Course summary
Are you interested in joining one of the world’s most ambitious and extensive graduate programmes focused on the history of art? Are you eager to break new ground in the understanding and appreciation of art through time? The Courtauld’s MA in History of Art is one of the largest graduate Art History programmes anywhere in the world and offers an unrivalled combination of breadth and depth. The course provides the best research-led teaching in a unique, single-subject setting. This rich academic resource is complemented by the internationally renowned excellence of the Courtauld Gallery, which is famous for the quality of its collection and the ambition and scholarship of its exhibition programme. The programme excels at developing well-rounded and intellectually astute art historians and museum professionals equipped to make an important contribution to public life. Alongside art-specific professional paths, MA History of Art offers a context and foundation for any career that requires a deep understanding of people and the human experience: from marketing and advertising to fashion and design. The MA History of Art combines a range of modules and teaching methods. Special Option modules are taught across both semesters. Offering new perspectives on visual and material cultures, the Special Options draw on the research expertise of lecturers and often engage closely with adjacent studies in history, anthropology, politics, philosophy, literature and religion. The Special Option is complemented by two group modules that address key art historical and curatorial concerns through a combination of lectures and discussion classes, aimed to develop your academic and professional abilities. The final module is the Dissertation, which allows you to develop an independent research project, supported by a series of workshops and seminars to build a range of research skills that are relevant beyond academic study. Across the programme lecturers take full advantage of the Courtauld Institute’s location in the heart of London and aim to expand your professional network and horizons by organising regular exhibition and site visits in London, the UK and beyond, with costs covered by travel grants. In addition to the mandatory elements of the MA in History of Art, students are invited to continue to expand their engagement with new art-historical research by attending the almost daily series of seminars and conferences organised by the Courtauld’s Research Forum, as well as those hosted by other institutions across London. You are also able to audit lecture programmes including the wide-ranging “Foundations” series that runs across semesters 1 and 2.
Modules
The Courtauld MA History of Art combines a range of modules and teaching methods. Special Options These typically take the form of small group discussion seminars, but may also include exhibition or site visits, and – depending on topic – can include trips in or beyond London or the UK. In some cases, Special Option groups cluster together in the Autumn semester for joint sessions on issues of common concern, before dividing into more specialised groups in the Spring semester. One-to-one tutorials ensure you get tailored feedback on ideas for your assessments from your Special Option tutor. Critical Debates In the Autumn semester, students from different Special Option groups come together for ‘Critical Debates’ around particular themes or problems of relevance to their Special Option – interrogating the idea of ‘The Middle Ages’, for example, or examining the migration of people, objects and ideas since the 19th century. Taught through a combination of lectures and discussion seminars, ‘Critical Debates’ provides opportunities for students to engage with issues of broad concern in their chosen art-historical subfield. Students will be taught alongside those from the MA Curating and MA Contemporary Art and the Moving Image, expanding your peer network. Virtual Exhibition The Spring semester group module focuses more heavily on questions of display, curation and exhibition, taking advantage of London’s museums and galleries, including The Courtauld Gallery. It is taught through lectures and discussion groups and culminates in a ‘Virtual Exhibition’, an exercise that encourages students to conceive an (imaginary) exhibition or display, judiciously selecting exhibits and writing, for example, a sample label and catalogue entry. The Virtual exhibition complements the assessed essays, as a visually-led exercise that allows students to develop arguments through the selection and juxtaposition of artworks. The Virtual Exhibition often produces some of our students’ most original and inventive work, and has served for many as a stepping stone into issues of museology and curating. Dissertation The final component of the MA is the 10,000-word dissertation, submitted in May. A series of classes and workshops help you to prepare for this independently researched assessment, complemented by one-to-one tutorials with a lecturer with specialism in your chosen field (typically your Special Option tutor). Courtauld MA dissertations are often highly original contributions to scholarship across a wide field, regularly commended by external examiners for being of publishable quality.
Assessment method
The formal assessment of the MA History of Art is based on the following components: 2 x 4,000-word Special Option essays, submitted in the Autumn and Spring. A ‘Critical Debates’ portfolio of short written exercises, submitted in the Autumn. A Virtual Exhibition assignment, submitted in the Spring. A 10,000-word dissertation, submitted in May. The MA is an intensive nine-month programme.
Entry requirements
UK qualifications: Students will normally have achieved a good 2.1 in their Bachelor’s degree (typically in the Humanities or Social Sciences), considered to be an overall average 65% or above. Overseas qualification: Equivalent to a good 2.1 in a UK first degree (e.g. US applicants should have a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or above). Please note that applicants are invited to interview on a case-by-case basis. English language requirements: If your first language is not English, we require proof of English language proficiency – please see the English Language Requirements page.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| England | £15500 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £15500 | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £15500 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £15500 | Year 1 |
| EU | £31700 | Year 1 |
| International | £31700 | Year 1 |
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
No additional fees or cost information has been supplied for this course, please contact the provider directly.
Sponsorship information
Scholarships: Thanks to the generosity of an international group of committed donors, the Courtauld is pleased to be able to provide financial assistance to postgraduate students in the form of a number of scholarships. The eligibility criteria for different scholarships vary across the institute. Many are restricted by particular characteristics, for example by degree subject or financial need. Please read the Criteria and Application Instructions for each scholarship carefully. You may be eligible to hold more than one scholarship simultaneously, and you are strongly encouraged to apply to all scholarships for which you fulfill the eligibility criteria. Find out more about our scholarships here: https://courtauld.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/postgraduate-fees-funding-and-scholarships/ Alumni Loyalty Scheme: This scheme is open to any graduate of The Courtauld Institute of Art admitted to any postgraduate programme of study. Recipients will receive a 10% loyalty discount off their tuition fee for the duration of the course. Further information about loans, grants, and bursaries to support you during your studies at the Courtauld can be found here: https://courtauld.ac.uk/study/fees-and-funding/postgraduates Associated programme costs: Special Options may include local, UK or international study trips, typically for 1-2 nights. Costs will be covered by a travel grant, and students will be informed of international travel as soon as practical. Please see the general associated programme costs for more information: https://courtauld.ac.uk/study/tuition-fees/#general-associated-programme-costs
Provider information
Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London
The Courtauld
Vernon Square
Penton Rise
London
WC1X 9EW