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Course type
Masters degree
Credits
180

Credits

  • Credits measure the student workload required for the successful completion of a module or qualification.
  • One credit represents about 10 hours of study over the duration of the course.
  • You are awarded credits after you have successfully completed a module.
  • For example, if you study a 60-credit module and successfully pass it, you will be awarded 60 credits.
How long it takes
2 years part-time study
Read more about how long it takes
Study method
Distance learning
Course cost
See Fees and funding
Entry requirements
Find out more about
Entry requirements

MA in Art History

Course code: F45

Our MA in Art History allows you to deepen your understanding of art, design, architecture, and visual cultures as created, encountered, and interpreted across a range of cultures and historical periods. Adopting an object-centred approach, you will explore the relationship between art history and contemporary debates concerning decolonisation, ecocriticism, and digital visual culture. You’ll develop the tools required to be a successful art historian, including visual analysis and critical reading. These will enable you to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to produce an extended independent research project on a topic of your choice.

  • Develop your understanding of art history as it is practised today
  • Draw on a wide range of art-historical and interdisciplinary approaches
  • Build your skills in visual analysis, critical thinking, and disseminating art-historical knowledge
  • Excellent for a career in the heritage and cultural sectors, from educator to curator to art critic.
Course type
Masters degree
Credits
180

Credits

  • Credits measure the student workload required for the successful completion of a module or qualification.
  • One credit represents about 10 hours of study over the duration of the course.
  • You are awarded credits after you have successfully completed a module.
  • For example, if you study a 60-credit module and successfully pass it, you will be awarded 60 credits.
How long it takes
2 years part-time study
Read more about how long it takes
Study method
Distance learning
Course cost
See Fees and funding
Entry requirements
Find out more about
Entry requirements

How to register

Select the module you will study first, read the full description, and follow the instructions to register.

Modules

To gain the 180 credits you require for this qualification, you must study the modules in the order shown below and pass part 1 before progressing to part 2:

Compulsory modules Credits Next start
MA Art History part 1 (A845) PLANNED
 90 Sept 2026
MA Art History part 2 (A846) PLANNED
 90 Sept 2027

You should note that the University’s unique study rule applies to this qualification. This means that you must include at least 60 credits from OU modules that have not been counted in any other OU qualification that has previously been awarded to you.

Learning outcomes, teaching and assessment

The learning outcomes of this qualification are described in four areas:

  • Knowledge and understanding
  • Cognitive skills
  • Practical and professional skills
  • Key skills
Read more detailed information about the learning outcomes.

Credit transfer

If you’ve successfully completed some relevant postgraduate study elsewhere, you might be able to count it towards this qualification, reducing the number of modules you need to study. 

On completion

On successful completion of the required modules you can be awarded the Master of Arts in Art History, entitling you to use the letters MA (Art Hist) (Open) after your name. You will have the opportunity of being presented at a degree ceremony.

Regulations

As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the qualification-specific regulations below and the academic regulations that are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website. 

We regularly review our curriculum; therefore, the qualification described on this page – including its availability, its structure, and available modules – may change over time. If we make changes to this qualification, we’ll update this page as soon as possible. Once you’ve registered or are studying this qualification, where practicable, we’ll inform you in good time of any upcoming changes. If you’d like to know more about the circumstances in which the University might make changes to the curriculum, see our Academic Regulations or contact us. This description was last updated on 18 March 2025.

You must hold a UK honours degree (or equivalent), preferably with at least a 2:1 classification. Although your degree does not need to be in Art History or a closely related subject, you will need some knowledge of the subject and an understanding of relevant critical approaches, as the MA in Art History assumes all candidates have the knowledge and skills usually acquired by pursuing the subject at undergraduate level.

If your degree or background is not in art history or a related subject, you could study one of our undergraduate art history modules first in order to gain an introduction to critical debates in art history. We especially recommend Art and visual cultures in the modern world (A236), Art and life before 1800 (A237), or Art and its global histories (A344). Alternatively, we strongly recommend that you familiarise yourself with the current themes and issues in the discipline by reading up on the subject in advance. You'll find suggestions for preparatory reading on the MA in Art History website.

If you’re in any doubt about the suitability of your qualifications or previous experience, please contact us before you enrol.

How long it takes

Most students study the MA in Art History part-time, completing one module a year over two years. Typically, this means 20–25 study hours each week. 

You must complete the MA in Art History within 10 years.

Career relevance

An MA in Art History will provide you with a wide range of skills, including visual and textual analysis and critical thinking and writing, which can be successfully transferred to a variety of careers in the professional and educational sectors. The MA in Art History will teach you to think critically about historical and contemporary cultural debates around works of art and will provide you with an awareness of art history’s professional contexts. The MA is an excellent starting point for a career in the heritage and cultural sectors, from educator to curator to art critic. If you’re interested in an academic career, the MA is an essential step towards embarking on a PhD.

Careers and Employability Services have more information on how OU study can improve your employability.

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