Fall 2025 Admissions
We are now accepting Fall 2025 applications for a review process in Winter 2025. For information on the application process: read here
Curatorial Studies at a Glance
- Read about our Studio Courses and the yearly group exhibitions curated by our students.
- From national and international institutions to Ottawa’s vibrant network of local museums, consult the list of placement partners involved with our hands-on curatorial practica.
- Find out about some of our graduate curators and their student experience.
- Discover the many programs and disciplines our interdisciplinary diploma can be combined with through our cognate courses.
- Email us at curatorial@carleton.ca for our next information session or a one-on-one consultation.
Our Program
The Canadian Museum of Nature will be receptive to Carleton graduates who require work placement experience, to professors and their students who want exposure to our curatorial practises, and to providing insights and subject matter for case studies and other work projects. – Mark Graham, Vice President, Research and Collections, Canadian Museum of Nature
Our unique Curatorial Studies program spans the arts, social sciences and sciences, exposing students to a wide range of museological and curatorial issues. Through the program’s strong relationships with museums, galleries and festivals in the National Capital region, students also receive hands-on, discipline specific training and exposure to professional best practices.
“The program is enriching my critical curatorial competencies, and exposing me to relevant curatorial trends.” – Hilary Dow
Carleton is located in the heart of Canada’s national capital, with a large concentration of galleries, museums, heritage and arts organizations with many experiential opportunities. Significant components of the program are delivered in collaboration with professionals from these institutions, both on-campus and in the field. These opportunities afford our students both real-world experience and excellent employment networks.
A Standalone or Combined Graduate Diploma
We offer the Graduate Diplomas in Curatorial Studies to domestic and international students. The Type 2 Diploma is for students seeking to acquire practical skills in addition to a disciplinary MA or PhD at Carleton and will give them a combination of academic training and professional skills available nowhere else in Canada.
Our standalone Type 3 Diploma is for students who would like to supplement their completed academic degrees with practical training or for practitioners who wish to upgrade their knowledge and skills. This interdisciplinary program is twelve months long and includes a practicum component.