Curating University of Essex

Overview

Only instead of resulting in a book-length thesis of roughly 80,000 words, this degree culminates in you curating a major, research-based exhibition and writing a complementary thesis of c. 40,000 words.

The premise underlying this PhD is that exhibitions constitute one of the most important platforms for sharing research – a platform that may be complemented by rigorous written research, but one that reaches audiences and makes arguments not possible through writing alone.

As part of the PhD Curating from University of Essex, you investigate a topic of your choosing. This topic may relate to the history and theory of curating. However, you can also explore other facets of visual culture, opting instead to use curating as the vehicle for presenting your research. Regardless of your topic, you critically assess the impact of your research, both on the history of visual culture and on contemporary discourses concerning the production, distribution and reception of exhibitions.

Your future

Most of the successful graduates are now working in academic institutions, in museums or galleries, or in other arts-related professions, both throughout the UK and abroad. Several graduates are now Professors in leading art history departments, such as York and CUNY, while others have worked as curators at high-profile museums such as the Tate Modern, the Museum of Modern Art (New York), or the Royal Academy of Arts (London).