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Birkbeck, University of London: Art History
| Institution | Birkbeck, University of London View institution profile |
|---|---|
| Department | School of Historical Studies |
| Web | http://www.bbk.ac.uk/ |
| Telephone | 0203 907 0700 |
| Study type | Taught |
Summary
On this art history course you will gain the chance to work closely with internationally recognised experts who are defining the field conducting groundbreaking research in periods from medieval to contemporary.
A core part of this course is learning about what it takes to become an art historian. You will learn to engage with the visual, material and contextual attributes of art objects across a range of different forms of art and periods. Through visual analysis and critical reading of selected academic texts, you will learn the foundational skills to allow you to develop your own art historical research project by the end of the year.
You will then have the chance to follow your interests with option modules in which you will study alongside final-year BA students. Led by a tutor who specialises in a particular period, you will consider, in depth, the approaches and issues raised when considering the art of that time, place and culture.
Your study on this course will also be enriched by museum and site visits, visiting speakers and screenings.
We offer this art history course as a Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate. Both are intensive conversion courses designed for students with a first degree in another subject who wish to pursue a Master's degree in the history of art or architecture. They offer you the chance to develop your skills of visual analysis, critical thinking, academic writing and research experience to prepare you to embark on further postgraduate study, for example our MA History of Art, MA History of Photography, MA History of Art with Curating or MA Museum Cultures.
On both routes you will take the core module Art History: Skills and Approaches. You will then take one option module if you study the Certificate or three if you study the Diploma. Please contact us if you are unsure about what level of study would best suit you.
Highlights
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Birkbeck was ranked as one of the top four universities in the UK for its Art and Design research in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.
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You can attend a wide range of events, including the Postgraduate Research Seminar, which brings art historians from all over the UK and beyond to speak at Birkbeck; the biennial Murray Lecture; the Murray Seminar on Medieval and Renaissance Art; the exhibitions and displays at Birkbeck's Peltz Gallery; and events at the Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities.
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You will have access to an incredible range of resources, including the Birkbeck Library and our in-house resources centre, the British Library, specialist libraries at the University of London, Courtauld Institute of Art, Royal Institute of British Architects and V&A, as well as the visual resources of the British Museum, National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, Tate Britain, Tate Modern, V&A, Barbican Gallery, Institute of Contemporary Arts, Hayward Gallery and Royal Academy, and many commercial galleries and salesrooms.
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We encourage you to become involved in our lively research culture through the History and Theory of Photography Research Centre, the Architecture, Space and Society Centre, the Centre for Museum Cultures and the Vasari Research Centre, which has pioneered the field of digital art history.
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You will have the option to join our study trips, offered each spring. Cities visited in the last few years include Florence, Paris, Venice, Vienna, Rome, Berlin and Moscow.
Careers and employability
Graduates can pursue career paths in the creative arts, media and education. Possible professions include:
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museum/gallery curator
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arts administrator
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advertising account executive
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community arts worker
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multimedia specialist
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higher education lecturer.
Read how undertaking our MA History of Art helped one student secure her dream job at Tate Britain.
Graduate Certificate
| Level | RQF Level 7 |
|---|---|
| Entry requirements | A second-class honours degree (2:2 or above) from a UK university, or an equivalent international qualification. If you do not already hold a first degree, but believe that you are a suitable candidate for either the Certificate or Diploma through other experience and educational achievements, please contact the admissions tutor. Applications are reviewed on their individual merits and your professional qualifications and/or relevant work experience will be taken into consideration positively. We actively support and encourage applications from mature learners. |
| Location | Main Site Malet Street London WC1E 7HX |
Fees
| England | 3600 GBP for Year 1 |
|---|---|
| Northern Ireland | 3600 GBP for Year 1 |
| Scotland | 3600 GBP for Year 1 |
| Wales | 3600 GBP for Year 1 |
| International | 6610 GBP for Year 1 |
Graduate Diploma - Grad Dip
| Level | RQF Level 6 |
|---|---|
| Entry requirements | A second-class honours degree (2:2 or above) from a UK university, or an equivalent international qualification. If you do not already hold a first degree, but believe that you are a suitable candidate for either the Certificate or Diploma through other experience and educational achievements, please contact the admissions tutor. Applications are reviewed on their individual merits and your professional qualifications and/or relevant work experience will be taken into consideration positively. We actively support and encourage applications from mature learners. |
| Location | Main Site Malet Street London WC1E 7HX |
Fees
| England | 7200 GBP for Year 1 |
|---|---|
| Northern Ireland | 7200 GBP for Year 1 |
| Scotland | 7200 GBP for Year 1 |
| Wales | 7200 GBP for Year 1 |
| International | 13220 GBP for Year 1 |
| Level | RQF Level 6 |
|---|---|
| Entry requirements | A second-class honours degree (2:2 or above) from a UK university, or an equivalent international qualification. If you do not already hold a first degree, but believe that you are a suitable candidate for either the Certificate or Diploma through other experience and educational achievements, please contact the admissions tutor. Applications are reviewed on their individual merits and your professional qualifications and/or relevant work experience will be taken into consideration positively. We actively support and encourage applications from mature learners. |
| Location | Main Site Malet Street London WC1E 7HX |
Fees
| England | 3600 GBP for Year 1 |
|---|---|
| Northern Ireland | 3600 GBP for Year 1 |
| Scotland | 3600 GBP for Year 1 |
| Wales | 3600 GBP for Year 1 |
| International | 6610 GBP for Year 1 |
| Level | RQF Level 6 |
|---|---|
| Entry requirements | A second-class honours degree (2:2 or above) from a UK university, or an equivalent international qualification. If you do not already hold a first degree, but believe that you are a suitable candidate for either the Certificate or Diploma through other experience and educational achievements, please contact the admissions tutor. Applications are reviewed on their individual merits and your professional qualifications and/or relevant work experience will be taken into consideration positively. We actively support and encourage applications from mature learners. |
| Location | Main Site Malet Street London WC1E 7HX |
Fees
| England | 3600 GBP for Year 1 |
|---|---|
| Northern Ireland | 3600 GBP for Year 1 |
| Scotland | 3600 GBP for Year 1 |
| Wales | 3600 GBP for Year 1 |
| International | 6610 GBP for Year 1 |
Birkbeck, part of the University of London, offers nearly 300 taught and research postgraduate programmes across arts and humanities, business and economics, law, science and social science. As an evening teaching specialist, Birkbeck offers its taught postgraduate courses between 6-9pm, with some courses available through distance learning. As with undergraduate courses, postgraduates can study full-time or part-time.
Home to 44 research and specialist institutes, Birkbeck is the sixth largest provider of taught postgrad courses for UK and EU students - some 44% of its 11,000-plus students are on postgrad programmes. Around 90% of its academics are active in research, and …
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