Overview

Visual culture shapes how societies see themselves, spanning everything from Renaissance painting to contemporary photography, film and performance. The BA (Hons) History of Art at the University of Birmingham is taught within the Barber Institute of Fine Arts, an on-campus gallery home to works by Monet, Picasso and Van Gogh, giving students direct, hands-on access to original artworks throughout their studies. Teaching draws on research spanning the medieval period to the present day, with study trips to galleries across Birmingham, London and Europe, including an overseas field trip built into the second year. The course suits students who want to combine rigorous critical analysis with genuine practical experience, developing skills valued across the arts and cultural sectors and beyond.

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What You'll Learn

• Foundational questions in art history, from what defines an artist to who art is made for

• Art in its urban context, studied through Birmingham's internationally significant collections

• The materials and techniques behind artworks from 1400 to the present

• Methods used by art historians to analyse artworks within personal, political and social contexts

• Medieval, Renaissance and Modernist art, set against the social and political change of their times

• Specialist second-year options such as political art, curating an exhibition, or art and empire

• An overseas study trip and the opportunity to spend a semester abroad

• An extended dissertation on a topic of your choosing in the final year

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Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, students will be able to critically analyse artworks and visual culture across a wide historical range, applying the methods and approaches used by professional art historians. They will be equipped to consider how personal, political and social contexts shape the production and reception of art, from the medieval period to the present day. Through practical modules such as curating an exhibition and an extended dissertation, students will develop research, curatorial and project-planning skills relevant to real gallery and museum practice. Graduates will leave with strong visual, analytical and communication skills, well suited to careers across the arts and cultural sectors, as well as fields such as law, teaching, media and business.