General entry requirements

Minimum requirements

2:1 undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in History of Art or related subjects and a Master’s in History of Art or a related subject.

English language requirements

You can find out more about our English language requirementsLink opens in a new window. This course requires the following:

• Band B
• IELTS overall score of 7.0, minimum component scores of two at 6.0/6.5 and the rest at 7.0 or above.

International qualifications

We welcome applications from students with other internationally recognised qualifications.

For more information, please visit the international entry requirements pageLink opens in a new window.

Additional requirements

There are no additional entry requirements for this course.

Our research

Areas for PhD supervision and examples of current research interests of the department’s academic researchers include:

• European Medieval (including British)
• Renaissance and Early Modern Art, Architecture and Material Culture
• British Art and Architecture from the 18th to 21st Centuries
• Colonial Art and Empire
• Historiography, Theory and Aesthetics
• American Art
• Scandinavian Art
• Exhibition and Display
• Sex, Sexuality and Gender
• Environmentalism and Ecology
• Video and Performance Art
• Russian, Soviet and Eastern European Art
• Modern and Contemporary Architecture and Urbanism
• Craft and Design
• Art of the Global South (Africa, South Asia, Latin America)
• Environmental humanities
• Art and politics

Find a supervisor

Please establish whether the department will be able to supervise and support your research. You will probably already have in mind a member of staff who works in your field as a potential supervisor. However, if you are unsure whether our department has the necessary expertise to supervise your project you should:

• Check our staff research pagesLink opens in a new window

Contact our Director of Graduate Studies, Professor Michael Hatt, who will be very happy to advise on whether we can support your research and, if so, will put you in touch with a potential supervisor

You can also see our general University guidance about finding a supervisor.Link opens in a new window

Research proposals

Candidates must have sufficient knowledge of their intended thesis topic to be able to provide a detailed research proposal (2000 words in length) as part of their application.

The proposal should outline the key research questions to be addressed and the provisional scope and structure of the project. This will enable us to assess your preparedness for PGR study and whether we shall be able to supervise your research. 

Tuition fees

Tuition fees are payable for each year of your course at the start of the academic year, or at the start of your course, if later. Academic fees cover the cost of tuition, examinations and registration and some student amenities.

Find your research course fees

Fee Status Guidance

We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Students will be classified as Home or Overseas fee status. Your fee status determines tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available. If you receive an offer, your fee status will be clearly stated alongside the tuition fee information.

Do you need your fee classification to be reviewed?

If you believe that your fee status has been classified incorrectly, you can complete a fee status assessment questionnaire. Please follow the instructions in your offer information and provide the documents needed to reassess your status.

Find out more about how universities assess fee status

Additional course costs

As well as tuition fees and living expenses, some courses may require you to cover the cost of field trips or costs associated with travel abroad.

For departmental specific costs, please see the Modules tab on the course web page for the list of core and optional core modules with hyperlinks to our Module Catalogue (please visit the Department’s website if the Module Catalogue hyperlinks are not provided).

Associated costs can be found on the Study tab for each module listed in the Module Catalogue (please note most of the module content applies to 2022/23 year of study). Information about module department specific costs should be considered in conjunction with the more general costs below:

• Core text books
• Printer credits
• Dissertation binding
• Robe hire for your degree ceremony

Scholarships and bursaries

History of Art at Warwick

Take the perspective that brings you closer

The History of Art department covers a wide range of research from the medieval to the contemporary, from Britain and Europe to the Global South, and across media including art, architecture, design and craft, moving image, and material culture. We work with cutting-edge approaches and themes including environmentalism, cryptography, empire, materiality, and theories of display and spectatorship. Our Venice programme offers a wide range of opportunities for teaching and learning, and is central to our research culture.

Get to know us better by exploring our departmental website.Link opens in a new window

Our courses

• History of Art and Visual Studies (MA)
• History of Art (MA by Research)
• History of Art (MPhil/PhD)

How to apply

The application process for courses that start in September and October 2025 will open on 2 October 2024.

For research courses that start in September and October 2025 the application deadline for students who require a visa to study in the UK is 2 August 2025. This should allow sufficient time to complete the admissions process and to obtain a visa to study in the UK.

How to apply for a postgraduate research course