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Creative Industries Management and Policy

MA, PG Cert, PG Dip

Application options include:

Full-time Part-time
On campus Flexible learning Online

Course Overview

Our creative industries management and policy course gives you a chance to explore the requirements and benefits of sustainable and strategic policy and management in the field of creative industries.

Why choose this course?

  • This course incorporates a unique combination of professional development and theoretical exploration in creative industries management, policy theory and practice, cultural theory and planning.
  • It gives you the opportunity to analyse the major trends and current debates related to the creative industries
  • You will benefit from valuable links with creative organisations, including an optional work placement.

What you will learn

The course provides you with a comprehensive overview of the sector. It balances theory and practice within the context of the current social, political, economic and technological environments. We invite you to develop and expand your key critical-thinking skills, focusing on creative industries development and analysis, addressing key commercial sector issues but also studying relations with the public and voluntary sector creative organisations.

You will engage with historical and contemporary management and policy frameworks and practice in the UK, Europe and elsewhere and take an in-depth look at the working practices among organisations in the creative sector. You will then be able to tailor the course to your interests and career aspirations by taking option modules that are specifically designed to provide a strong theoretical and professional focus in areas relating to:

  • audiences
  • leadership in creative organisations
  • comparative cultural policies
  • digital culture.

How you will learn

This course is available to study online or on campus, or via a combination of both with classes in the evening and some daytime sessions. As well as engaging in lectures, tutorials and workshops, you will also have the opportunity to take part in smaller discursive seminar groups.

If you are keen to deepen your sector experience, we offer a placement option in which you can work on your own research interests within creative organisations. Past students have had valuable experiences in organisations ranging from the Greater London Authority to the Hackney Museum, and from the Big Dance Project to the Wallace Collection.

We offer this course as a Master’s, or Postgraduate Diploma or Certificate. For the Diploma or Certificate you study fewer modules and do not complete a dissertation.

This course is part of our new Birkbeck Flexible Master’s UK, which gives you the choice of how you want to study - on campus, online or via flexible learning, which combines both. 

Discover the career opportunities available by taking Creative Industries Management and Policy (MA, PG Cert, PG Dip).

Key information and modules

Find another course:

Highlights

  • Birkbeck was ranked as one of the top four universities in the UK for its Art and Design research in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.
  • We offer a one-to-one mentoring scheme, where students are paired for six months with alumni who have become well-established leaders in the cultural and creative industries. Mentors are based in a variety of arts organisations, such as Arts Council England, Craft Council, Tender Pixel, BBC, Camden Cultural Partnership and Boundless Theatre, or have pursued a successful freelance career.
  • Birkbeck has established a growing international reputation combining cultural studies with the latest ideas and techniques across film studies, journalism, screenwriting, arts management and digital media. You are welcome to attend events at BIRMAC (Birkbeck Interdisciplinary Research in Media and Culture) as well as the Birkbeck Institute for the Moving Image and the Vasari Research Centre for Art and Technology.
  • We run the Lorraine Lim Prize, a yearly essay competition that rewards outstanding written work related to cultural flow and creative work. The best dissertation is also rewarded with a prize at the end of each academic year. We also offer a number of bursaries for postgraduate students.
Come and meet us Request a prospectus Contact us

Birkbeck makes all reasonable efforts to deliver educational services, modules and programmes of study as described on our website. In the event that there are material changes to our offering (for example, due to matters beyond our control), we will update applicant and student facing information as quickly as possible and offer alternatives to applicants, offer-holders and current students.

Most of our courses are taught in the evenings, however some of our courses offer a daytime timetable. Where there is an option to attend daytime teaching sessions, this is stated in the Key Information section under Attendance.

  • Entry Requirements Entry Requirements

    Entry Requirements

    You should have a second-class honours degree (2:2) or above in an arts subject, or in any subject together with experience of administration/management in an arts/cultural organisation, or three years’ relevant experience, for example in a management role in an arts/cultural organisation. Applications from those with non-standard academic qualifications, such as from applicants with substantial experience of administration/management, will also be considered.

    On the basis of prior learning and achievement, exemption may be possible for up to 50% of Year 1 elements of the MA.

    Applications are reviewed on their individual merits and your professional qualifications and/or relevant work experience will be taken into consideration positively. We actively support and encourage applications from mature learners.

    On your application form, please list all your relevant qualifications and experience, including those you expect to achieve.

    Apply now to secure your place. The earlier you apply, the sooner your application can be considered and you can enrol. You do not need to have completed your current qualification to start your application.

    International students: if you need a Student visa to study in the UK, you must meet certain minimum in-person attendance requirements. You will be required to primarily study on campus and so will only be able to apply for the on-campus study mode.

    English language requirements

    If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, the requirement for this programme is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests.

    If you don't meet the minimum IELTS requirement, we offer pre-sessional English courses and foundation programmes to help you improve your English language skills and get your place at Birkbeck.

    Visit the International section of our website to find out more about our English language entry requirements and relevant requirements by country.

    Visa and funding requirements

    If you are not from the UK and you do not already have residency here, you may need to apply for a visa.

    The visa you apply for varies according to the length of your course:

    • Courses of more than six months' duration: Student visa
    • Courses of less than six months' duration: Standard Visitor visa

    International students who require a Student visa should apply for our full-time courses as these qualify for Student visa sponsorship. If you are living in the UK on a Student visa, you will not be eligible to enrol as a student on Birkbeck's part-time courses (with the exception of some modules).

    For full information, read our visa information for international students page.

    Please also visit the international section of our website to find out more about relevant visa and funding requirements by country.

    Please note students receiving US Federal Aid are only able to apply for in-person, on-campus programmes which will have no elements of online study.

    Credits and accredited prior learning (APL)

    If you have studied at university, you may have accumulated credits through the modules you studied. It may be possible to transfer these credits from your previous study to Birkbeck or another institution.

  • Fees Fees

    Fees

    Creative Industries Management and Policy MA: 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time, on campus, starting in academic year 2025-26

    Academic year 2025–26, starting September 2025

    Part-time home students: £5,535 per year
    Full-time home students: £11,070 per year
    Part-time international students: £10,170 per year
    Full-time international students: £20,340 per year

    Creative Industries Management and Policy MA: 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time, online, starting in academic year 2025-26

    Academic year 2025–26, starting September 2025

    Part-time home students: £5,535 per year
    Full-time home students: £11,070 per year
    Part-time international students: £10,170 per year
    Full-time international students: £20,340 per year

    Creative Industries Management and Policy MA: 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time, flexible learning, starting in academic year 2025-26

    Academic year 2025–26, starting September 2025

    Part-time home students: £5,535 per year
    Full-time home students: £11,070 per year
    Part-time international students: £10,170 per year
    Full-time international students: £20,340 per year

    Creative Industries Management and Policy PG Cert: 1 year part-time, on campus, starting in academic year 2025-26

    Academic year 2025–26, starting September 2025

    Part-time home students: £3,690 per year
    Part-time international students: £6,780 per year

    Creative Industries Management and Policy PG Cert: 1 year part-time, online, starting in academic year 2025-26

    Academic year 2025–26, starting September 2025

    Part-time home students: £3,690 per year
    Part-time international students: £6,780 per year

    Creative Industries Management and Policy PG Cert: 1 year part-time, flexible learning, starting in academic year 2025-26

    Academic year 2025–26, starting September 2025

    Part-time home students: £3,690 per year
    Part-time international students: £6,780 per year

    Creative Industries Management and Policy PG Dip: 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time, online, starting in academic year 2025-26

    Academic year 2025–26, starting September 2025

    Part-time home students: £3,690 per year
    Full-time home students: £7,380 per year
    Part-time international students: £6,780 per year
    Full-time international students: £13,560 per year

    Creative Industries Management and Policy PG Dip: 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time, on campus, starting in academic year 2025-26

    Academic year 2025–26, starting September 2025

    Part-time home students: £3,690 per year
    Full-time home students: £7,380 per year
    Part-time international students: £6,780 per year
    Full-time international students: £13,560 per year

    Creative Industries Management and Policy PG Dip: 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time, flexible learning, starting in academic year 2025-26

    Academic year 2025–26, starting September 2025

    Part-time home students: £3,690 per year
    Full-time home students: £7,380 per year
    Part-time international students: £6,780 per year
    Full-time international students: £13,560 per year

    Students are charged a tuition fee in each year of their course. Tuition fees for students continuing on their course in following years may be subject to annual inflationary increases. For more information, please see the College Fees Policy.

    If you’ve studied at Birkbeck before and successfully completed an award with us, take advantage of our Lifelong Learning Guarantee to gain a discount on the tuition fee of this course.

    Discover the financial support available to you to help with your studies at Birkbeck.

    International scholarships

    We provide a range of scholarships for eligible international students, including our Global Future Scholarship. Discover if you are eligible for a scholarship.

  • Teaching and Assessment Teaching and Assessment

    Teaching

    At Birkbeck, most of our courses are taught in the evening and all of our teaching is designed to support students who are juggling evening study with work and other commitments. We actively encourage innovative and engaging ways of teaching, to ensure our students have the best learning experience.

    Teaching may include formal lectures, seminars, and practical classes and tutorials. Formal lectures are used in most degree programmes to give an overview of a particular field of study. They aim to provide the stimulus and the starting point for deeper exploration of the subject during your own personal reading. Seminars give you the chance to explore a specific aspect of your subject in depth and to discuss and exchange ideas with fellow students. They typically require preparatory study.

    In addition, you will have access to pastoral support via a named Personal Tutor.

    Methods of teaching on this course

    Lectures, seminars, group projects, presentations and tutorials.

    Teaching hours

    Our evening hours are normally between 6pm and 9pm (6-7.30pm and 7.30-9pm). Some programmes also offer teaching during the day and this will be clearly signposted to you where it is available.

    On our taught courses, you will have scheduled teaching and study sessions each year. Scheduled teaching sessions may include lectures, seminars, workshops or laboratory work. Depending on the modules you take, you may also have additional scheduled academic activities, such as tutorials, dissertation supervision, practical classes, visits and field trips. On our taught courses, the actual amount of time you spend in the classroom and in contact with your lecturers will depend on your course, the option modules you select and when you undertake your final-year project (if applicable).

    Alongside your contact hours, you will also undertake assessment activities and independent learning outside of class. The amount of time you need to allocate to study both for taught sessions (this might include online sessions and/or in-person sessions) and personal study will depend on how much you are studying during the year and whether you are studying full time or part time.

    Birkbeck’s courses are made up of modules and allocated ‘credit’. One credit is equivalent to ten hours of learning time. Modules are usually in 15, 30 or 60 credit units. A 15-credit module will mean around 150 hours of learning, including taught sessions and independent study or group work. This is spread out over the whole period of that module and includes the time you spend on any assessments, including in examinations, preparing and writing assessments or engaged in practical work as well as any study support sessions to help you in your learning.

    On our distance-learning and blended-learning courses, discussion, collaboration and interaction with your lecturers and fellow students is encouraged and enabled through various learning technologies.

    Timetables

    Timetables are usually available from September onwards and you can access your personalised timetable via your My Birkbeck Profile online (if you have been invited to enrol).

    Indicative class size

    Class sizes vary, depending on your course, the module you are undertaking, and the method of teaching. For example, lectures are presented to larger groups, whereas seminars usually consist of small, interactive groups led by a tutor.

    Independent learning

    On our taught courses, much of your time outside of class will be spent on self-directed, independent learning, including preparing for classes and following up afterwards. This will usually include, but is not limited to, reading books and journal articles, undertaking research, working on coursework and assignments, and preparing for presentations and assessments.

    Independent learning is absolutely vital to your success as a student. Everyone is different, and the study time required varies topic by topic, but, as a guide, expect to schedule up to five hours of self-study for each hour of teaching.

    Study skills and additional support

    Birkbeck offers study and learning support to undergraduate and postgraduate students to help them succeed. Our Learning Development Service can help you in the following areas:

    • academic skills (including planning your workload, research, writing, exam preparation and writing a dissertation)
    • written English (including structure, punctuation and grammar)
    • numerical skills (basic mathematics and statistics).

    Our Disability and Dyslexia Service can support you if you have additional learning needs resulting from a disability or from dyslexia.

    Our Counselling Service can support you if you are struggling with emotional or psychological difficulties during your studies.

    Our Mental Health Advisory Service can support you if you are experiencing short- or long-term mental health difficulties during your studies.

    Assessment

    Assessment is an integral part of your university studies and usually consists of a combination of coursework and examinations, although this will vary from course to course - on some of our courses, assessment is entirely by coursework. The methods of assessment on this course are specified below under 'Methods of assessment on this course'. You will need to allow time to complete coursework and prepare for exams.

    Where a course has unseen written examinations, these may be held termly, but, on the majority of our courses, exams are usually taken in the Summer term, during May to June. Exams may be held at other times of the year as well. In most cases, exams are held during the day on a weekday - if you have daytime commitments, you will need to make arrangements for daytime attendance - but some exams are held in the evening. Exam timetables are published online.

    Find out more about assessment at Birkbeck, including guidance on assessment, feedback and our assessment offences policy.

    Methods of assessment on this course

    Coursework: a combination of written work-related assignments, presentations, special projects and a research dissertation/independent study.

    You will find specific details of assessment on individual module pages.

  • Careers and employability Careers and employability

    Careers and employability

    On this MA Creative Industries Management and Policy we take a sustainable approach to career development that allows you to enjoy your studies and apply innovative and creative thinking for years to come.

    Graduates can pursue career paths in the national and international arts and cultural sectors in, for example:

    • development and marketing
    • audience development
    • strategic planning
    • programming and curating
    • management of art collectives and networking hubs.

    Jobs gained by some of our graduates include:

    • Director of the Jerwood Foundation
    • Co-ordinator at Nordic Council of Ministers
    • Tour Manager at Sadler's Wells
    • Development Officer at Bow Arts Trust
    • Executive Producer at Strelka Institute for Media, Architecture and Design
    • Marketing Officer at the opera company Teatro Real, Madrid
    • International Programmer at Taipei Performing Arts Centre

    We offer a comprehensive careers service - Careers and Enterprise - your career partner during your time at Birkbeck and beyond. At every stage of your career journey, we empower you to take ownership of your future, helping you to make the connection between your experience, education and future ambitions.

  • How to apply How to apply

    How to apply

    You apply directly to Birkbeck for this course, using the online application link.

    You will need to prove your identity when you apply - read more about suitable forms of identification.

    When to apply

    You are strongly advised to apply now, to ensure there are still places on your chosen course and to give you enough time to complete the admissions process, to arrange funding and to enrol.

    You don't need to complete your current programme of study before you apply - Birkbeck can offer you a place that is conditional on your results.

    You will also receive information about subject-specific induction sessions over the summer.

    Help and advice with your application

    Get all the information you need about the application, admission and enrolment process at Birkbeck.

    Our online personal statement tool will guide you through every step of writing the personal statement part of your application.

    Apply for your course

    Apply for your course using the apply now button in the key information section.

Visit the School of Creative Arts, Culture and Communication

Related courses

Course structure

Course structure listing

Course structure and modules for Creative Industries Management and Policy MA: 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time, online, starting September 2025

For this online route you must complete modules worth a total of 180 credits, consisting of:

  • a core module (30 credits)
  • a compulsory research methods module (0 credits)
  • three option modules (30 credits each)
  • a 14,000-word dissertation (60 credits).
Core module
Compulsory module
Indicative option modules
MA Creative Industries Management and Policy dissertation

Course structure and modules for Creative Industries Management and Policy MA: 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time, flexible learning, starting September 2025

For this flexible route, you can choose to take modules online or you can choose to take them on campus. You must complete modules worth a total of 180 credits, consisting of:

  • a core module (30 credits)
  • a compulsory research methods module (0 credits)
  • three option modules (30 credits each)
  • a 14,000-word dissertation (60 credits).
Core module
Compulsory module
Indicative option modules
MA Creative Industries Management and Policy dissertation

Course structure and modules for Creative Industries Management and Policy PG Cert: 1 year part-time, flexible learning, starting September 2025

For this flexible route, you can choose to take modules online or you can choose to take them on campus. You must complete modules worth a total of 60 credits, consisting of:

  • a core module (30 credits)
  • a compulsory research methods module (0 credits)
  • one option module (30 credits).
Core module
Compulsory module
Indicative option modules

Course structure and modules for Creative Industries Management and Policy PG Dip: 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time, flexible learning, starting September 2025

For this flexible route, you can choose to take modules online or you can choose to take them on campus. You must complete modules worth a total of 120 credits, consisting of:

  • a core module (30 credits)
  • a compulsory research methods module (0 credits)
  • three option modules (30 credits each).
Core module
Compulsory module
Indicative option modules