Using the past in the present

As a student of this interdisciplinary Dual Master’s programme, you will gain knowledge about the highly selective processes of heritage- and memory-making that shape societies, and be taught to discern the identity politics and commercialization that is enmeshed in these processes. You will learn how expert-driven, top-down approaches to heritage conservation, management and policy-making are being challenged by more bottom-up, participatory and inclusive practices. Similarly, you will tackle issues such as: how Europe’s classic canon of art and heritage is evolving in a less Western-dominated world; how WWII and postcolonial legacies are being dealt with; what new heritage and memory paradigms are emerging in the digitally connected, globalized world; how heritage policies engage with local versus cross-border identities and sense of belonging; and how heritage tourism and digitization affect notions of authenticity and ownership. The five-month internship will train you in putting theory into practice, and vice-versa.

Why study Heritage and Memory Studies at the UvA?

• The curriculum draws from many disciplines (cultural history, art and architectural history, anthropology, cultural theory, sociology and archaeology as well as the by now established heritage and memory studies) and you are encouraged to shape the programme to suit your own specific interests in the field.
• As a Dual Master's programme, with an internship as central component, the Master's in Heritage and Memory Studies offers a unique combination of practical experience, specialist knowledge, creativity and theoretical reflection. A five-month internship of your choice, supervised individually and supported by an internship seminar, lets you further develop your professional heritage skills and network.
• Through seminars combined with on-site visits – in Amsterdam, elsewhere in the Netherlands and abroad – you are trained to verbally and visually analyse the inherent frictions in (inter)national heritage and memory practices.

After graduation

As a Heritage and Memory Studies graduate, you will have developed unique skills relevant to a career in the world of cultural heritage, or to a range of other employment opportunities for which a critical, creative, culturally sensitive and academically-trained mind is essential.

Degree certificate

Heritage and Memory Studies is part of the accredited Master's programme in Heritage Studies. After successful completion of the programme, you will obtain a legally recognised Master’s degree in Heritage Studies and the title Master of Arts (MA).