BA (Hons) Art History

Discover why art from the past still matters to our modern society. The Tate galleries attract more than seven million visitors each year, and a Leonardo exhibition sells out as quickly as a music concert. You’ll investigate all aspects of visual culture, from paintings and sculpture to film and photography. Our connections with high profile, international art institutions will immerse you in the intriguing world of art, past and present, and prepare you for a career in this fascinating field.You could get prepared for your future career by participating in an internship. You could gain experience in museum studies with our museum fieldwork classes, get inspired by regular visits to major UK galleries and museums, including the National Gallery, Tate Britain, Tate Modern, Tate St Ives, Peninsula Art Gallery and Plymouth City Museum, and also expand your horizons with our international field trip module. Past destinations have included Rome, Vienna, Paris, Florence and New York City.* Take advantage of our small class sizes and one-to-one teaching from staff who are leading experts in their field.* Cover a wide range of art from the Renaissance period to the present, from 14th-century fresco painting in Italy to artistic responses to the atomic bomb.* Learn from the latest research we are working on. In the last national Research Excellence Framework (REF 2014) ‘Art and Design: History, Theory and Practice’ at Plymouth scored 100 per cent for its ‘world-leading’ and ‘internationally excellent’ research environment, and 90 per cent for the international impact of its research case studies. This makes our unit a top five performer among Plymouth University’s research groups overall.* Prepare for your future career by participating in an internship. Our students have successfully interned at Tate Britain, Sotheby’s, the National Trust, Plymouth Arts Centre, the Arts Institute and the Wallace Collection. * Gain experience in museum studies with our museum fieldwork classes.* Be inspired by regular visits to major UK galleries and museums, including the National Gallery, Tate Britain, Tate Modern, Tate St Ives, Peninsula Art Gallery and Plymouth City Museum.* Expand your horizons with the international field trip module. Past destinations have included Rome, Vienna, Paris, Florence and New York City. The field trip in 2016 will be to Washington, DC.* To complement your formal learning we offer regular PALS sessions that provide the opportunity for you to learn with and from your peers. Share knowledge, discuss ideas, and ask questions in a relaxed and friendly environment.* 100 per cent of students were satisfied overall; 100 per cent of students agreed staff were good at explaining things; 100 per cent of students agreed staff made the subject interesting and 92 per cent of students agreed they got sufficient advice and support (source: 2016 NSS results available on Unistats*).