History of Art

Throughout the History of Art MA course from the University of York youstudy a core module and choose four option modules. You'll also have the ability to later focus your academic interests with your dissertation topic choice.

Key Facts

The course caters for generalists with broad interests, and those who are coming to art history from another discipline. If you take the general route through the course, you can choose from all the available options, and you can devise a program that meets your specific interests. This will give you the flexibility to study art by time period, to focus on a specific medium, or to pursue a specific methodological perspective.

Alternatively, you can take one of three pathway routes through the program, in curating, fashion history and Islamic arts and cultures. This will allow a degree of specialism in your module option choices and dissertation topic.

We are one of the largest History of Art departments in the UK. We have developed successful partnerships with museums, galleries and country houses that will enrich your studies and may offer you placement opportunities and privileged access to collections.

Career opportunities:

We offer amazing partnerships and placements with numerous museums and galleries that will help you in your future career. We work with the National Gallery, Tate, the V&A, and York Museums Trust. We have excellent relationships with regional museums, galleries and country houses— including the Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art, Castle Howard, the Hepworth Wakefield, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, and the Henry Moore Institute. The course prepares you for higher research degrees and a range of possible careers. Read about some of our alumni and where their degree has taken them.

Career opportunities

• teacher

• heritage manager

• copywriter

• conservationist

• art administrator

• gallery assistant

Courses include:

• Islamic Worlds
• Arabic for Medievalists
• Research Methods
• Ceramic Arts of the Islamic World: A Framework for Study
• Islamic Architecture on the Frontiers
• Chaucer, Arabic Learning & the East
• Politics - Post-conflict and Heritage in the Middle East module
• The Islamic Art Market 1850-Now
• Late Mughal Painting in India