Creative Industries & Cultural Policy MSc

This programme provides an interdisciplinary grounding in the key economic, cultural and policy forces shaping the development of the creative industries. Theoretical and analytical depth is coupled with an emphasis on the realities of contemporary cultural production, in order to deliver both a rigorous academic experience and a foundation for a career in the sector.
- Academic contact: sccaenquiries@glasgow.ac.uk
- Teaching start: September
- Glasgow: Gilmorehill campus
- MSc: 12 months full-time
Why this programme

- You will be taught by the world leading teams in the School of Culture and Creative Arts and the Adam Smith Business School. Guest speakers will provide current industry insights from across the sector.
- Glasgow offers an ideal environment for students studying the Creative and Cultural Industries. It is a culturally vibrant city, with thriving music, theatre, and visual art scenes, and the greatest concentration of creative industries in Scotland.
Programme structure
The Creative Industries and Cultural Policy MSc involves a taught course followed by an individual supervised dissertation.
The taught component which starts in September involves a combination of lectures, seminars and group-work sessions. In previous years the teaching on the two largest core courses, Creative Industries and Cultural Policy (semester 1) and Creative Lives and Cultural Industries (semester 2) has been supported by guest lectures, in which practitioners, policy makers and key influencers from across the creative sector have been invited to share their perspectives.
This is followed by an individual supervised research dissertation (worth 60 credits). The academic team have extensive experience of conducting empirical studies within the creative sector, and are thus able to support a wide range of industry and policy related topics and research approaches
Semester 1
core courses
- Creative Industries and Cultural Policy - Core 1
- Research Methods in Creative Industries and Cultural Policy
- Manging Creativity and Innovation (Creative Industries and Cultural Policy)
- Project Management (Creative Industries and Cultural Policy)
Semester 2
core course
Optional courses totalling 20 credits (subject to availability)
Either one course from the following:
or another suitable course from Arts & Humanities
or two courses from the following:
- Analytical Marketing
- Business Finance
- Managing Diversity In Organisations
- Internationalisation of SMEs
- Processes of Entrepreneurship and Innovation
- Digital transformation: new models of business
- Learning and Development
Summer
Some optional courses might not be available every year.
Programme alteration or discontinuation
The University of Glasgow endeavours
to run all programmes as advertised. In exceptional circumstances, however, the University may withdraw
or alter a programme. For more information, please see: Student contract.
Career prospects
Whether you are seeking a management role in an established organisation or plan to pursue a more entrepreneurial path, this course will equip you with a critical understanding of the landscape within which cultural and creative industries operate, and enable you to develop the analytical skills necessary for a career in this growing sector.
At the same time, the programme offers an academically engaging experience and will prepare you for policy advisory and consultancy roles or to pursue further postgraduate studies.
Meet our students
Film producer and entrepreneur Rakasree joined CICP as a British Council Scholar. Find out about her journey in Glasgow and what it was like to receive an India UK Achievers Award in the UK Parliament’s House of Commons.
Fees & funding
Tuition fees for 2025-26
MSc
UK
- Full-time fee: £11820
International & EU
- Full-time fee: £26580
Deposits
International and EU applicants are required to pay a deposit of £2000 when an offer is made.
Deposits: terms & conditions
Additional fees
- Fee for re-assessment of a dissertation (PGT programme): £370
- Submission of thesis after deadline lapsed: £350
- Registration/exam only fee: £170
Funding opportunities
College of Arts and Humanities Widening Participation Postgraduate Taught Scholarships
Beatrix Whistler and James McNeill Whistler Scholarship
GREAT Scholarships 2025
The Snowdon Trust Master’s Scholarship
Banco de Mexico
Erasmus+ Master Degree Loans
DAAD-University of Glasgow 1-year Master’s grant
Colfuturo Fundacion para el Futuro de Colombia
Commonwealth Scholarship Schemes
Chevening Scholarship
CONICyT (La Comsion Nacional de Investigacion Cientifica y Tecnologica de Chile)
CONACyT (Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia) / FUNED Agreement
University of Glasgow African Excellence Award
University of Glasgow Caribbean Excellence Award
World Changers Glasgow Scholarship
Postgraduate Student Loan (Scotland and EU)
Postgraduate Tuition Fee Loans England only (PTFL)
Postgraduate Loans for Welsh Students
Alumni Discount
Postgraduate Access Scholarship
Global Leadership Scholarship
Glasgow Excellence Award (UK)
HESPAL Scholarship
Postgraduate Student Loan (NI)
World Changers Glasgow Scholarship PGT (EU)
The Clan Gregor Society Prize
The Dima Alhaj Scholarship
Sanctuary Scholarships
Travel Bursary for Forced Migrants
Glasgow Highland Society Scholarship
The scholarships above are relevant to this programme. For more funding opportunities search the scholarships database
Entry requirements
2.1 Hons (or non-UK equivalent) in Arts or Humanities or Social Science or Business or Economics or Law or any other relevant subject.
We may also accept degrees in any other subject.
Applicants without the normal academic qualifications, but with substantial relevant professional experience in the creative/cultural sector, will also be considered for entry.
English language requirements
International students
We are proud of our diverse University community that includes students and staff from more than 140 different countries.
How to apply
To apply for a postgraduate taught degree you must apply online. We cannot accept applications any other way.
Please check you meet the Entry requirements for this programme before you begin your application.
Documents
As part of your online application, you also need to submit the following supporting documents:
- A copy (or copies) of your official degree certificate(s) (if you have already completed your degree)
- A copy (or copies) of your official academic transcript(s), showing full details of subjects studied and grades/marks obtained
- Official English translations of the certificate(s) and transcript(s)
- One reference letter on headed paper
- Evidence of your English language ability (if your first language is not English)
- Any additional documents required for this programme (see Entry requirements for this programme)
- A copy of the photo page of your passport
You have 42 days to submit your application once you begin the process.
You may save and return to your application as many times as you wish to update information, complete sections or upload supporting documents such as your final transcript or your language test.
For more information about submitting documents or other topics related to applying to a postgraduate taught programme, see how to apply for a postgraduate taught degree
Guidance notes for using the online application
These notes are intended to help you complete the online application form accurately; they are also available within the help section of the online application form.
If you experience any difficulties accessing the online application, see Application System Help.
- Name and Date of birth: must appear exactly as they do on your passport. Please take time to check the spelling and lay-out.
- Contact Details: Correspondence address. All contact relevant to your application will be sent to this address including the offer letter(s). If your address changes, please contact us as soon as possible.
- Choice of course: Please select carefully the course you want to study. As your application will be sent to the admissions committee for each course you select it is important to consider at this stage why you are interested in the course and that it is reflected in your application.
- Proposed date of entry: Please state your preferred start date including the month and the year. Taught masters degrees tend to begin in September. Research degrees may start in any month.
- Education and Qualifications: Please complete this section as fully as possible indicating any relevant Higher Education qualifications starting with the most recent. Complete the name of the Institution (s) as it appears on the degree certificate or transcript.
- English Language Proficiency: Please state the date of any English language test taken (or to be taken) and the award date (or expected award date if known).
- Employment and Experience: Please complete this section as fully as possible with all employments relevant to your course. Additional details may be attached in your personal statement/proposal where appropriate.
Reference: Please provide one reference. This should typically be an academic reference but in cases where this is not possible then a reference from a current employer may be accepted instead. Certain programmes, such as the MBA programme, may also accept an employer reference. If you already have a copy of a reference on letter headed paper then please upload this to your application. If you do not already have a reference to upload then please enter your referee’s name and contact details on the online application and we will contact your referee directly.
Application deadlines
September 2025
All applicants
Due to demand for degree places on this programme, the University has an application process with application rounds which recognises that different geographical areas complete and submit their applications at different times of the year. This process aims to ensure fairness and equity to applicants from all geographic regions.
Round 1 application dates: 1 October 2024 to 4 November 2024
All applications submitted within these dates will be reviewed with no priority given to any geographic region. You will receive our decision on your application by 15 January 2025.
Round 2 application dates: 5 November 2024 to 16 December 2024
All international applications submitted within these dates will be reviewed with no priority given to any geographic region. You will receive our decision on your application by 10 March 2025..
Round 3 application dates: 17 December 2024 to 3 February 2025
Priority will be given to under-represented geographic regions. You will receive our decision on your application by 14 April 2025.
Round 4 application dates: 4 February 2025 to 24 March 2025
Priority will be given to under-represented geographic regions. You will receive our decision on your application by 5 May 2025.
Round 5 application dates: 25 March 2025 to 12 May 2025
Priority will be given to under-represented geographic regions. You will receive our decision on your application by 16 June 2025.
Round 6 application dates: 13 May 2025 to 7 July 2025
Priority will be given to under-represented geographic regions. You will receive our decision on your application by 28 July 2025.
All international applications submitted by 16 December 2024 will be reviewed and processed normally with no priority given to any geographic region. From 17 December 2024, priority will be given to applications from geographic areas which have been unable to submit applications before that point.
As we receive a great number of applications, prospective students are only allowed to apply once per year.
Apply now