COURSE CURRICULUM

The History of Art BA (Hons) degree develops students’ understanding of art, architecture, museums, and visual culture through historical, theoretical, and practical study. In Year 1, students gain core skills in visual analysis, critical reading, and understanding art within social and historical contexts through modules such as Making and Meaning in Art, Museums and Society, and Global Art in Oxford. They also explore architecture, museum culture, environmental art, and modern British art through lectures, debates, field visits, and direct engagement with artworks and buildings. In Year 2, the course expands into specialised historical themes including the Italian Renaissance, eighteenth- and nineteenth-century European art, and modern art movements shaped by industrialisation, war, and social change. Students also participate in fieldwork in Paris and can choose modules focused on architecture, professional practice, and independent research. In Year 3, students engage with advanced methodologies and critical theories in art history while completing a dissertation on a chosen topic. Optional modules include curatorial practice, gender and sexuality in Renaissance art, Victorian art and design, and studies of death and memorial culture. Throughout the program, students develop strong research, analytical, and communication skills while gaining practical experience through gallery visits, exhibitions, and independent projects. Overall, the degree prepares students for careers in museums, galleries, curation, heritage, arts communication, education, and the wider cultural sector.