| Qualification | Start dates | Entry requirements | Full- or Part-time | UCAS Code | Assessment | |
| Bachelor of Arts (BA Hons) | January September | A-level: BBB | Level of English required | Full-time | VD34 VV37 (2-year, 1-term option) | Exam and written assessment |
Course outline
Art History provides a first-class rounded education and excellent intellectual training. While the primary focus is on the visual arts, the subject also touches on many other traditional humanities disciplines such as literature, history, religion, languages, classics, psychology and philosophy, with which it provides natural subject combinations. Students acquire skills of critical and historical analysis and the ability to evaluate evidence and present arguments fluently, both orally and in writing.
Students also study museums and the art market and acquire business and management skills through our unique joint honours with Heritage Management, providing them with a pathway to careers in the international art world and transferable skills applicable in other fields, such as journalism, law and business.
Buckingham’s 4-term year means that you can complete a normal 3-year BA honours degree in 2 years or combine with an MA or MBA in 3 years. Art History students can opt to start either in September or January. September entrants have the unique opportunity of studying Italian art for one term at the British Institute in Florence (for which there is an additional fee; more information).
Special features
- Hands-on study of art with frequent study visits
- A unique partnership with the British Institute in Florence providing an introduction to art history in Italy exclusively for Buckingham students (September entry only)
- Unique combination of History of Art and Heritage Management
- Close links with museums (including the Wallace Collection), heritage organisations and the art market
- Varied range of subjects including design and decorative arts, art markets, museums and country houses
- Opportunities for practical project work and academic research
- Excellent record of graduate employment
- Competitive fees
- Generous scholarships/bursaries
Teaching methods
Art History modules introduce students to the materials and methods, providing an historical overview of western art and architecture from Greece and Rome to the modern and contemporary world. Heritage Management modules cover the background to heritage, study of contemporary issues, policy, practices and debates, and the business of managing the heritage as a part of the cultural economy. Students also study the art market, decorative arts and the English country house. Students benefit from small group teaching and higher than average teaching hours.
Term in Florence
A unique feature of Buckingham’s Art History programme is the opportunity to start your degree with an inspiring introductory term in Florence. If you choose to start your BA in September, after an initial week of orientation and preparation at Buckingham you will spend your first term studying the University’s own modules which are taught in English at the British Institute of Florence, situated beside the River Arno in part of a Renaissance palace in the heart of the historic centre of the city. More information and video.
Academic staff
Click here for a full list of staff in the Department.
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Tuition fees
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