The Master of Art Curatorship provides historical, theoretical and practical subjects that focus on the activities of museums, including collection management, event development, exhibition interpretation and art conservation. Students develop an understanding of the broader cultural context in which art museums operate in Australia and internationally and are given opportunities to relate theory to practice. The Master of Art Curatorship program has been operating as a graduate degree for the past eighteen years; it was established with the advice and financial support of the arts community and the museum sector in 1990. Academic staff members have research backgrounds in, and first-hand experience of, the arts and museum sectors, while the program also draws upon the expertise of the professional staff of the University's Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation. Students are given the opportunity to work with the staff and holdings of the University of Melbourne's significant and extensive cultural collections. In addition, leading professionals from Australian art museums and arts organisations contribute to the teaching programs to ensure their relevance to the sector.