Art History with Modern Languages (including Year Abroad)

Art History with Modern Languages (including Year Abroad) at the University of Essex offers students a unique opportunity to explore the rich visual arts of different periods and cultures alongside advanced language studies. This programme is designed for students who have a passion for understanding artistic expression within its cultural and historical contexts, and who are eager to develop their language skills to enhance their global perspective. Over the course of the degree, students will engage in detailed analysis of artworks ranging from classical to contemporary, gaining insights into the theories, techniques, and social functions of art across different civilizations. The inclusion of Modern Languages enables students to achieve proficiency in one or more languages, facilitating cultural exchange and communication with diverse communities. A distinctive feature of this programme is the Year Abroad, typically undertaken in a country where the chosen language is spoken, providing immersive language practice and an authentic experience of the local culture. Throughout their studies, students will benefit from the expertise of academic staff with international research profiles, access to superb art collections and galleries, and opportunities to participate in internships and study visits. The programme's interdisciplinary approach prepares students for careers in art curation, arts journalism, education, cultural management, or further postgraduate study. Combining rigorous language acquisition with art historical analysis equips graduates with valuable skills in critical thinking, visual analysis, and cross-cultural communication. The programme emphasizes active learning, with a variety of assessment methods including essays, presentations, and practical projects. By the end of the degree, students will have developed a comprehensive understanding of global art history, enhanced their language competencies, and gained intercultural skills that are highly valued across many professional fields. This programme is ideal for students looking to combine their passion for art with their interest in languages and international culture, and who wish to pursue a career working within the global arts sector or beyond.

Detailed Course Facts

• GBP 9000 Year (EEA)
• GBP 11950 Year (Non-EEA)

• English

Course Content

The special characteristics of our courses are flexibility and choice. In your first year, you usually take four or five modules that include pre-requisite(s) for your course but, in many cases, mean you can try subjects you have not come across before. If you are taking a humanities or social science, then you have the greatest choice, as most of our first-year modules do not assume any specialist knowledge.

Year 1
Art & Ideas
Ways of Seeing
Credits must total 120 each year, of which 30 must be in your chosen language(s). The remaining credits can be a language option or a humanities / social science option
Year 2
More Art, More Ideas
The Renaissance in Tuscany
one art history option
one language option; and
one art history option or one language option
Year 3
Year abroad

Year 4
Two art history options
One or two language options
A final year dissertation project is also available as an option.

English Language Requirements

IELTS band : 6

To study at this university, you have to speak English. We advice you to

Requirements

A-levels: ABB-BBB
GCSE English: C
BTEC Extended Diploma: DDM in Fine Art
IB: 32-30 points (we consider IB certificates at the Higher level on a case-by-case basis)
Achievement of the Access to HE Diploma with 45 level 3 credits at Merit.
One modern language must be taken as the major language. If French or Portuguese is taken as the major language, you will need to have A-level French or Portuguese/Spanish (or equivalent). German, Italian and Spanish may all be studied from scratch.
English language requirements for applicants whose first language is not English: IELTS 6.0 overall with minimum 5.5 in each component (or equivalent). Different requirements apply for second year entry.

Work Experience

No work experience is required.

Want to improve your English level for admission?

Prepare for the program requirements with English Online by the British Council.

• ✔️ Flexible study schedule
• ✔️ Experienced teachers
• ✔️ Certificate upon completion

📘 Recommended for students with an IELTS level of 6.0 or below.

Enroll in the course

Related Scholarships*

• Academic Excellence Scholarship

  "The Academic Excellence Scholarship can provide up to a 50 % reduction in tuition per semester. These scholarships will be renewed if the student maintains superior academic performance during each semester of their 3-year Bachelor programme. The scholarship will be directly applied to the student’s tuition fees."

• Access Bursary

  Bursary for UK students all subjects where the variable tuition fee rate is payable.

• Alumni Bursary

  Alumni Bursary for UK Undergraduate students

* The scholarships shown on this page are suggestions first and foremost. They could be offered by other organisations than University of Essex.

Funding

For up-to-date information on funding opportunities at Essex, please visit: www.essex.ac.uk/studentfinance.