Undertake original research on the MPhil/PhD in History of Art at the University of Warwick. Ranked in the top 10 (The Guardian University Guide 2024, The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024), Warwick's History of Art department offers you an advanced research degree with supervision from world-leading experts.
The MPhil/PhD in History of Art is an advanced research degree, consisting of original research and engagement with current scholarship. It is awarded on the basis of successful completion of an individual research thesis of 80,000 words (60,000 words for MPhil) and an oral examination. In addition to working closely with your supervisors, you will be involved in our vibrant research culture, which includes regular seminars, workshops, symposia and reading groups, and the PGR Research Collective, which allows PhD students to organise their own research programme.
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, preferably with Distinction.
IELTS overall score of 7.0, minimum component scores of two at 6.0/6.5 and the rest at 7.0 or above.
Please adjust your country as required:
We welcome applications from students with other internationally recognised qualifications. For more information, please visit the international entry requirements page.
We typically ask for two academic references for research courses.
You will be asked to include an email address for your referee(s) when submitting your application and we will contact them for you.
Applicants will be asked to attend an online interview to assess their suitability for the course.
Research themes
Examples of current research interests of the department’s academics 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
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
Supervisors and proposals
There are several routes to finding a PhD supervisor at University of Warwick. Searching for a supervisor and submitting a research proposal will look different depending on the opportunity you are applying for. Below you’ll find guidance from the department about what is required for this course.
For more general advice, including top tips for finding and contacting a potential supervisor, and what to include in your research proposal visit the university’s guidance webpages.
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:
Contact our Director of Graduate Studies, Otto Saumarez-Smith, 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.
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.
Fees and scholarships
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 assessment and some student amenities.
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.
As well as tuition fees and living expenses, some courses may require you to cover the cost of research trips in the UK and overseas. In addition, you should consider the more general costs below:
Access to research material that is not available via university resources
Printing and binding a personal copy of your dissertation
Robe hire for your degree ceremony
Find out about the different funding routes available, including; postgraduate loans, scholarships, fee awards and academic department bursaries.
Spend a term studying art, history and culture at our Venice Centre
Explore the ideas, cultures and histories behind visual creativity.
Why study with us?
Immerse yourself in visual culture at a department ranked 5th in the UK for History of Art, Architecture and Design (Complete University Guide Subject League Table 2027). You’ll take a cutting-edge approach to exploring how art shapes – and is shaped by – the world around us. Covering everything from medieval art to the contemporary moving image, and from architecture and design to material culture.
Explore themes such as environmentalism, empire, cryptography, materiality, and theories of display and spectatorship. Plus, with research opportunities including our flagship Venice programme, you’ll experience art history far beyond the gallery wall.
You’ll be based in our Faculty of Arts Building - a creative hub designed to support exploration and innovation. Found beside the refurbished Warwick Arts Centre in the heart of our cultural quarter, this sustainably built eight-storey building offers excellent teaching rooms, social areas and specialist facilities for collaborative and independent study. A space tailor-made to help your ideas, creativity and critical thinking flourish.
Life at Warwick
This is where your journey begins. Our campus is the heart of it all. It’s more than just a campus - it's the places you visit, the people you meet, the fun that you have; the experiences you have here will be transformative.
Within a close-knit community of staff and students from all over the world, discover a campus alive with possibilities.
Our campus is where all the elements of your student experience come together in one place. You won't be short of ways to spend your time on campus - whether it's visiting Warwick Arts Centre, using our incredible sports facilities, socialising in our bars, nightclub and cafés, or enjoying an open-air event. Or if you need some peace and quiet, you can explore lakes, woodland and green spaces just a few minutes’ walk from central campus.
Follow our students around campus on our social channels to see their experiences first-hand.
Teaching facilities
Our campus is designed to cater for all of your learning needs. You will benefit from a variety of flexible, well-equipped study spaces and teaching facilities across the University.
Oculus, our outstanding learning hub, houses state-of-the-art lecture theatres and innovative social learning and network areas
Different study spaces offering you flexible individual and group study spaces, computers, printing and scanning facilities, multimedia resources and more
Supporting you
Our continuous support network is here to help you adjust to student life and to ensure you can easily access advice on many different issues. These may include managing your finances and workload, and settling into shared accommodation. We also have specialist disability and mental health support teams.
Whether you live on campus or off campus, in private accommodation in the well-serviced local area, you’ll be part of a community to get the most from your experience at Warwick.
Societies and sports play a huge part in community life at Warwick. With over 300 to choose from, getting involved is one of the easiest ways to make friends and share in experiences. Whether you’re into films, martial arts, astronomy, gaming or musical theatre, you can instantly connect with people with similar interests.
Your university experience is defined by far more than your course or the career path you follow. At Warwick, it’s where you discover who you could become.
68th
Warwick is ranked 68th in the world and top 10 in all major UK league tables
Our alumni community still call Warwick home. From a few hundred in 1965 to more than 310,000 alumni, and it's ever-growing.
As Warwick graduates, our students have access to employability support for two years after graduation, including access to careers appointments, job vacancies and professional networks.
Applications for courses starting in academic year 2026/27 are now open.
For research courses that start in September and October 2027, the application deadline for students who require a visa to study in the UK is 2 August 2027.
For courses starting at other times of year we recommend that you submit your application a minimum of 3 months prior to your intended start date.
This should allow sufficient time to complete the admissions process and to obtain a visa to study in the UK if required. We will still accept late applications, however cannot guarantee that the application will be processed in time to complete the admissions process if received late or there are a number of conditions to meet.
If applying late please include your degree certificates and transcripts, English proficiency evidence (if needed) and ensure referees can submit references promptly to allow time for CAS and visa processing (if applicable).
This information is applicable for 2027 entry. Given the interval between the publication of courses and enrolment, some of the information may change. It is important to check our website before you apply. Please read our web page 'Important information to consider before making an application' in advance of applying to Warwick.
Next steps
Explore your future university further at an upcoming event, online or in-person. Can't join? Receive regular email updates or ask current students and staff questions about life at Warwick.
