Why do so many students study Art History with The Open University every year? Here are some of the reasons ...
1. Flexibility
Our students can plan their pathway to a qualification, choosing modules to achieve a Humanities Degree or a named degree with Art History.
You can study as few as 30 points spread over 5 Months (A151: Making sense of Things: an introduction to Material Culture) or 120 points (2 x 60 point Art History modules) in one year.
2. Range of areas in which we offer courses
What did a German artist find in the medieval Holy Land, and what did a retired diplomat take from Chinese gardens? We teach at the cutting edge of how the history of art is understood and written, and we work with the latest understanding of what a work of art can be, from the best loved Old Masters to the newest contemporary installations, via a stroll in landscape parks and the sights of Hawksmoor’s London to the streets of New York. Get a idea of what and how we teach by clicking on the cover images for our A226 Exploring Art and Visual Culture podcasts.
3. Inter-disciplinarity
Interdisciplinary study has always been a tradition at the OU, so alongside single discipline modules there are also opportunities to study thematic modules with major Art History components written by departmental staff who are also leaders in their field.
We break down boundaries in our teaching, you will find our approaches to Art History across the Arts and Humanities modules, at all levels: from material culture to global heritage - it’s a visual world!
4. Links to museums and galleries
The Open Arts Archive is a ground-breaking initiative by the OU’s Art History department, capturing our extensive activities off campus with art and with art historians: study days, interviews, exhibitions and much more. The Open Arts Archive is freely available and brings you the links forged with museums and galleries around the UK.
5. Challenging older models of studying the subject
The OU’s undergraduate Art History modules have long enjoyed a reputation for being at the cutting edge. Our third level Renaissance module re-examines the art of Northern Europe and Byzantine art, not just the art of Renaissance Italy. The world-renowned Art in Theory series continues to be developed and is integral to our students’ studies, for example as a resource for the third level module on twentieth century art.
We ask new questions: where was the Renaissance? What made Napoleon blush? How do you change a tradition? Art History is always being written and rewritten, as we reconsider the past and our relationship to it. We uncover old and new uses for art, driven by our belief that art and society are intertwined. Rembrandt on YouTube, viewed on a smart phone: we keep up with the challenges of deciphering art from paint to pixels.
6. New methods of study
We want to you to look at art, the real thing. While you study with us, we support your understanding of what you experience with our specially written and superbly produced, fully illustrated text books, designed as part of a suite of learning materials. We make our own audio and visual teaching resources and integrate them in to carefully structured study plans, so each week you can see exactly what you are going to use, and return to these resources as often as you need them. Study with us brings the wealth of the online Open University library resources at your fingertips, organised to support your skills development as well as your special subject interests with online access to the best international Art History scholarship.
7. Teaching
Variety is the spice of life, and we think that a varied teaching programme offers you a good range of ways to learn. Art History takes its place in the Arts and humanities for its commitment to critical investigation of culture; we want you help you interact not just with works of art, but with the legacy of critical thinking about art and its meanings. To do this, we have an established teaching tradition of blending personal tuition with your named tutor, structured group discussions and lively student-led online forums. We take advantage of the latest digital developments to keep in touch, as well as putting you in touch with The Open University.
8. Assessment methods
Our modules are structured to include ways in which you can demonstrate and practice your critical and visual understanding. Regular assessed written work will get detailed feedback from your own tutor, tailored to your needs. Our assessment is designed to help you progress up through the levels of study, as well as incorporating key skills essential for every graduate. By the time you are ready for Level three, you will be able to tackle your own project as part of your exam, produced through supported independent study. Our students find this a very satisfying aspect of their studies.
9. Skills from Art History
The study of Art History offers many opportunities to develop transferable skills, such as critical reading and an analytical approach to visual and written materials. Our students are studying to enrich their knowledge of a subject about which they are very enthusiastic, and increasingly are looking to enhance their employability by their studies, or to equip themselves to undertake voluntary work in their communities.
We understand that employers are looking for well-equipped graduates, and we can help you explain what you have achieved in your Art History career with The Open University. If you notice that you read a newspaper differently, start seeing films in new lights, or look for design where you once saw function, then being an Art History graduate has changed your outlook. You are thinking about evidence, arguments and image making. Your special subject knowledge gives you confidence in putting our modern world into historical contexts; you understand that there may be no right answer, but there are the right reasons for the answer you choose. For more on working with Art History visit the Association of Art Historians for their 'Day in the Life ...' project and Careers in Art History booklet.
10. A thriving postgraduate community
We have been teaching and researching Art History at The Open University since the university opened, and we have built up a track record of supporting graduate-level study. If you are thinking about what comes after your Bachelor’s degree, the OU’s Art History department has an innovative and highly respected distance learning Master of Arts programme in Art History. Our teaching includes an annual conference where students and department members share their research and skills. A Masters level qualification is highly valued by employers in specialist sectors as a demonstration of your independent research and writing abilities. OU MA graduates have twice won the Association of Art Historians’ Dissertation Prize.
A number of MA graduates have gone on to tackle research leading to the award of a Doctor of Philosophy degree, by enrolling as research students on our MPhil/PhD programme. Your motivation to explore your choice of topic in depth by making an original contribution to research will be carefully supported by regular supervision and structured skills activities.
