Course summary
The MSt in History of Art & Visual Culture takes place over 2 academic years, running typically from October of the first year to June of the second. The taught elements of the syllabus in Year 1 are offered in 3 intensive study blocks, each of which is assessed at the end of each term. The course has been designed to be accessible to those in full- or part-time employment, and to international students. Successful applicants will become members of a Cambridge College and will join the wider graduate community, with full access to the facilities of the University. Several themes will allow students to explore the history of art and visual culture, including theoretical approaches and useful concepts. Themes may include, amongst others:
- class and social status
- race and gender
- local / global
- the relationship of medium to style
- the historical valuation of fine art versus decorative arts
- art and ecology
Modules
The MSt in History of Art and Visual Culture in Year 1 is structured around 3 in-person residential modules in Cambridge, that you must attend. In Year 2, you attend 3 Day Schools, where support and guidance is provided on the dissertation planning and writing. Teaching methods combine informal lectures and class discussion, the study of primary sources, and student-led peer-to-peer learning. Each of the 3 residential blocks is preceded by guided preparatory reading and other activities. Details of the dates of the teaching blocks can be found on the course website. In Year 1, all students undertake 6 core modules, 2 per term, paired in numerical order. Modules 1, 3 & 5: thematic approaches to understanding art A number of themes will allow students to explore the history of art and visual culture, including theoretical approaches and useful concepts. Themes may include, amongst others: class and social status race and gender local / global the relationship of medium to style the historical valuation of fine art versus decorative arts art and ecology Students will be introduced to a range of art and approaches to history of art and visual culture from the earliest examples to the present day. Modules 2, 4 & 6: research, sources and methods These modules explore the different ways of researching the history of art and visual culture in practice, for example: close visual analysis and object handling; the digital humanities in visual culture; archival study in the arts; the intersections of literature, visual sources and material culture; museum display and interpretation within a heritage context. In Year 2, you focus on your dissertation. You will work independently on your chosen topic under the supervision of an expert in the chosen field with whom you will have regular contact. You have 5 supervisions between May 2027 and May 2028 (you can agree with your supervisor whether these are face-to-face or online). There will also be 3 day-schools where all students provide a short presentation on their research to date, alongside some training in dissertation research and writing.
Assessment method
In Year 1, assessment will be through a range of formats which may include coursework, written and oral examinations, posters, presentations and projects. For each of Modules 1-3, this will be the equivalent of 4,000 to 5,000 words per module. To complete Year 1 successfully, you must pass at least 2 of the 3 assessed assignments and reach an average pass mark of 60% across the 3. Year 1 assignments constitute 50% of the overall award mark. Students who achieve this can progress to Year 2, where they research and write a dissertation on a topic of their choice, subject to the approval of the Degree Committee of the Faculty of Architecture and History of Art. In Year 2, dissertation work is individually supervised and is assessed following the Faculty of Architecture and History of Art’s common examinations handbook (except where a case is made for alignment with common MSt protocols). The requirement for the award of the MSt degree is satisfactory completion of a 12,000 to 15,000-word dissertation, constituting 50% of the overall mark and which is read by two examiners, who report independently. The dissertation must reach the pass mark of 60%. The overall pass mark for the award of the MSt degree is 60%. You will be given formal feedback on your assignments and informal feedback throughout the course, including during supervisions. Supervisions also result in an annual progress report at the end of Year 1 and termly reports during Year 2.
How to apply
International applicants
Our courses are taught in English and require a good level of fluency. If English is not your first language, you'll need to prove you have sufficient fluency before admission. If we offer you a place, it will be subject to you meeting this requirement. As a minimum, you will be required to demonstrate an overall score of 7.5 in IELTS Academic with a minimum of 7.0 in each individual component (or equivalent). We welcome applications from international students. If you're coming from overseas, you would attend the in-person teaching sessions for this course with visitor immigration permission. It's important to be aware that entering the UK as a visitor for study purposes comes with certain expectations and restrictions, and you should fully understand the requirements.
Entry requirements
Expected academic standard Applicants for this course will normally have achieved a UK 2.1 honours degree or overseas equivalent. Applicants would have usually studied at undergraduate level in a relevant discipline in the arts, humanities or social sciences. There is provision to accept non-standard applicants who can evidence relevant and equivalent experience and suitability for the course. Language requirement Language requirements for this course are as per the table below: IELTS Academic: Overall band score of 7.5 (with a minimum of 7.0 in each individual component) CAE: Grade A or B (with at least 193 in each individual element) plus a language centre assessment. CPE: Grade A, B, or C (with at least 200 in each individual element). TOEFL iBIT: Overall score of at least 110 with no element below 25
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| England | £16218 | Whole course |
| Northern Ireland | £16218 | Whole course |
| Scotland | £16218 | Whole course |
| Wales | £16218 | Whole course |
| International | £32436 | Whole course |
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
There is an application fee of £85
Provider information
University of Cambridge
The Old Schools
Trinity Lane
Cambridge
CB2 1TN