History of Art BA (UCAS V350)
Explore our History of Art degree at Warwick
Art history is the study of visual and material culture, including art, design, and the built environment. It involves perspectives from archaeology, cultural anthropology, political and religious history, gender studies, and visual analysis, amongst others. Warwick's History of Art degree will develop critical skills and in-depth understanding, preparing you to thrive in careers across the art world and beyond.
General entry requirements
A level typical offer
ABB.
A level contextual offer
We welcome applications from candidates who meet the contextual eligibility criteria and whose predicted grades are close to, or slightly below, the contextual offer level. The typical contextual offer is BBB. See if you're eligible.
General GCSE requirements
Unless specified differently above, you will also need a minimum of GCSE grade 4 or C (or an equivalent qualification) in English Language and either Mathematics or a Science subject. Find out more about our entry requirements and the qualifications we accept. We advise that you also check the English Language requirements for your course which may specify a higher GCSE English requirement. Please find the information about this below.
IB typical offer
32.
IB contextual offer
We welcome applications from candidates who meet the contextual eligibility criteria and whose predicted grades are close to, or slightly below, the contextual offer level. The typical contextual offer is 30. See if you're eligible.
General GCSE requirements
Unless specified differently above, you will also need a minimum of GCSE grade 4 or C (or an equivalent qualification) in English Language and either Mathematics or a Science subject. Find out more about our entry requirements and the qualifications we accept. We advise that you also check the English Language requirements for your course which may specify a higher GCSE English requirement. Please find the information about this below.
BTEC
We welcome applications from students taking BTEC qualifications, either alone or in combination with A levels. Our typical BTEC offers are as follows:
- BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate plus 2 A levels: D plus AB
- BTEC Level 3 National Diploma plus 1 A level: DD plus A
- BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma: D*DD
Scotland Advanced Highers
AB in two Advanced Highers and BBB in three further Highers subjects.
Welsh Baccalaureate
BBB in three subjects at A level plus grade C in the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales.
Access to Higher Education Diplomas
We will consider applicants returning to study who are presenting a QAA-recognised Access to Higher Education Diploma on a case-by-case basis.
Typically, we require 45 Credits at Level 3, including Distinction in 33 Level 3 credits and Merit in 12 Level 3 Credits. We may also require subject specific credits or an A level to be studied alongside the Access to Higher Education Diploma to fulfil essential subject requirements.
General GCSE requirements
Unless specified differently above, you will also need a minimum of GCSE grade 4 or C (or an equivalent qualification) in English Language and either Mathematics or a Science subject. Find out more about our entry requirements and the qualifications we accept. We advise that you also check the English Language requirements for your course which may specify a higher GCSE English requirement. Please find the information about this below.
International qualifications
English Language requirements
All applicants have to meet our English Language requirementsLink opens in a new window. If you cannot demonstrate that you meet these, you may be invited to take part in our Pre-sessional English course at WarwickLink opens in a new window.
This course requires: Band B
Learn more about our English Language requirementsLink opens in a new window.
Frequently asked questions
Warwick may make differential offers to students in a number of circumstances. These include students participating in a Widening Participation programme or who meet the contextual data criteria.
Differential offers will usually be one or two grades below Warwick’s standard offer.
All students who successfully complete the Warwick IFP and apply to Warwick through UCAS will receive a guaranteed conditional offer for a related undergraduate programme (selected courses only).
Find out more about standard offers and conditions for the IFP.
We welcome applications for deferred entry.
We do not typically interview applicants. Offers are made based on your UCAS form which includes predicted and actual grades, your personal statement and school reference.
Course overview
By studying art in the context of history, we gain new insight into the perceptions and intentions of the maker, as well as the times in which the art, design, and architecture were produced. We place a strong emphasis on organising field trips to a variety of museums and galleries, giving you the opportunity to appreciate and understand by experiencing artistic work directly. This is why we offer a whole term in Venice.
Our carefully designed degree allows you to select the modules that suit your own interests. You will study a rich and varied range of art history, from Antiquity to the present day and across the world, supported by a range of site visits. You will also be taught in small class sizes to ensure close supervision by dedicated, research-active academic staff.
Study abroad
As part of your course you’ll spend a term in Venice, where you will study the city's art and culture at first hand with our team of Renaissance and Contemporary specialists. You will be based at the Palazzo Giustinian Lolin overlooking the Grand Canal.
As part of all of our courses you additionally have the opportunity to study abroad for a year.
The Study Abroad TeamLink opens in a new window offers support for these activities, and the Department's dedicated Study Abroad Co-ordinator can provide more specific information and assistance.
Core modules
You can choose your own route throughout the degree, supported by core modules that establish the essential framework of the course. There is an increasing amount of choice from the first year onwards, and you choose the subject of your dissertation, under expert guidance. Your first year includes introductory core modules, which provide an overview of art and the ways in which it is studied today. You can also choose optional modules on topics such as contemporary art, portraiture, sacred art, sculpture, print media, or architecture and photography.
In year two, you will choose from an even wider range of subjects, including a Practical Art module.
You will spend a whole term in Venice as part of your degree, normally as part of the third year, before returning to Warwick to focus on specialised subjects and complete a dissertation on a topic of your choice.
Year One
Introduction to Art History: Classicism and the Arts of Christianity
You will have the opportunity to carry out a historical survey of Western and global art, concentrating on Late Antique, Medieval and Renaissance art. You will learn skills and techniques that will allow you to describe accurately what you see, in terms of how an object is made, as well as its form and iconography. These core skills will form your foundation for later modules.
Read more about the Introduction to Art History: Classicism and the Arts of Christianity moduleLink opens in a new window, including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2024/25 year of study).
Introduction to Art History: The Natural World and the Arts of Modernity
You will study a thematic approach to the history of Global Art, stimulating comparisons across time and space and exploring a wide spectrum of images and ideas, including those related to architecture and the applied arts. You will acquire introductory analytical and communication skills required for a good understanding of the field, including areas which will be useful for the study of later modules.
Read more about the Introduction to Art History: The Natural World and the Arts of Modernity moduleLink opens in a new window, including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2024/25 year of study).
Study Skills for Art-Historians (non-credit bearing)
This is included in the two Survey modules and equips you with skills in understanding religious iconography and the depiction of mythology, as well as in academic writing.
History of Art and Interpretation
In this module, you will enhance your awareness of the relationship between art and its historical and physical contexts, and of approaches to the work of art which can help you understand it. You will consider works of art in context at Waddesdon Manor and at other collections. You will learn the techniques and practices of interpretation which will be useful for later modules.
Read more about the History of Art and Interpretation moduleLink opens in a new window, including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2024/25 year of study).
Optional modules:
Optional modules can vary from year to year. Example optional modules may include:
- Architecture
- Prints
- Sacred Art
- Sculpture
- Fakes and Forgeries
- Painting Techniques
- Landscape
- Craft and the Popular Arts
- Portraiture
- Contemporary Art
Year Two
Practices of Art History
You will examine a range of theoretical approaches from the discipline’s beginning in the early 19th century to contemporary debates. By exploring questions of theory and method, you will develop the skills of critical reading and the evaluation of evidence. You will be encouraged to reflect on your own theoretical allegiances, and to consider how these will shape your dissertation.
Read more about the Practices of Art History moduleLink opens in a new window, including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2024/25 year of study).
Optional modules:
Optional modules can vary from year to year. Example optional modules may include:
- Art since the 60s
- African Art Histories
- A Fine Tomorrow: British Art and Culture in the 1950s
- Practical Art
- Art of the Baroque
- The Renaissance: North and South
- Art and Disruption, 1900-today
- The Spaces of 17th-century Dutch Painting
- Architectural Utopias
- Islamic Art and Architecture
- The Italian City States in the Age of Dante and Petrarch
- Nature and Society in Early Modern Chinese Painting
- Nordic Design
- Miniature Painting in South Asia and Beyond
Year Three
Exhibiting the Contemporary (taught in Venice)
You will consider the importance of exhibitions for the interpretation of contemporary art and architecture. Based in Venice, you will study current exhibitions both within and outside the frame of the Biennale, in conjunction with texts on contemporary exhibition-making, curating, and museum and exhibition history.
Read more about the Exhibiting the Contemporary (taught in Venice) moduleLink opens in a new window, including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2023/24 year of study).
or
Modern Architecture and the Historic City (taught in Venice)
We explore the relationship between modern architecture and the historic city, examining how architects and planners have engaged with the legacy of Venice since the 19th century.
Topics studied have included: Ruskin’s Venice and the Emergence of Conservation in the 19th century; International Modernism’s Response to Venice in the 20th century; Post-modernism and New Technologies of Contemporary Architectural Practice; Saving Venice to Date; Sustainability and the Historic City.
Read more about the Modern Architecture and the Historic City moduleLink opens in a new window, including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2023/24 year of study).
Venice Rise and Myth (taught in Venice)
You will examine the art and architecture of Venice in the light of its unique physical, political and cultural location. You will study key examples of architecture, painting and sculpture in the light of their commissioning, manufacture, consumption and subsequent critical fortune.
Read more about the Venice Rise and Myth (taught in Venice) moduleLink opens in a new window, including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2023/24 year of study).
Dissertation
Read more about the Dissertation moduleLink opens in a new window, including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2022/23 year of study).
Optional modules:
Optional modules can vary from year to year. Example optional modules may include:
- Deconstructing Medieval and Early Modern Buildings
- Colour and its Meaning
- The Thirties: Art and Society in inter-war Britain
- Reality after Film
- Visual Art and Poetry
- Latin-American Modernism: 20th-century Objects, 21st-century Exhibitions
- East Meets West: Visual Arts in Colonial and Post-Colonial India
- Leonardo: Art and Science
- Giotto in Assisi and the Art of the Friars
- Contemporary Art and Climate Change
- Crafting the Global Early Modern
Assessment
We use a variety of assessment methods throughout your degree programme, including essays, exams, optional multimedia exercises (podcasts, exhibition designs, art criticism), a research-based dissertation, and (for the Practical Art and the exhibition-based modules) a portfolio of work responding to a specific practical task.
Teaching
Modules are taught either through weekly lectures combined with seminars, or through small-group seminars alone. The direct experience of art, design, visual culture, and architecture is emphasised at every stage of your degree.
Seminars in galleries and museums, or site visits to key monuments and buildings, are integrated into modules. This is even more the case during the Venice term, where all seminars are taught in museums, in the Biennale, in the streets and buildings of the city, and in neighbouring islands and towns during day trips. You can also study a studio-based Practical Art module in your second year.
Class sizes
Class sizes are normally 10-12 people.
Typical contact hours
You will have 15 hours of contact time on average (including lectures, seminars, field trips and tutorials) and around 27 hours of independent study per week. We provide written feedback on essays with the option of tutorials to discuss them further, and one-to-one tutorials during the preparation of your dissertation.
Tuition fees
Tuition fees cover the majority of the costs of your study, including teaching and assessment. Fees are charged at the start of each academic year. If you pay your fees directly to the University, you can choose to pay in instalments.
Undergraduate fees
If you are a home student enrolling in 2024, your annual tuition fees will be £9,535. In the future, these fees might change for new and continuing students.
How are fees set?
The British Government sets tuition fee rates.
Undergraduate fees
If you are an overseas or EU student enrolling in 2024, your annual tuition fees will be as follows:
- Band 1 – £24,800 per year (classroom-based courses, including Humanities and most Social Science courses)
- Band 2 – £31,620 per year (laboratory-based courses, plus Maths, Statistics, Theatre and Performance Studies, Economics, and courses provided by Warwick Business School, with exceptions)
Fees for 2025 entry have not been set. We will publish updated information here as soon as it becomes available, so please check back for updates about 2025 fee rates before you apply.
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.Link opens in a new window
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. In History of Art, the cost of field trips in the UK and of day trips during the Venice term is covered by the Department.
For departmental specific costs, please see the Modules tab on this web page for the list of core and optional core modules with hyperlinks to our Module CatalogueLink opens in a new window (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 2024/25 year of study). Information about module 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
Learn about scholarships and bursaries available to undergraduate students.
We offer a number of undergraduate scholarships and bursaries to full-time undergraduate students. These include sporting and musical bursaries, and scholarships offered by commercial organisations.
Find out more about funding opportunities for full-time students.Link opens in a new window
If you are an international student, a limited number of scholarships may be available.
Find out more information on our international scholarship pages.Link opens in a new window
You may be eligible for financial help from your own government, from the British Council or from other funding agencies. You can usually request information on scholarships from the Ministry of Education in your home country, or from the local British Council office.
Warwick Undergraduate Global Excellence Scholarship
We believe there should be no barrier to talent. That's why we are committed to offering a scholarship that makes it easier for gifted, ambitious international learners to pursue their academic interests at one of the UK's most prestigious universities.
We provide extra financial support for qualifying students from lower income families. The Warwick Undergraduate Bursary is an annual award of up to £3,000 per annum. It is intended to help with course-related costs and you do not have to pay it back.
As part of the 'City of Sanctuary' movement, we are committed to building a culture of hospitality and welcome, especially for those seeking sanctuary from war and persecution. We provide a range of scholarships to enable people seeking sanctuary or asylum to progress to access university education.
Further information
Find out more about Warwick undergraduate bursaries and scholarships.
Eligibility for student loans
Your eligibility for student finance will depend on certain criteria, such as your nationality and residency status, your course, and previous study at higher education level.
Check if you're eligible for student finance.
Tuition Fee Loan
You can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan to cover your tuition fees. It is non-means tested, which means the amount you can receive is not based on your household income. The Loan is paid directly to the University so, if you choose to take the full Tuition Fee Loan, you won’t have to set up any payments.
Maintenance Loan for living costs
You can apply for a Maintenance Loan towards your living costs such as accommodation, food and bills. This loan is means-tested, so the amount you receive is partially based on your household income and whether you choose to live at home or in student accommodation.
If you’re starting a course on or after 1 August 2021, you usually must have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement SchemeLink opens in a new window to get student finance.
Tuition Fee Loan
If you are an EU student and eligible for student finance you may be able to get a Tuition Fee Loan to cover your fees. It is non-means tested, which means the amount you may receive is not based on your household income. The Loan is paid directly to the University so, if you choose to take the full Tuition Fee Loan, you won't have to set up any payments.
Help with living costs
For the 2024 academic year, you may be eligible for help with your living costs if both of the following apply:
- You have lived in the UK for more than 3 years before the first day of the first academic year of your course
And
- You have Settled Status (see further details on Settled Status)Link opens in a new window
If you are coming to the UK from 1st January 2021, you may need to apply for a visaLink opens in a new window to study here.
Please note: Irish citizens do not need to apply for a visa or to the EU Settlement Scheme.
Find out more about government student loans for EU studentsLink opens in a new window
Repaying your loans
You will repay your loan or loans gradually once you are working and earning above a certain amount. For students starting their course after 1 August 2023, the repayment threshold is £25,000. Repayments will be taken directly from your salary if you are an employee. If your income falls below the earnings threshold, your repayments will stop until your income goes back up above this figure.
Find out more about repaying your student loanLink opens in a new window.
Your career
Graduates from these courses have gone on to work in a wide range of sectors, including careers in:
- Art galleries and Museums
- Publishing
- Educational establishments
- Heritage and conservation organisations
- Research
- The Law
- Business, Marketing, and Advertising
- Civil Service
- Fashion
They have pursued careers such as:
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Curator
-
Gallery Manager
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Artistic Director
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Journalist
-
Barrister
-
Web Developer
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Management Consultant
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Events Planner
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Art Consultant
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Interior Designer
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Architectural Historian
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Headteacher
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Art Critic and Correspondent
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Business Analyst
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Writer and Translator
Supporting your career
Our department has a dedicated professionally qualified Senior Careers Consultant to support you on a one-one basis. They offer impartial advice and guidance, together with workshops and events throughout the year. Previous examples of workshops and events include:
- History of Art Alumni event
- Careers in the Creative Sector
- Warwick careers fairs throughout the year
- Securing Work Experience
- Career Planning and Making Applications
History of Art at Warwick
Take the perspective that brings you closer
Art history is about getting closer to art, immersing yourself in art, seeing art from the perspective of the artist. But it is also about bringing your own perspective – your knowledge and experience – to bear. Art is where you and the artist meet.
When you graduate, you’ll be well equipped to enter a wide range of careers which require an ability to think analytically, to present ideas with clarity, and to communicate with others easily and convincingly.
Get to know us better by exploring our departmental websiteLink opens in a new window
Explore our new Faculty of Arts building
The department recently moved into the brand new £57.5 million Faculty of Arts building.
This means, as an Arts student at Warwick, you’ll find your home amongst brand new teaching, learning and social spaces, including specialist facilities, all designed to support collaborative working and to enable your creativity and innovation to flourish.
The sustainably built, eight-storey building is located next to the newly refurbished Warwick Arts Centre in the heart of the University’s creative and cultural arts quarter.
Explore our new Faculty of Arts building further.
Our courses
Life at Warwick
Within a close-knit community of staff and students from all over the world, discover a campus alive with possibilities. A place where all the elements of your student experience come together in one place. Our supportive, energising, welcoming space creates the ideal environment for forging new connections, having fun and finding inspiration.
Find out how to apply to us, ask your questions, and find out more.
Warwick Accommodation
Finding the right accommodation is key to helping you settle in quickly.
We have a range of residences for undergraduate students on campus.
Our campus
You won't be short of ways to spend your time on campus - whether it's visiting Warwick Arts Centre, using our incredible new 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.
Food and drink
We have lots of cafés, restaurants and shops on campus. You can enjoy great quality food and drink, with plenty of choice for all tastes and budgets. There is a convenience store on central campus, as well as two supermarkets and a small shopping centre in the nearby Cannon Park Retail Park. Several of them offer delivery services to help you stay stocked up.
And don't miss our regular food market day on the Piazza with tempting, fresh and delicious street food. Soak up the atmosphere and try something new, with mouth-watering food for all tastes.
Clubs and societies
We currently have more than 300 student-run societies.
So whether you’re into films, martial arts, astronomy, gaming or musical theatre, you can instantly connect with people with similar interests.
Or you could try something new, or even form your own society.
Sports and fitness
Staying active at Warwick is no sweat, thanks to our amazing new Sports and Wellness Hub, indoor and outdoor tennis centre, 60 acres of sports pitches, and more than 60 sports clubs.
Whether you want to compete, relax or just have fun, you can achieve your fitness goals.
Studying on campus
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.
- The Oculus, our outstanding learning hub, houses state-of-the-art lecture theatres and innovative social learning and network areas.
- The University Library provides access to over one million printed works and tens of thousands of electronic journals
- Different study spaces offering you flexible individual and group study spaces.
Travel and local area
Our campus is in Coventry, a modern city with high street shops, restaurants, nightclubs and bars sitting alongside medieval monuments. The Warwickshire towns of Leamington Spa and Kenilworth are also nearby.
The University is close to major road, rail and air links. London is just an hour by direct train from Coventry, with Birmingham a 20-minute trip. Birmingham International Airport is nearby (a 20-minute drive).
Wellbeing support and faith provision
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.
Our Chaplaincy is home to Chaplains from the Christian, Jewish and Muslim faiths. We provide regular services for all Christian denominations and a Shabbat meal every Friday for our Jewish students. There is also an Islamic prayer hall, halal kitchen and ablution facilities.
How to apply
Learn more about our application process.
Key dates
Key dates for your application to Warwick.
Writing your personal statement
Make an impression and demonstrate your passion for your course.
After you've applied
Find out how we process your application.
Our Admission Statement
Read Warwick's Admission Statement
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Explore our campus virtually through our 360 campus tour now
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Don’t just take it from us, come and see for yourself what Warwick is all about. Whether it's a virtual visit or in-person, our University Open Days give you the chance to meet staff and students, visit academic departments, tour the campus and get a real feel for life at Warwick.
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