Art History and Curating
Entry requirements
You should have, or expect to get, a 2:1 Honours degree in History of Art. We will also consider a different Humanities or Arts subject, provided you can demonstrate your interest in History of Art. This might be through relevant work experience or studying relevant modules during your Honours degree.
If your Honours degree is a high 2:2 (57% or above, or equivalent GPA) and you have extensive professional experience, or you can document mitigating circumstances that affected your undergraduate studies, you should contact the Programme Lead before making an application.
We recommend using the personal statement to outline your interest in History of Art and any previous or current experience you have in this area.
If you’ve been out of education for several years, we will consider professional references in place of the standard two academic references.
Please be aware: places on this programme are limited as we can only accommodate a limited number of students on our curatorial projects.
Due to the competitive nature of the programme, we strongly advise you apply early.
Applications received before January 2025 will get first priority. Applications will then be reviewed again in March 2025 and May 2025.
Months of entry
September
Course content
Do you want to pursue your love of art history, ready for a career in the arts and curating sectors? Conduct original research into art objects and discover how to curate historical and contemporary art.
You’ll also establish important professional networks and gain vital practical skills, invaluable to museum and commercial sectors.
We also offer a distance learning programme over 18 months. Find out more about the PGCert Art History and Curating by distance learning.
The course runs over 12 months full-time. You can also study this programme on a part-time basis.
You’ll study in our internationally renowned on-campus art gallery, the Barber Institute of Fine Arts, home to masterpieces by Monet, Picasso and Van Gogh. Classes are also taught at other galleries in Birmingham.
(Please note due to essential building works the Barber Institute of Fine Arts will be closed Spring 2025-Spring 2026).
You’ll complete a curatorial project working with our academic staff and museum professionals from our partner organisations. Recent partners include The Barber Institute of Fine Arts in a unique partnership with the V&A, and Grand Union, an Arts Council England portfolio organisation.
- Expand your understanding of different areas of museum and art gallery practice, such as art interpretation; modes of display; marketing; access and learning; and administration and finance.
- Contribute to the department’s official blog, ‘The Golovine’, and attend our regular research seminars.
- Prepare for your future by gaining practical skills by working on a curatorial project and pitching your own business ideas in our Enterprising Culture module.
- Our Barber Institute of Fine Arts boasts a specialist research library, containing books and catalogues about art history, visual culture, curating and collecting.
At Birmingham, research and teaching go hand-in-hand. Lecturers and professors continue to research in their field, offering valuable expertise in History of Art.
- Taught modules - each 20-credit module represents a total of 200 hours of study time, including preparatory reading, homework and assignment preparation.
- Seminars – modules are mainly taught by small group teaching.
- Dissertation – you'll undertake a 15,000-word dissertation in an area that interests you.
Information for international students
If you are an international student, you will need to demonstrate you have a suitable level of English proficiency, usually through the form of an IELTS or equivalent qualification.
For this course we require IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any band, which is equivalent to:
- TOEFL: 88 overall with no less than 21 in Reading, 20 Listening, 22 Speaking and 21 in Writing
- Pearson Test of English (PTE): Academic 67 with no less than 64 in all four skills
- Cambridge English: C1 Advanced - minimum overall score of 176, with no less than 169 in any component
- LanguageCert ESOL SELT (UKVI): B2 'Communicator' with no less than 33 in each skill
Fees and funding
The College of Arts and Law is a vibrant community of students and academics, dedicated to ensuring that excellence is rewarded, and that fears about finance do not constrain current or prospective students. For this reason, in addition to University funding schemes, we offer our own College-specific funding initiatives.
Qualification, course duration and attendance options
- MA
- part time24 months
- Campus-based learningis available for this qualification
- full time12 months
- Campus-based learningis available for this qualification
Course contact details
- Name
- Postgraduate enquiry service