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A image to illustrate MA Art History part 2 module
This module aims to broaden your understanding of ‘Art History' in terms of methods, materials, spaces and sites of practice. It explores relationships between visual arts and the public realm by examining contexts within which art, architecture and design are situated and mediated, ranging from consideration of the professional practice of art historians, within and outside academia, to exploring public realms of print media and the built environment. Central to the module is the development of subject-specific research skills and practices, which build throughout the module towards the dissertation.
The first part of this module is structured around the following four blocks, each utilising clusters of texts, images, and sound and vision in a similar way to MA in Art History part 1 (A843). The second part involves proposing, researching and writing the dissertation.
Block 1: Putting Standpoints into Practice

This block draws together issues from across MA Art History part 1 (A843) by exploring some ‘real world' implications, focusing on controversies within the field of professional practice and the intersection between academic art history and other areas with which art historians engage. It completes the turn from the investigation of art history through art-historical writing (explored in A843) towards debates around the everyday practices of art history. You'll gain an awareness of professional practices in the field of art history and begin to envisage the possible implications of this for your dissertation research as well as potential career or community-related development. You'll be encouraged to discuss relevant experiences through online forums and tutorial activities. During your study of the block, you'll work on set texts and other sources, such as interviews and public documents related to the main, interrelated themes addressed by the following three blocks.
Block 2: The Image and its Publics

This block will use Jürgen Habermas’s notion of the public sphere to explore both individually and mass-produced images. It will pay close attention to the contexts of image-making: how and why images are created and circulated, and how they are viewed. These issues will be considered in various historical contexts and in contemporary culture. The block will focus on how technological advancements alter the ways viewers engage with the original work of art and its reproductions. While Section 1 will provide a historical introduction to the reception and circulation of images, the later sections will examine the controversies that arose around issues of reproducibility in the age of mechanical reproduction, the advent of photography, and the role images play today in the digital age.
Block 3: Inhabiting Space

This block is informed by ‘the spatial turn’ in the humanities and will provide you with an in-depth analysis of three-dimensional design through exploring landscapes, buildings and interiors. It will introduce you to ideas of ‘space’ both as abstract form and as lived, everyday experience, providing the spatial context of society and culture at various periods. It leads on from the previous block in examining issues of public and private, but will extend the discussion from the context of print into that of the designed environment. The theme of how space is perceived and occupied according to gender will be a particular focus.
Block 4: Research in the Visual Arts

Drawing on the variety of ‘contexts’ presented in the module, the final block will bring together previous strands to extend the discussion of art history as a discipline beyond its traditional scope. More recent approaches have explored categories of the visual and material that have demystified the role of the artist and challenged the notion of what is an art object and who can produce art. The results of such practices will allow you to view visual and material culture as a broad field in which the categories of art include new media, reconsidered objects and makers, and art well beyond the gallery context.
This module offers excellent preparation for applying art historical training to various areas of employment, as it explicitly addresses issues surrounding the public role and presentation of the visual arts in the context of contemporary art and heritage policy and practice. When combined with the art history part 1 module, the qualification provides the skills, knowledge and awareness not only for scholarly research but also for employment in the creative arts and in the area of cultural policy.
You will have a tutor who will help you with the study material and mark and comment on your written work, and whom you can ask for advice and guidance. The module will be taught by means of online forums and tutorials. You will also receive tuition for your dissertation in the form of support with formulating your topic and comments on a draft chapter.
Contact us if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.
Course work includes:
All the necessary teaching is included in the study material, which is delivered online. Links to appropriate online journals and research databases are also provided via the OU Library. The Library provides access to a wide range of materials, including some ebooks.
You will need access to a research library, whether a university library or a good public library.
MA Art History part 2 starts once a year – in October.
This page describes the module that will start in October 2026, when we expect it to start for the last time.
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the academic regulations, which are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.
In order to study this module, you must have successfully completed MA in Art History part 1 (A843).
If you have any doubt about the suitability of the module, please speak to an adviser
The following texts are recommended as preliminary reading for this module:
Written transcripts of any audio components and Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) versions of printed material are available. Some Adobe PDF components may not be available or fully accessible using a screen reader (and where applicable: musical notation and mathematical, scientific, and foreign language materials may be particularly difficult to read in this way). Other alternative formats of the module materials may be available in the future.
One of the learning outcomes for this module is for you to develop the ability to exercise powers of visual discrimination by direct engagement with works of art. If you are blind or severely partially sighted, you will experience difficulty in achieving this learning outcome. However, if you have a background in art history gained whilst usefully sighted, you will be able to draw upon this experience. Reproductions of works of art will be available in electronic format. You will be able to magnify these reproductions within the limits of standard computer applications, but no textual descriptions or alternative formats of reproductions will be available, and the use of a sighted assistant to interpret the works of art would conflict with the required learning outcome. If you are blind or partially sighted, you are encouraged to contact us for advice before registering for this module.
StartEndRegister byEngland fee
03 Oct 202631 Oct 202717 Sep 2026£5,550
If you study this module as part of an eligible qualification, you can apply for a postgraduate loan to support your study costs. To find out more, see Postgraduate loans in England.
Studying with The Open University can boost your employability. OU courses are recognised and respected by employers for their excellence and the commitment they take to complete. They also value the skills that students learn and can apply in the workplace.
Over 30,000 employers have used the OU to develop staff so far. If the module you’ve chosen is geared towards your job or developing your career, you could approach your employer to see if they will sponsor you by paying some or all of the fees.
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Please note: your permanent address/domicile will affect your fee status and, therefore, the fees you are charged and any financial support available to you. The fee information provided here is valid for modules starting before 31 July 2027. Fees typically increase annually. For further information about the University's fee policy, visit our Fee Rules.
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