Are you interested in a career in galleries and museums, arts policy and education, or in the broader cultural and heritage sectors? On our BA History of Art with Curating you will learn to research the social and historical contexts in which visual art has been produced, and write confidently and analytically about texts and images. At the same time, you will be introduced to current curatorial approaches and debates, and given opportunities to put your knowledge and ideas into practice in a supportive and collaborative environment.
While some of our students have studied art history at school or have completed short courses, most haven’t studied the subject in any depth prior to starting this course. The first-year modules are therefore intended to provide you with academic skills and a good grounding in the discipline. As you progress through the course, you will have opportunities to explore different types of visual culture in more detail. Studying at Birkbeck you are based in the heart of London, close to museums and galleries, while being part of a vibrant and stimulating student community.
**Highlights**
- Established almost half a century ago, Birkbeck's Department of History of Art is an internationally respected centre for research and teaching. Keep up to date with our activities on the Birkbeck History of Art blog. We offer information evenings for prospective students interested in our History of Art programmes throughout the year. As well as regular gallery and museum visits, we offer an exciting study trip abroad every spring.
- In the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF), Art and Design at Birkbeck achieved 100% for a research environment supporting world-leading or internationally excellent research.
- We have a state-of-the-art cinema and exhibition spaces, all housed in a historic building that was a former home to key members of the Bloomsbury Group, including the author Virginia Woolf and the artist Vanessa Bell. See a video about our home in Gordon Square.
- Students are encouraged to become involved in the lively research culture of the Department through the Centre for Museum Cultures, the History and Theory of Photography Research Centre, the Architecture, Space and Society Centre and the Vasari Research Centre, which has pioneered the field of digital art history.
- The School of Arts is an official partner of the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in London. Opportunities for students have included a year’s free membership of the ICA, private views, discounts on all talks and events, free members' screenings and £3 cinema tickets on Tuesdays, up to 25% off ICA Artists' Editions and a monthly e-newsletter.
Course Details - Modules
For information about course structure and the modules you will be studying, please visit Birkbeck’s online prospectus.
Course Details – Assessment Method
Our assessment methods vary from essays, exhibition reviews, research portfolios and project proposals, to presentations and examinations. The programme culminates in a 10,000-word dissertation on a chosen topic.
Course Details – Professional Bodies
Professional Bodies are not listed for this Course.
How to Apply
26 January This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application Codes
Course code:
4Q36
Institution code:
B24
Campus Name:
Main Site
Campus code:
Points of Entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
Year 1
Entry Requirements for Advanced Entry (Year 2 and Beyond)
Entry Requirements for Advanced Entry are not listed for this Course.
International applicants
Standard Qualification Requirements
We welcome applicants without traditional entry qualifications, as we base decisions on our own assessment of qualifications, knowledge and previous work experience. We may waive formal entry requirements based on judgement of academic potential.
FOUNDATION YEAR DEGREES
If you need extra support before starting an undergraduate degree, we offer a BA History of Art with Curating with Foundation Year degree, which provides two extra years of supported study. This is an ideal route if you are returning to study after a gap, or if you have not previously studied this subject, or if you did not achieve the grades you need for a place on this degree.
Once you successfully complete the Foundation Year, you will automatically advance onto the main degree.
ALTERNATIVE ENTRY ROUTES
Students who successfully complete Birkbeck's Certificate of Higher Education in History of Art are guaranteed a place on this BA, with the possibility of exemption from the first-year modules.
Please click the following link to find out more about qualification requirements for this course
Minimum Further Information are not listed for this Course.
English language requirements
Test
Grade
AdditionalDetails
English Language Entry Requirement Information are not listed for this Course.
Unistats information
Student satisfaction :
0%
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs):
0%
Go onto work and study:
0%
Fees and funding
England
6935.0
Year 1
Northern Ireland
6935.0
Year 1
Scotland
6935.0
Year 1
Wales
6935.0
Year 1
International
10920.0
Year 1
Additional Fee Information
Students are charged a tuition fee in each year of their programme. Tuition fees for students continuing on their programme in following years may be subject to annual inflationary increases. For more information, please see the College Fees Policy.
Additional costs
As well as fees, you should expect to pay other study-related expenses, for travel to and from College, books, stationery, etc. Birkbeck provides advice and financial support for students who experience hardship in meeting the travel costs of essential fieldwork or study visits.
An optional field trip is available as part of this programme, for which the department does not charge a fee for attendance. Students are, however, responsible for paying all other costs, including travel, accommodation, food and drink and other subsistence costs, gallery fees, etc. The Murray Bequest offers a limited number of bursaries every year to students who would not otherwise be able to take the field trip. Details on how to apply are usually circulated to students in December or January.
Provider information
Malet Street
Bloomsbury
London
United Kingdom
WC1E 7HX
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