MA History of Art

Entry requirements

UK qualifications: Students will normally have achieved a good 2.1 in their Bachelor’s degree (typically in the Humanities or Social Sciences), considered to be an overall average 65% or above.

Overseas qualification: Equivalent to a good 2.1 in a UK first degree (e.g. US applicants should have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or above).

Please note that applicants are invited to interview on a case-by-case basis.

English language requirements: If your first language is not English, we require proof of English language proficiency –please see the English Language Requirements page.

Months of entry

September

Course content

The Courtauld MA in the History of Art provides the best in research-led teaching by world class faculty members in a unique, single subject setting. It is renowned for offering outstanding training in the specialised analytical and communication skills necessary for further research or for employment in the arts sector and across a wide range of careers. The programme excels at developing well-rounded and intellectually astute art historians and museum professionals equipped to make an important contribution to public life.

Special Options, ordinarily taught in small groups of 8–10, remain the hallmark of The Courtauld MA History of Art. Renowned for their rigour, their breadth and scope continues to expand, with options on Eastern Europe, China, the Middle East, Latin America and Russia, and from the Middle Ages to the contemporary world. Special options range across media, temporalities and geographies to include topics such as ‘Byzantium and its Rivals: Art, Display and Cultural Identity in the Christian and Islamic Mediterranean’, ‘Beijing and Beyond: Art and Empire in Early Modern China’ and ‘Documentary Reborn: Photography, Film and Video in Global Contemporary Art’. Recent additions to the programme include ‘”There ain’t no black in the union jack”: Race & Nation in Postwar Black British Art’, ‘Painters at Work: Material Reinventions of a Medium, 1945 to Now’, and ‘Black Futures. Reimaging Modernism after critical race’.

The MA History of Art combines our long-standing commitment to specialism with new means to foster fresh dialogues among students from across our tightly-knit community. MA History of Art students are also warmly invited to continue to expand their engagement with art history by auditing BA lecture series (notably Foundations, which provides a broad introduction to Art History across a range of periods and places) and a range of seminars and conferences organized by the Courtauld’s Research Forum. The Courtauld MA History of Art provides outstanding tailored support and supervision to help you realise your full academic potential and flourish in your career.

Information for international students

Explore our international students pages for more information.

Fees and funding

Postgraduate Master’s Loan: Please visit the Student Finance England website for further information and to apply online.

Courtauld Institute of Art Scholarships: Every year the Courtauld provides over half a million pounds in MA scholarships, which are awarded on the basis of academic merit combined with financial need. The average postgraduate scholarship is £6,000. Applications are welcomed from Home, EU and Overseas applicants and students. Find out more about our scholarships.Find out more about our scholarships.

Alumni Loyalty Scheme: This scheme is open to any graduate of The Courtauld Institute of Art admitted to a taught postgraduate programme of study. Recipients will receive a 10% loyalty discount off their tuition fee for the duration of the course.

Further information about loans, grants, and bursaries to support you during your studies at The Courtauld can be found here.