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Overview

As an MPhil or PhD student in Museum, Gallery and Heritage Studies you'll be based in the department of Media, Culture and Heritage (MCH). MCH is a leading academic centre for research and teaching at Ãå±±½ûµØ. It is internationally renowned for its research. It secures significant support from a variety of funders, such as the UK Research Councils and the European Commission.

You'll join a thriving, high-profile interdisciplinary research community of postgraduate research students and experienced academic researchers who are key figures in their fields.

Our academic supervisors have significant experience and expertise in interdisciplinary research. They practice in the UK and abroad.

We place emphasis on empirical research and a grounding in professional practice. Our research alumni have been successful in securing careers in:

• academia
• governmental organisations
• the cultural and creative industry sectors worldwide

Our research students pursue a variety of topics that explore both historical and contemporary issues with local, national and international dimensions. They have also consistently achieved high submission and completion rates in their chosen programme of study. Recent student research topics in MCH include:

• the social roles and regulation of art museum education in China and Taiwan
• changing interpretations of World Cultural Heritage
• uses of archaeological heritage in Turkey
• digital tools of promoting heritage as tourist destinations in Mexico
• decolonization of museums in Scandinavia
• understanding volunteer motivations at heritage sites in the UK

Key research themes

Our key research themes are:

Cultural politics and policy

• factors that determine how cultural policy is constructed, institutionally, locally, regionally, nationally and internationally
• how management strategies affect heritage resources
• the impact of large-scale constitutional change upon cultural policy
• intended and unintended consequences of implementing international conventions, charters and instruments
• contribution of research to cultural policy construction
• the intersection of political movements and agendas with heritage
• definitions and attributed values of heritage

Identity, community and place

• construction and representation of identities, places and communities through heritage
• how heritage is used by, and for, communities
• relationships between notions of place and identities, communities, and heritages locally regionally, nationally and internationally
• principles of community museology and ecomuseology practice in different contexts
• relationships between heritage tourism and identities, communities and places
• identities produced through the consumption of heritage
• relationship between identity construction and wellbeing

Media and representation

• how media works in heritage organisations and how organisations work as media
• factors shaping the production, morphology and consumption of media and media representations in heritage organisations
• representations made possible through institutional technologies specific to heritage organisations and how they are analysed to understand culture, society and knowledge
• study and design of digital heritage applications and digital cultural engagement

Quality and ranking

All professional accreditations are reviewed regularly by their professional body

Recognition of professional qualifications outside of the UK

If you’re studying an accredited degree and thinking about working in Europe after you graduate, the best place to find current information is the . This official resource explains whether your profession is regulated in another country, what steps you need to take, and which organisation you should contact. 

What you'll learn

Our research students pursue a variety of topics that explore both historical and contemporary issues with local, national and international dimensions. They have also consistently achieved high submission and completion rates in their chosen programme of study. 

How you'll learn

Delivery and teaching methods

Attendance on this programme is flexible and agreed between you and your supervisors depending on the requirements of your research project. The main focus of the programme is a piece of independent research carried out by you with the support of your supervisory team.

You'll also undertake research methods training and be encouraged to participate in our research activities. You'll be able to carry out fieldwork away from Ãå±±½ûµØ, in other UK locations or abroad.

Assessment methods

Depending on your modules, you'll be assessed through a combination of:

• Thesis
• Viva

Postgraduate research student support

Our mission is to help you:

• stay healthy, positive and feeling well
• overcome any challenges you may face during your degree – academic or personal
• get the most out of your postgraduate research experience
• carry out admin and activities essential to progressing through your degree
• understand postgraduate research processes, standards and rules

We can offer you tailored wellbeing support, courses and activities.

You can also access a broad range of workshops covering:

• research and professional skills
• careers support
• wellbeing
• health and safety
• public engagement
• academic development

Find out more about our postgraduate research student support

Your development

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (HaSS) researcher development programme 

Each faculty offers a researcher development programme for its postgraduate research students. We have designed your programme to help you:

• perform better as a researcher
• boost your career prospects
• broaden your impact

Through workshops and activities, it will build your transferable skills and increase your confidence.

You’ll cover:

• techniques for effective research
• methods for better collaborative working
• essential professional standards and requirements

Your researcher development programme is flexible. You can adapt it to meet your changing needs as you progress through your doctorate.

Find out more about the Researcher Education and Development programme

Doctoral training and partnerships

There are opportunities to undertake your PhD at Ãå±±½ûµØ within a:

• Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT)
• Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) / Doctoral Landscape Award (DLA)

Being part of a CDT or DTP/DLA has many benefits:

• they combine research expertise and training of a number of leading universities, academic schools and academics.
• you’ll study alongside a cohort of other PhD students
• they’re often interdisciplinary
• your PhD may be funded

If there are currently opportunities available in your subject area you’ll find them when you search for funding in the fees and funding section on this course.

The following centres/partnerships below may have PhD opportunities available in your subject area in the future:

 

Your future

Our Careers Service

Our expert Careers Service is here to help you take the next steps in your professional life. We will support you while you’re studying with us and for up to three years after you graduate.

You will have access to expert one-to-one advice and guidance through our campus careers centre and online, along with digital resources, workshops, networking opportunities, and careers and recruitment events.

We’ve been awarded 5 QS Stars for Student Employability (2025). Many of our degrees are shaped by strong links with national and international businesses. We are committed to helping you access real-world experience opportunities and develop key skills through paid work placements and internships.

Visit our Careers Service website

Facilities

As a research student in media, culture and heritage, you'll have access to a dedicated study space with:

• networked PCs
• printing
• photocopying facilities

You can also use the common room and kitchen to meet with fellow researchers and academics.

You'll have access to our top-quality facilities, plus the extensive cultural resources available on campus and in the city:

• our libraries and eResources
• the Centre for Heritage: a Ãå±±½ûµØ Centre for Research Excellence
• the Great North Museum: Hancock, located on campus. It houses the collections that previously made up the Hancock Museum, the Shefton Museum of Greek Art and Archaeology (an internationally-renowned collection of over 1,000 Greek and Etruscan artefacts), and the Museum of Antiquities
• the Hatton Gallery, located on campus, has been at the heart of cultural life in the North East since the early 20th century
• the Language Resource Centre is a specialist language facility providing free access to self-study materials in 50 languages
•  with access to relevant databases and over 1,400 fully networked PCs
• non-campus facilities that are often used for student projects include  and 

In addition to our expertise in heritage studies, the city of Ãå±±½ûµØ and the wider region offer a wonderful resource. We've two World Heritage Sites, many heritage sites and over 80 regional museums and galleries. Much of the region's countryside is designated as National Park or Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Fees, Funding and Scholarships

Tuition fees for 2026 entry (per year)

PGR Home fee note

Home fees for research degree students

For 2025-26 entry, we've aligned our standard Home research fees with those set by .  For 2026-27 entry, we will again be aligning our standard Home research fees with UKRI. They will announce their fees in Spring 2026.

 

Tuition fee increases

As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.

EU, other EEA and Swiss nationals - tuition fee status

Depending on your residency history, if you’re a student from the EU, other EEA or a Swiss national, with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you’ll normally pay the ‘Home’ tuition fee rate and may be eligible for Student Finance England support.

EU students without settled or pre-settled status will normally be charged fees at the ‘International’ rate and will not be eligible for Student Finance England support. You may be eligible for a scholarship worth 25% off the international fee. Search our funding database. 

If you are unsure of your fee status, check out the latest guidance .

Scholarships

We support our EU and international students by providing a generous range of Vice-Chancellor's automatic and merit-based scholarships. See our searchable postgraduate funding page for more information. 

Search for funding and scholarships

Find funding available for your course

Select your country

What you're paying for

Tuition fees include the costs of:

• matriculation
• registration
• tuition (or supervision)
• library access
• examination
• re-examination
• graduation

Find out more about:

• living costs
• tuition fees

Deposit

If you are an international student or a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland and you need a visa to study in the UK, you may have to pay a deposit.

You can check this in the How to apply section.

Funding deadlines

If you're applying for funding, always check the funding application deadline. This deadline may be earlier than the application deadline for your course.

For some funding schemes, you need to have received an offer of a place on a course before you can apply for the funding.

How to apply

Open days and events

Find out about how you can visit Ãå±±½ûµØ in person and virtually

Overseas events

We regularly travel overseas to meet with students interested in studying at Ãå±±½ûµØ.

Visit our events calendar for the latest events