MA in Contemporary Art and the Moving Image

The Contemporary Art and the Moving Image MA is a collaborative master's degree offered jointly by King’s College London and the Courtauld Institute of Art.

This innovative course explores the past and present of visual culture and the moving image in art. As film, video, and digital media continue to influence and shape contemporary art, you’ll engage with this evolving discipline through perspectives provided by art history, film and media studies, exhibitions, and curatorial practice, among other fields. You’ll cover artists' moving image practices, experimental cinema, contemporary cinema, and digital art, and examine these through various disciplinary and geographical lenses.

You’ll also benefit from our prime location in the heart of London, placing you within easy reach of key cultural institutions such as BFI Southbank (and the BFI Library), Tate Britain, Tate Modern, the Institute of Contemporary Art, and the Hayward Gallery.

Key benefits

• Taught jointly by the Department of Film Studies at King’s and the Courtauld Institute of Art, bringing together King’s expertise in film studies and critical theory with the Courtauld’s dedicated specialisms in art history, conservation, and curation.
• The Courtauld is ranked 4th in the world for the study of Art History. King’s ranks top 5 in the UK for Arts and Humanities education (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024).
• You will be a part of small group teaching and site visits, and art tours, and you’ll study writing from across different forms of art.
• Be located in the dynamic heart of central London, with close proximity to the ICA, BFI, and Tate and an active schedule of site visits to galleries, museums, and other institutional venues.
• Acquire a deep knowledge and understanding of historical, theoretical, critical, and practical frameworks from the intersections of modern and contemporary art, film studies, curation and related fields.
• Take part in visits to exhibitions and museums, and undertake a Virtual Exhibition project.
• Graduate with the skills and knowledge to navigate and contribute to this dynamic field and necessary for a wide range of careers in film and arts and cultural sectors, or further academic study.
• Have access to The Courtauld’s Research Forum, the Modern & Contemporary Research Colloquium, King’s Film Studies Research Forum, and other specialist research activities.
• Be part of a friendly and supportive learning environment with a diverse and inclusive curriculum.

Course essentials

This Contemporary Art and the Moving Image MA is a collaborative master's degree offered jointly by King’s College London and the Courtauld Institute of Art. This partnership grants you access to a diverse range of experts from both prestigious institutions, enriching your learning experience. You’ll also have the opportunity to choose from an exciting list of optional modules, with teaching provided across both partners. On the Contemporary Art and the Moving Image MA, you’ll become part of an exceptional academic community. You'll benefit from the combined expertise in both film and art, with specialisations spanning both disciplines. This breadth of knowledge is particularly advantageous when it comes to your dissertation. You'll be empowered to explore a research question that most interests you, supported by academics who are leaders in their fields. The programme is designed to help you develop critical approaches and research skills, enabling you to work with a variety of sources and methodologies.

Duration: 1 year