Iliana Hernandez Valdivia

Cultural and creative industries form a central element of the Scottish economy and play a key role in shaping the society in which we live.
Art and culture are integral to our daily lives, and the ways in which these are experienced are continually changing. Street performances, galleries, festivals, museums, documentaries or social media: there are so many ways in which audiences can be challenged by new ideas and images. This interdisciplinary programme is designed to explore the many ways in which creative materials can be brought to public view. With training in business methods and public engagement, and with the option of a practical placement project, the MSc Cultural and Creative Communication is ideal for anyone planning to go on to a career in the cultural and creative industries, or wanting to learn more about how culture happens in the modern world.
Fee category | Cost |
---|---|
UK | |
Tuition Fees for 2025/26 Academic Year | £11,100 |
Tuition Fees for 2025/26 Academic Year (University of Aberdeen Graduates *) | £7,000 |
EU / International students | |
Tuition Fees for 2025/26 Academic Year | £23,000 |
Tuition Fees for 2025/26 Academic Year (Self-funded Students *) | £15,000 |
Fee category | Cost |
---|---|
UK | |
Tuition Fees for 2023/24 Academic Year | £7,385 |
This course, which is prescribed for all taught postgraduate students, is studied entirely online, is studied entirely online, takes approximately 2-3 hours to complete and can be taken in one sitting, or spread across the first 4 weeks of term.
Topics include University orientation overview, equality & diversity, MySkills, health, safety and cyber security, and academic integrity.
Successful completion of this course will be recorded on your Transcript as ‘Achieved’.
This course will equip you with the essential skills required to engage with your postgraduate studies. Through a series of lectures, interactive seminars and authentic materials, you will build on your critical thinking skills with fellow PGT students from across the school. Critical Reading, essay writing and presentation skills will be offered as part of this course, providing students with skills fundamental to PGT and workplace contexts.
30 Credit Points
This course introduces the theoretical frameworks used in analysing communication, enabling students to investigate social interaction, power relations, and the ways in which language is used in a variety of contexts. It provides a grounding in the precise analysis of language use, which will enable students to go on to investigate communication in a range of professional contexts during the MLitt programme.
Choose a further 30 credit points from the following electives (course availability may vary)
30 Credit Points
This course introduces students to the basic tenets of cultural heritage management at national and international level. Through the interdisciplinary lens of heritage studies, you will learn about the different political, social and economic meanings of heritage. Specific focus is placed on archaeological heritage, how its significance and stewardship has changed over time, and what policies and practices inform its management today. You will also learn about key challenges facing the sector.
30 Credit Points
Museums worldwide are grappling with the complex legacies of colonialism that have shaped collections, institutional practices, and museum relationships with their users. This course introduces students to current debates regarding how - and if - the museum can fully decolonise. It also gives them a grounding in the historical, social, and institutional contexts which have led to these debates, and introduces practice-based strategies to address one of the key challenges facing museums and heritage institutions today.
30 Credit Points
This course is divided into three strands: ‘Perspectives on Tradition’, ‘Perspectives on Identity’, and ‘Perspectives on Fieldwork’. These three strands come together to show how concepts from the disciplines of Ethnology and Folklore may be theoretically and practically applied to contemporary society.
30 Credit Points
This team-taught course will introduce students to key research methods in the field of film and visual culture as utilised in the research and practice of faculty members in the department. Each week students will engage with a range of written and visual materials relating to a specific approach to the study and/or production of visual culture. These may include: approaches to working with living artists and documents of ephemeral art; theories of the animal gaze; approaches to practice-as-research; documentary; memory and memorialisation; the relationship between film, art and history; close reading; bricolage; walking; intermediality; and projects in art and science among others. Throughout the course students will explore important theoretical concepts and artistic paradigms in these areas, applying them in weekly exercises and seminar preparations, and ultimately using one (or more) of them in their assessed work.
Choose a further 30 credit points from the following electives (course availability may vary)
30 Credit Points
This course examines “who” is represented in current frameworks for cultural heritage management, and explores possibilities and problems linked to community engagement. You will learn about approaches and ethics when working with groups that have a stake in archaeological sites and narratives, from indigenous peoples to experts and politicians. Through a joint field project, you will gain direct experience in identifying and engaging Aberdeenshire communities in heritage interpretation.
30 Credit Points
This course examines many of the principal oral genres historically studied in the disciplines of Ethnology and Folklore through seminars and guest-artist performances.
15 Credit Points
What is an archive and how can it be used? Students are introduced to some archives in Aberdeen and learn how to make best use of these important resources for research. Seminars investigate the history and philosophy of archival collections, and how they relate to museums, libraries and galleries; approaches to the evaluation of contents of archives and qualitative analyses of specific collections. Assessment is based on a 5000-word essay in which students are asked to identify and analyse material from a specific archive which may be in Aberdeen, or elsewhere in Scotland, the UK, or abroad.
15 Credit Points
History has long had a high profile in literature, film and television; its presence has expanded exponentially in the digital age, with a vast range of new historically-based websites, computer games, and blogs. This course will consider the use of history and historical themes in literature, film, and television. In an age claimed to be post Truth, it will consider the dividing-line between fiction and history, the problems of historical authenticity and artistic licence, and the use and misuse of history by politicians and other public figures.
30 Credit Points
Taught by museum expert and law academics, this course will examine cultural property issues such as treasure trove, looting and repatriation, forgery, sacred and street art, the derogatory treatment of art, and the commercialisation of artworks. Objects from the University Museum and collections worldwide will be drawn on to illustrate aspects of the course. Museum practice and operational experience will also inform the discussions in class. Students will be encouraged to explore and develop their own ideas. Facilitating this, the course will include a programme of case studies and/or issue papers to be presented by students for class discussion.
Fee category | Cost |
---|---|
UK | |
Tuition Fees for 2023/24 Academic Year | £7,385 |
Fee category | Cost |
---|---|
UK | |
Tuition Fees for 2023/24 Academic Year | £3,690 |
We will endeavour to make all course options available. However, these may be subject to change - see our Student Terms and Conditions page. In exceptional circumstances there may be additional fees associated with specialist courses, for example field trips.
All eligible self-funded international Postgraduate Masters students starting in September 2025 will receive an £8,000 scholarship. Learn more about this Aberdeen Global Scholarship here.
To see our full range of scholarships, visit our Funding Database.
Teaching will be effected through a mix of seminars, lectures, practical work and work placement.
Assessments include written essays, research projects, presentations, reflective work, case studies and an individual dissertation project.
The information below is provided as a guide only and does not guarantee entry to the University of Aberdeen.
A 2:2 Honours degree or the equivalent in English Literature or a relevant cognate discipline in the arts, humanities and social sciences.
Please enter your country or territory to view relevant entry requirements.
Eligible self-funded Postgraduate Taught (PGT) students will receive the Aberdeen Global Scholarship. Eligibility details and further information are available on our dedicated page.
Aberdeen Global ScholarshipTo study for a Postgraduate Taught degree at the University of Aberdeen it is essential that you can speak, understand, read, and write English fluently. The minimum requirements for this degree are as follows:
IELTS Academic:
OVERALL - 6.5 with: Listening - 5.5; Reading - 6.0; Speaking - 5.5; Writing - 6.0
TOEFL iBT:
OVERALL - 90 with: Listening - 17; Reading - 21; Speaking - 20; Writing - 21
PTE Academic:
OVERALL - 62 with: Listening - 59; Reading - 59; Speaking - 59; Writing - 59
Cambridge English B2 First, C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency:
OVERALL - 176 with: Listening - 162; Reading - 169; Speaking - 162; Writing - 169
Read more about specific English Language requirements here.
You will be required to supply the following documentation with your application as proof you meet the entry requirements of this degree programme. If you have not yet completed your current programme of study, then you can still apply and you can provide your Degree Certificate at a later date.
There are many opportunities at the University of Aberdeen to develop your knowledge, gain experience and build a competitive set of skills to enhance your employability. This is essential for your future career success. The Careers and Employability Service can help you to plan your career and support your choices throughout your time with us, from first to final year – and beyond.
Career Opportunities
Programme Coordinator - Dr Barbara Barreiro
You will be taught by a range of experts including professors, lecturers, teaching fellows and postgraduate tutors. However, these may be subject to change - see our Student Terms and Conditions page.