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Art History and Language (French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish) with Foundation Year at Birkbeck, University of London - UCAS

Birkbeck, University of London

Degree level: Undergraduate
Awarded by: University of London

Art History and Language (French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish) with Foundation Year

Course options

2026 - 2027
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There are other course options available which may have a different vacancy status or entry requirements – view the full list of options

Birkbeck, University of London has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.

Course summary

This BA Art History and Language gives you the opportunity to study the visual arts as a central element of human endeavour expanding your interest in human culture, language and history. It enables you to develop key skills, from critical thinking and writing to historical research and visual analysis, enriched by the study of a modern language. Why choose this course?

  • This course is taught by renowned academics, researchers and published writers of groundbreaking art history.
  • You will be taught by specialists from a centre of teaching and research excellence in languages.
  • Option modules offer exciting perspectives on art history, visual culture and film, including specialist modules on Japanese and East Asian, French, Italian, Spanish and Latin American culture.
What you will learn In art history, you will be taught by active researchers with expertise ranging from the Middle Ages to the present day, and encompassing a range of media from painting, sculpture and architecture to photography, installations and digital. You will also explore the cultural and political contexts of artworks, buildings and exhibitions, and the role of images within society. The languages component is designed to help you reach a high level of competence in a modern language, opening a window onto other cultures through the study of the literature, history, film and visual culture. You can choose French, German, Italian, Japanese or Spanish, starting at the level of language learning that suits you. Korean is offered from beginner level only. How you will learn This course is available to study full- or part-time. It is taught via a mix of lectures and small-group seminars in the evenings. You will also complete a dissertation. Language teaching on this course gives you plenty of opportunities to participate actively. It is delivered in the target language. Foundation Year If you opt for the Foundation Year route, this will fully prepare you for undergraduate study. It is ideal if you are returning to study after a gap, or if you have not previously studied the relevant subjects, or if you didn't achieve the grades you need for a place on your chosen undergraduate degree. Highlights
  • As well as regular gallery and museum visits, we offer an exciting study trip abroad every spring.
  • Birkbeck was ranked as one of the top four universities in the UK for its Art and Design research in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.
  • We are an internationally respected centre in teaching history of art. Our Gordon Square building - once home to members of the Bloomsbury Group - houses the Jo Spence Archive and Peltz Gallery and hosts the leading journal History of Photography. Our research centres include the Centre for Museum Cultures, the Murray Centre for History of Art, Architecture and Photography, and the Centre for Iberian and Latin American Visual Studies.
  • We are surrounded by institutes such as the Institute of Languages, Cultures and Societies, the Goethe Institute, German Historical Institute, Institut Français, Instituto Cervantes, and Japan House London.
  • We have bursary funding available from the Royal Female School of Art Foundation.
Careers and employability On successfully graduating from this course you will have gained competency in your language of choice, as well as an array of transferable skills, including:
  • highly developed visual and analytical skills
  • an ability to develop and present your ideas
  • a sophisticated use of written and spoken English
  • an advanced critical ability in use of theoretical perspectives
  • collecting and organising complex materials
  • engaging with the complexity of different linguistic and cultural contexts.
Graduates can pursue career paths in:
  • arts management
  • conservation and policy
  • arts publishing and media
  • the museums and heritage sectors
  • the civil service
  • research and academia
  • teaching.

Modules

For information about course structure and the modules you will be studying, please visit Birkbeck’s online prospectus.

Assessment method

Depending on the module: quizzes, seminar logs, oral presentations, assignments, essays and tests.

How to apply

14Jan

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Please select a course option – you will then see the application code you need to use to apply for the course.

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Foundation

International applicants

If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests. We also accept other English language tests.

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

We welcome applicants without traditional entry qualifications, as we base decisions on our own assessment of qualifications, knowledge and previous work experience. We may waive formal entry requirements based on judgement of academic potential.

Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students
75%
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
95%
Go onto work and study

The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

International £18500 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

The 2025-26 home fees were Year 1: £5,760 and Year 2+: £9,535. These fees may be subject to inflationary increases in 2026-27, depending upon UK government announcements on the tuition fee loan cap. The 2026-27 international fees are Year 1-4: £18,500. Students are charged a tuition fee in each year of their course. Tuition fees for students continuing on their course in following years may be subject to annual inflationary increases.
Art History and Language (French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish) with Foundation Year at Birkbeck, University of London - UCAS