History of Art with Material Studies

This degree provides a unique focus on works of art as physical objects. You will gain comprehensive skills in art history, together with a thorough understanding of artists' techniques and questions of materiality, both at the time a work of art was made, and subsequently as it ages and deteriorates.

In each year of your degree you will take a number of individual modules, normally valued at 0.5 or 1.0 credits, adding up to a total of 4.0 credits for the year. Modules are assessed in the academic year in which they are taken. The balance of compulsory and optional modules varies from programme to programme and year to year. A 1.0 credit is considered equivalent to 15 credits in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).

The programme begins with introductory modules in History of Art and its Objects and a foundation module in history of art, together with thematic seminars. You will also take a basic science module for non-scientists and a Methods and Materials of Artists module, which will introduce you to the major classes of materials found within museum collections, and address their application as artists' materials.

Modules in the second year delve deeper into the technical aspects of art. These may include History, Theory, and Practice of Conservation; and Methods and Materials II.

In the final year, all students write a research project dissertation of approximately 10,000 words. This must have a technical element, combined with art historical research. The Art/Work/Spaces module enables you to gain practical work experience outside the department while writing an independent research project reflecting critically on this experience.

You may also take modules from outside History of Art in departments such as Anthropology, Archaeology, Architecture, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, or History, with the agreement of the department concerned and your course tutors.

A levels

Grades

AAA-ABB

Subjects

No specific subjects, though essay-based subjects are an advantage.

GCSEs

English Language at grade B, plus Mathematics at grade C. For UK-based students a foreign language at grade B is required.

IB Diploma

Points

34-38

Subjects

A score of 16-17 points in three higher level subjects, with no score lower than 5. A minimum of grade 4 is required at standard level in a modern language.