills required to engage with people, including concepts such as dialogue, interpersonal skills, and group facilitation. In the most practical of the modules, you get to try out and engage with groups and communities to expand your skill set and experience working with people.
The Only Way is Ethics: Art, Representation and Ethics (20 credits): The module is designed to develop the critical and practical skills you need to engage with the public in delivering cultural projects. It looks at examples from history as well as contemporaneous projects that engage with people at the ethical edges of participation, challenging you to develop your own ethical frameworks.

The course meets the growing needs of organisations with community-based outreach departments, but it will also prepare you with the practical and enterprise skills to develop a sustainable freelance career in your chosen field.

Even though the course is relatively new, our current graduates have already gained work with, for example, the Lyceum Theatre; have set up their own organisations; or are working in the field as successful freelance artists.

Entry requirements

UK Honours degree or equivalent in a creative subject area
UK Honours degree or equivalent in a non-creative subject area - portfolio would be required
Bachelor ordinary degree or equivalent in a creative subject plus 2 years relevant work experience
Bachelor ordinary degree or equivalent in a non - creative subject plus 2 years relevant work experience, plus portfolio
HND or equivalent in any subject area plus 5 years relevant work experience, plus portfolio
No undergraduate degree study could be considered with a minimum of 7 years relevant work experience plus portfolio
If you do not meet any of the above criteria, we may still be able to consider you for the Associate route which would allow you to enroll onto one module initially.
Information on the portfolio requirement will be issued to you following submission and review of your application form.

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 Participatory Arts option instead.

Contact Dr Anthony Schrag or contact Admissions

We would be delighted for you to visit us on campus to find out more about our MA Participatory Arts course.

More information on our forthcoming open events

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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