Culture enables and facilitates multiple interconnections at both a theoretical and applied level. This explains students’ achievement and absorption capacity, as demonstrated by international case studies with respect to undergraduate and postgraduate studies.
The Hellenic Open University offers this MA course aiming at contributing to the cultivation, empowerment and development at the national and local levels at this critical juncture, taking into consideration the international experience. Moreover, as a reaction to the challenges of globalization, as well as for reasons of promotion of cultural heritage and the arts, this course aims at training and familiarizing students with the theoretical framework by adopting innovative educational strategies.
Subject – Purpose
The program’s objectives are:
- Aesthetic, interdisciplinary, and critical understanding of art, cultural heritage, and architecture in Greece and of Greek culture more broadly, including urban and regional landscapes rich in natural and human-made beauty, as well as cultural and aesthetic goods.
- Promotion of the Greek urban and regional landscape as a ‘palimpsest’ of history, nature, and art worthy of protection and enhancement.
- Development of theoretical, aesthetic, and technological methods of cultural enhancement, as well as spatial design suitable for the Greek landscape.
- Study of the developmental dimension/aspects of Greek art and cultural heritage.
The program aims to contribute educationally and research-wise to the following:
- Comparative recapitulation of Greek art and creative expressions of all periods in relation to the international context during recent historical periods. Contemporary interpretation issues.
- Comprehensive evaluation and promotion of art and cultural heritage. Cultivation of environmentally sensitive synthetic and creative attitude towards the Greek cultural resources (monuments, artworks, cultural landscapes, architectural elements or ensembles) present in today’s urban fabric and regional space.
- Linking theory and practice for the implementation of new artistic, architectural, and urban creation in harmonious dialogue with the urban stratigraphy of different eras and styles.
- The role of museums in promoting art and cultural heritage through education and presentation activities.
- The importance of cultural heritage for the achievement of sustainable development, through well-designed cultural tourism activities.
- Managing tension and conflict when it comes to large-scale construction activity and the need to protect art and cultural heritage.
- Development of public dialogue with the ultimate goal of defending and perpetuating significant elements and characteristics of Greek art and cultural heritage.
Specifically:
The Master’s Program in Arts-Cultural Heritage-Development Policies (TEP), as published in the Government Gazette 710/24.02.2021, issue B’, aims to educate students with the following objectives:
- To deepen their understanding of the rare physical and intellectual characteristics of Greek culture and space, and, more broadly, for international students, the historical context.
- To highlight these characteristics appropriately, contributing factors include:
- Monumental and museum-based national policies.
- Cultural and creative tourism activities with sustainable orientation.
- Targeted promotion of cultural and natural beauty networks.
- Spatial and urban integration of national ‘paths’ of monuments and cultural forms.
- To create new artistic forms with a profound awareness of the past.
- To continually contribute to the international recognition of the country’s image through knowledge and work, considering its vast spatial and artistic wealth, and the significant work in preserving this wealth.
The uniqueness and originality of the program lie in its exploration of aspects, dimensions, and aesthetics of creative and spatial tradition, as well as perspectives within the Greek context, compared to the Western world as a whole and the Mediterranean in particular.
To achieve these goals, the program combines theoretical, applied, and experiential education whenever possible. Specifically, organized student visits to significant places related to the program’s nature are included.
In more detail:
The objectives and purposes of the Master’s Program in Arts-Cultural Heritage-Development Policies (TEP) encompass interdisciplinary education in the following areas:
- Comparative recapitulation of Greek art and creation in relation to current reality and the international environment.
- Highlighting and managing natural, artistic, and intellectual characteristics of Greek historical stratigraphy, i.e., traces of the historical space inscribed in today’s urban fabric and regional space.
- New artistic, architectural, and urban creation in harmonious dialogue with urban palimpsests of different eras and styles.
Furthermore, the program addresses:
- Utilization of rich cultural heritage with developmental outcomes, such as well-designed cultural and creative tourism.
- Preparation for harmonizing large-scale construction activities with the need to protect and showcase art and cultural heritage.
- Development of public dialogue through publications to contribute to a deeper understanding of the social field regarding the program’s dimensions and priorities, aiming to advocate for them.
Students gain both theoretical and applied training, including:
- Comprehensive evaluation and promotion of art and cultural heritage, encompassing urban and regional environments rich in natural beauty, cultural heritage, and aesthetic goods.
- Involvement in cultural and creative tourism.
- Museum education and promotion.
In summary, the program’s objects include:
- Aesthetic, interdisciplinary, and critical examination of the art, cultural heritage, and architecture of Greece and Greek culture more broadly.
- Showcasing Greek urban and regional landscapes as palimpsests of history, nature, and art for protection and promotion.
- Cultivation of theoretical, aesthetic, and technological methods, as well as spatial design suitable for the Greek landscape as a cultural and material substance.
- Approaching the developmental dimension of Greek art and cultural heritage.
In more detail, the MA program aims to contribute educationally and research-wise to the following:
- Comparative recapitulation of Greek art and creativity from all periods in relation to the international context during recent historical periods. Examination of current issues in interpretation.
- Comprehensive evaluation and promotion of art and cultural heritage. Cultivation of an environmentally sensitive synthetic and creative approach towards the Greek stratigraphy (monuments, artworks, cultural landscapes, architectural elements or complexes) embedded in today’s urban fabric and the regional space.
- Integration of theory and practice for the implementation of new artistic, architectural, and urban creation in a harmonious dialogue with the urban palimpsests of the country and the broader region across different eras and styles.
- Museum promotion of art and cultural heritage through corresponding education and presentation using new technologies.
- Utilization of cultural heritage with developmental goals through well-planned cultural and creative tourism.
- Contribution to harmonizing tensions between large-scale construction activities and the need to protect and showcase art and cultural heritage.
- Development of public dialogue to defend and perpetuate significant elements and characteristics of Greek art and cultural heritage.
Classification according to ISCED-2011 of UNESCO:
Based on the level of Education: 7
Classification according to ISCED-2013 of UNESCO:
Based on the field of Education: 0288 – Inter-disciplinary programs and qualifications involving arts and humanities in the following sectors:
0211 Audio-Visual Techniques and Media Production, Film and Video Production, Photography
0213 Fine Arts and Aesthetics, Philosophy of Art, Art Theory, Painting, Sculpture
0222 History and Archaeology, Cultural History, Restoration and Preservation of Artistic Heritage, History of Literature, History of Political, Social and Economic Development
0314 Sociology and Cultural Studies, Human Geography, Cultural Geography, Regional Cultures
0322 Museum Studies, Museology
0522 Natural Environments and Wildlife
0714 Electronics and Automation, Digital Technology
0731 Architecture and Town Planning, Landscape Architecture, Town and Country Planning, Structural Architecture, Building Design
0732 Building and Civil Engineering, Road Building
0812 Horticulture, Laying Out and Construction of Urban and Domestic Parks and Gardens
1015 Travel, Tourism and Leisure
ECTS
The total sum of ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) required for the postgraduate degree in “Art-Cultural Heritage-Development Policies” is 120 ECTS (30 ECTS per semester).
Duration of Study
The minimum time required for the completion of the Program is two (2) years or four (4) semesters.
Language of the Program
The official language of the Program is Greek. This means that the language in which all materials content and written assignments is Greek.
QUALITY POLICY
QUALITY INDICATORS 2025*
*The above file is currently available in Greek.
The Post-graduate programme accepts graduates or higher institution diplomas. The programme is offered in Greek.
The knowledge of a foreign language and good computer-Internet skills would be useful for the successful participation in the programme.
Note:
Holders of a degree or diploma of higher education means graduates of Greek Universities or Polytechnics or Higher School of Fine Arts or Higher School of Pedagogical and Technological Education or Higher Technological Educational Institutions (ATEI) or those who hold academically equivalent first cycle degrees from recognized foreign educational institutions with the degrees awarded by the Greek Higher Educational Institutions, in accordance with the provisions of article 304 of Law No. 4957/2022 (Government Gazette 141/21.07.2022, vol.)
Clarification regarding foreign academic institutions
When evaluating an application to a Postgraduate Study Programme, the University will examine whether the candidate’s institution of study is included, or is eligible to be included, in the National Registry of Recognized Foreign Higher Education Institutions, and whether the candidate’s degree is included, or is eligible to be included, in the National Registry of Degree Types Awarded by Recognized Foreign Institutions. If the degree is listed under Article 307 of Law 4957/2022, the Hellenic Open University is required to request a “Certificate of Place of Study”, which must be issued and sent directly by the foreign university. If the certificate confirms that the place of study, or any part of the studies, took place within Greek territory, the degree cannot be recognized—unless the portion of studies completed in Greece was carried out at a public Higher Education Institution or at a recognized foreign educational institution, as defined in point (b) of Article 299 of Law 4957/2022.
The Postgraduate Programme “Art-Cultural Heritage-Development Policies” is structured in four (4) academic semesters. For the award of the Postgraduate Diploma of Specialization, the successful completion of nine (9) Thematic Units, the preparation and presentation of a Postgraduate Diploma Thesis is required.
The total number of credits (ECTS) required for the award of the Master’s Degree is 120 ECTS (30 ECTS per semester). In detail, the structure of the MA is as follows:
Instructions for the selection of the Thematic Units
Students can choose from one (1) to three (3) Units per semester (30 ECTS per semester maximum).
The selection of units is made in the order of the Programme structure.
For example, in the first semester, if you choose one (1) unit, you are required to register TEP50. If you wish to register a second unit, you may choose TEP51. As well, if you wish to register three (3) units, you may choose TEP50, TEP51 and TEP52.
In the process of declaring a Th.U., you must first exhaust the previous semester’s Th.U. and then declare the next semester’s Th.U.
The presentation of the Postgraduate Diploma Thesis requires the successful completion of all modules of the programme.
For the award of the Postgraduate Diploma of Specialisation (MA), the successful completion of nine (9) units is mandatory, as well as the successful completion and presentation of the Postgraduate Diploma Thesis.
Financial contribution for admitted students until the academic year 2023-2024:
The financial contribution for students to the Programme is as follows:
The cost of each Module is €300 and the cost of the Master Thesis is €900.
The total financial contribution for the Programme is: €3,600.
Financial contribution for students commencing from the academic year 2024-2025:
The financial contribution for students to the Programme is as follows:
The cost of each Module is €400 and the cost of the Master Thesis is €400.
The total financial contribution for the Programme is: €4,000.
