MA Curatorial Practice

Based in the heart of New York City, the master’s degree program in Curatorial Practice at the School of Visual Arts trains its international students in every aspect of curatorial work, intensely studying history and theory in the context of practical, hands-on training as makers of exhibitions and other curatorial presentations. Our faculty is unparalleled, bringing together renowned curators from major museums in New York and from around the world, delving deeply into every aspect of curatorial work and with the shared goal of preparing our students to be hired as professionals in the field, in museums, cultural centers, corporate collections, commercial galleries, auction houses, and as independent curators—as our graduates have gone on to with success in the US and internationally.

Along with the unique experience of being in the center of the New York art world and all that it offers, our students have the opportunity to travel for a subsidized trip to Europe to a major biennial each year, followed by a hand-picked internship at a leading international art institution. Every student makes three subsidized exhibitions—more than any other program of its kind—in our own state-of-the-art exhibition laboratory space designed by world-renowned architect and faculty member Charles Renfro, with Leong Leong, and in industrial spaces in Brooklyn, ensuring that our students not only know how to curate in refined contemporary gallery settings but in a variety of different environments, better preparing them to do their work wherever they are situated.

With a focus on contemporary art, our students have workshops devoted to writing, exhibition installation, exhibition design, lighting design, conservation, presentation-making, and grant writing. They are trained in every aspect of standard curatorial processes—conceptualizing exhibitions, working with artists in producing exhibitions, preparing wall texts, gallery labels, press releases, and presenting their exhibitions to diverse audiences. Coursework includes focused study and training in curating film and video, performance, digital media, curating other media and other art forms, as well as learning how to create institutional programming from the directors of programs in onsite visits. Museum studies include collection strategies and management, along with archival work. Our students are trained in catalog writing and produce catalogs for their final exhibitions. Reading deeply in history and theory, while making numerous exhibitions and interning at leading international art centers, they are fully prepared to enter the field with a totally practical knowledge of techniques, practices, and conceptualization that includes a heightened awareness of contemporary contexts, social urgencies, and equity, inclusiveness, and justice.

Based in one of the premiere art schools in the United States and in the heart of New York City, our students have access to hundreds of artists who are their fellow students, along with the thousands of artists in the city, more than 300 art galleries just minutes from our door in Chelsea, including some of the world’s most prominent galleries, and with the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum, the Whitney Museum, the Guggenheim Museum, the New Museum, and so many more close by—and among whose extraordinary curators are our faculty members and visitors to our program. Trips to local artist residency programs give our students further access to international artists for their exhibitions and to grow their professional networks. During the program’s four semesters, students will speak with more than forty curators and museum directors from around the world, further building connections and knowledge.

We offer substantial scholarships toward training with us over two intense, practically oriented, knowledge-rich years that prepare you to enter the professional art world trained and ready to work.

Join us in person for our upcoming panel discussion, The Future of the Museum, with members of our esteemed faculty on October 30. Learn more and register here.

For further information, visit our website, join upcoming information sessions online and in person in November and January, and apply for admission here.