Structure and timetable
The MA in Contemporary Art History and Visual Culture, organised jointly by the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM), the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM) and the Museo Reina Sofía, aims to train specialists in the historical and critical analysis and management and dissemination of culture and contemporary art.
The MA programme prepares students to go on to apply for entry into PhD programmes.
The MA, an in-person course, is made up of 60 ECTS credits taught over the academic year, approaching, from a critical and interdisciplinary perspective, contemporary art and visual culture, in addition to offering a programme of internships in Art Theory and Criticism and Museum Management.
Compulsory courses: 15 ECTS
Optional courses: 20 ECTS
Internships: 15 ECTS
Final MA dissertation: 10 ECTS
The MA’s classes are structured around four modules:
- Module 1. An introduction to research. Research Methodology in Contemporary Art History and Visual Culture, comprising a course with 5 compulsory ECTS credits for all students.
- Module 2. Art History, Architecture and Design in the 20th Century. Students must study 5 compulsory ECTS credits and up to 20 optional ECTS credits.
- Module 3. Theories of Contemporary Art and Visual Culture. Students must study 5 compulsory ECTS credits and up to 20 optional ECTS credits.
- Module 4. An internships Module accounting for 15 ECTS credits. Students must enrol in the whole Module during the first academic year and must choose one of two alternatives on offer: either Museum and Contemporary Art Collections Management or Art Theory and Criticism.
- Module 5: Final MA dissertation (10 ECTS credits). Compulsory for all students.
Compulsory studies for students:
All credits from Module 1, on the course “Research Methodology in Contemporary Art History and Visual Culture” (5 ECTS credits)
From Module 2, the course “The Art of Historical Avant-garde Movements” (5 ECTS credits).
From Module 3, the course “Theoretical-Critical Currents in Today’s Art” (5 ECTS credits).
From Module 4, one of two internships tracks: “Art Theory and Criticism” or “Museum and Contemporary Art Collections Management” (15 ECTS credits), to be selected individually in coordination with students.
All credits from the “Final MA dissertation” (10 ECTS credits).
*Optional credits (20 ECTS) may be chosen freely between courses from Modules 2 (“Art History, Architecture and Design in the 20th Century”) and 3 (“Theories of Contemporary Art and Visual Culture”).
The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía plays a prominent role in developing the Module of Internships related to Museum and Contemporary Art Collections Management, setting out to train students in the major professional fields of practice that today distinguish the contemporary art sector: exhibitions and art events curatorship, contemporary art management in museums and collections and the development of public and education programmes. Each student will have a tutor inside the museum to monitor and assess their internship.
Furthermore, Internships from the Art Theory and Criticism track are also supported, indispensably, by the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía. The Internship entails carrying out a collective editorial and curatorial project that is sustainable over time and linked thematically to the subjects studied on the MA’s courses.
The curatorial project is presented at the end of the academic year in Space D of the Museo Reina Sofía’s Library and Study Centre, along with a magazine produced in the editorial project, ACTA. This will be in addition to attendance and participation in the sessions and seminars organised by the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, following its programme of activities which, in some instances, are tailored to MA students. These Internships are tutored by the MA Coordination team in both Universities and the museum, with the results evaluated by a panel made up of MA lecturers.
All classes are taught in the Museo Reina Sofía’s Study Centre.
Further information is available HERE.
Academic planning and Study Plan for the 2020–2021 academic year
|
UAM/UCM CODE
|
COURSE
|
SEMESTER
|
COURSE TYPE
|
ECTS
|
MODULE
|
|
32221/ 604120 |
Research Methodology in Contemporary Art History and Visual Culture. - Lects. Juan Albarrán & Olga Fernández López, Group A |
1 (UCM) |
Compulsory |
5 |
1 |
|
32221/ 604120 |
Research Methodology in Contemporary Art History and Visual Culture - Lects. Juan Albarrán & Olga Fernández López, Group B |
1 (UCM) |
Compulsory |
5 |
1 |
|
31150/ 604121 |
The Art of Historical Avant-garde Movements - Lect. Rocío Robles Tardío, Group A |
2 (UCM) |
Compulsory |
5 |
2 |
|
31150/ 604121 |
The Art of Historical Avant-garde Movements - Lect. Rocío Robles Tardío, Group B |
2 (UCM) |
Compulsory |
5 |
2 |
|
31154/ 604131 |
Theoretical-Critical Currents in Today’s Art - Lect. Jesús Carrillo, Group A |
1 (UAM) |
Compulsory |
5 |
3 |
|
31154/ 604131 |
Theoretical-Critical Currents in Today’s Art - Lect. Jesús Carrillo, Group B |
1 (UAM) |
Compulsory |
5 |
3 |
|
32222/ 604122 |
Art from the Second Half of the 20th Century - Lects. David Moriente & Lidia Merás |
2 (UAM) |
Optional |
5 |
2 |
|
31156/ 604124 |
Recent Trends I. Performative and Procedural Behaviours in Today’s Art World: From Action Art to Relational Art - Lect. Ignacio Estella |
1 (UCM) |
Optional |
5 |
2 |
|
31157/ 604125 |
Recent Trends II. Transformations of the Art Object: From Paintings to Interventions in Spaces - Lect. Eva Fernández de Campo |
2 (UCM) |
Optional |
5 |
2 |
|
31158/ 604126 |
Art and New Technologies. The Audiovisualisation of Art, New Media and the Net - Lect. Noemí de Haro García |
2 (UAM) |
Optional |
5 |
2 |
|
31159/ 604127 |
Constructing and Deconstructing. Contemporary Architecture, 1950–2000 - Lect. Fernando Castro Flórez |
2 (UAM) |
Optional
|
5 |
2 |
|
31153/ 604130 |
Currents of Contemporary Aesthetic Thought - Lect. Rocío de la Villa |
1 (UAM) |
Optional
|
5 |
3 |
|
31240/ 604128 |
Industrial Design Lect. Selina Blasco & María Rosón |
1 (UCM) |
Optional
|
5 |
2 |
|
31152/ 604123 |
The Art Scene in Present-Day Spain - Lect. Henar Rivière |
2 (UAM) |
Optional
|
5 |
2 |
|
31155/ 604132 |
Theoretical Models and Debates Around Gender, Identity and Visual Culture - Lect. Patricia Mayayo |
2 (UAM) |
Optional
|
5 |
3 |
|
31160/ 604133 |
Contemporary Photographic Languages - Lect. Estrella de Diego |
2 (UCM) |
Optional
|
5 |
3 |
|
31241/ 604135 |
Contemporary Film Languages - Lect. José Luis Sánchez Noriega |
2 (UCM) |
Optional
|
5 |
3 |
|
33115/ 604134 |
Languages of Comics and Contemporary Graphic Design - Lect. Alicia Fuentes Vega |
2 (UCM) |
Optional
|
5 |
3 |
|
32224/ 604136 |
Internships around Museum and Contemporary Art Collections Management - Lect. Rocío Gracia Ipiña: 5 credits |
1 and 2 (UCM) Theory sessions: 2 |
Optional
|
15 |
4 |
|
32225/ 604136 |
Internships around Art Theory and Criticism - Lect. Miguel Cereceda: 5 credits |
1 and 2 (UAM) Theory sessions: 1 |
Optional
|
15 |
4 |
|
32225/ 604136 |
Supervised project (Internships around Art Theory and Criticism) - Lect. Diana Angoso de Guzmán |
1 and 2 (UCM) |
Optional |
|
4 |
|
32226/ 604137 |
Final MA dissertation |
1 and 2 (UAM/UCM) |
Compulsory |
10 |
5 |