Anthropology of Arts

The MA in Anthropology of Arts is a two-year program designed for students seeking a comprehensive education in the anthropology of art, music, and literature. With an interdisciplinary approach, the program covers cultural expressions across art, music, and literature in the broadest sense, as well as their expression in cultural venues such as museums, art galleries, concerts, archives, or literature festivals. Structured over four semesters, it combines core theoretical and methodological training with a range of electives and a compulsory internship, enabling students to gain hands-on experience. This program equips students with the analytical and research skills needed to excel as experts in the cultural sector. Graduates will be well-prepared to pursue doctoral research or transition into creative industries, such as the visual and performing arts, music, publishing, and related fields.

Graduates of the MA in Anthropology of Arts understand how art, music, and literature shape societies and cultures around the world, and are shaped by them. Throughout their studies, they learn to look at art from multiple perspectives – especially those that go beyond the Western canon – and to think critically about how culture is produced, shared, and experienced. The program combines academic learning with hands-on experience. Students will take part in internships, explore real-world cultural projects, and develop strong research and analytical skills. Graduates of the Master’s program in Anthropology of Arts can successfully pursue both academic and professional careers in the cultural and arts sectors. With a solid foundation in ethnographic methods, critical theory, and interdisciplinary cultural analysis, they are prepared for positions in museums, galleries, cultural heritage institutions, music and literary festivals, publishing houses, or international organizations. Their education also opens the door to careers as cultural consultants, researchers, curators, or coordinators in the creative industries. Thanks to the program’s international focus, including its internships, students gain practical experience and a network of contacts that enhance their employability in the global.

cultural and academic environment.

1. By February 28th, 2027, applicants must submit a motivation letter (300 to 500 words), a structured curriculum vitae, proof of English proficiency at min. B2 level, and an academic text in English. The text should be between 4,500 and 5,000 words long and must adhere to the standards of academic writing; the bibliography does not count towards the overall word count. The academic text may be a defended Bachelor’s thesis or its summary, an article published in an academic journal, or any new essay in which the applicant decides to demonstrate their academic expertise; it must be written by the applicant only – co-authorship is not permitted. The required documents should demonstrate the applicants’ abilities, knowledge and skills for studies in the Anthropology of Arts programme at the Master’s level. All of the abovementioned documents are a mandatory annex for assessment in the admission procedure.

   
   

   In the first stage of the admission procedure, applicants can obtain between 0 and 15 points:

   a.	0 to 5 points for the motivation letter,
   b.	0 to 10 points for the academic text.

   
   

   The Dean determines the minimum point threshold for admission, taking into account the number of applicants and the operational capacity of the Faculty of Humanities.

   Applicants who fail to meet either of the two conditions will receive a decision of non-acceptance. Applicants who meet both conditions will be issued a letter of acceptance.

2. The second condition of the admission process is the submission of proof of previous education, i.e., a copy of the applicant’s Bachelor’s or Master’s diploma and its supplement(s). The deadline for providing the abovementioned proof is set to September 30th, 2027. Applicants who have completed their previous higher education at a foreign university must submit one of the following documents to prove their previous education: a document issued pursuant to Sections 89 and 90 of the Higher Education Act proving general recognition of foreign higher education in the Czech Republic (i.e. general nostrification); or a foreign document concerning foreign higher education if it is deemed automatically equivalent in the Czech Republic by its international agreements without any further administrative procedures (namely a higher education diploma from Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, or Slovenia); or a foreign document concerning foreign higher education to be assessed by the Faculty (for a fee of 1050 CZK). The verification period for fulfilling graduation requirements is October 22nd, 2027; this date applies to applicants who completed their studies in a Bachelor's or Master's degree programme during the autumn term, in accordance of Section 48(1), third sentence, of the Higher Education Act; or the applicants proves the condition of completion of any study programme pursuant to Section 48(5) of the Higher Education Act.

   
   

   Detailed information regarding the method of proving the previous education can be found at the Faculty’s website:  https://fhs.cuni.cz/FHSENG-912.html.