Learning outcomes

Accessibility statement

Educational aims

This taught postgraduate programme will:

build upon and develop your existing knowledge of, and interest in, the subject of Art History
provide you with an advanced academic training for the practice of Art History at postgraduate level
provide you with experience of independent research and scholarly presentation in Art History

The programme provides you with opportunities to develop and demonstrate knowledge, understanding, and skills in the following areas.

Knowledge and understanding

On completion of this qualification, you’ll be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

art history as a critical discipline producing knowledge through scholarly debate
core concepts and current issues in the discipline of art history, with reference to a range of historical periods and geographical areas
the intellectual, institutional and other environmental contexts that have contributed to the formation of art history
key methods and approaches for investigating and interpreting art
different ways in which art-historical knowledge has been and can be disseminated.

Cognitive skills

On completion of this qualification, you’ll be able to:

analyse and compare works of art, design and architecture
analyse and evaluate different types of written source material
analyse and evaluate approaches and debates in art history and associated fields of enquiry
use sources, ideas and approaches to analyse, interpret and explain works of art, design and architecture
frame appropriate research questions for art-historical investigation.

Practical and/or professional skills

When you have completed this degree, you will be able to:

develop structured arguments based on independent research and critical thinking in extended pieces of prose
use online and other resources to find visual and textual sources to support these arguments.
use scholarly conventions for presenting and referencing written work correctly
communicate and interact with fellow students and tutors in an online environment
develop independent study skills, including planning and organising of your learning

Key skills

On completion of this qualification, you’ll be able to:

use research libraries, archives, and art collections effectively to locate visual and textual sources.
use specialist online databases and other online resources
understand and apply distinct approaches to the analysis and interpretation of images, objects and spaces
demonstrate an awareness of art history’s professional contexts.

Teaching, learning and assessment methods

Knowledge and understanding are gained and developed through the study of online material. Teaching will be coordinated by your tutor, who will advise you, comment on and mark your assignments, generally provide feedback, and help you to acquire the skills of advanced independent study.

Teaching materials supporting the modules include online study guides, set online readings, and access to a large number of online resources through the Art History MA website. There are online forums and guest seminars that allow you to discuss the module materials with fellow students and faculty members. An innovative game-based approach to academic skills development will be embedded within both parts of the MA.

Learning outcomes are assessed by means of tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) and two end-of-module assessments (EMAs). The assessment exercises are carefully designed to develop essential research skills in a step-by-step way through the qualification. A845 has an EMA, which enables you to develop knowledge and understanding that you will then use to write a dissertation on A846. For the dissertation, you will choose a topic and write this up in 12,000 words. Tutors provide 1:1 supervision, feedback on a proposal and two draft chapters of the dissertation, which forms the main assessed component of this final module

« Back to MA in Art History description