Art in Scotland

Art in Scotland is designed around the rich primary sources available to students at Aberdeen, combined with the expertise of members of staff who are active researchers in the field. The great collections and monuments of Scotland form the key items of each specialized course, so students will graduate with first-hand knowledge of their subject. The first half-session provides training in the methodology of art historical research, focusing on current theories and debates in art history. The second half-session delves into the primary sources: Scottish, Italian, North European and South American. A major feature of this degree is its interdisciplinary focus, with a significant number of options being taught in co-operation with History, Film Studies, Visual Culture, Language and Literature. During the year, students are accompanied on visits to Edinburgh, Glasgow, London and Paris.

Programme Structure

MLitt students are required to write a dissertation of 12,000 words in English over the summer.

Courses

Core courses

Research skills for art historians guides students in a lively hands-on way through many different approaches to embarking on advanced art historical study. Fieldwork, undertaken during both half-sessions, brings students to Paris and London (for about a week each) and includes day trips to Edinburgh and Glasgow. These trips are subsidised but students are expected to contribute.

Elective courses

In the first half-session, students who are coming to art history for the first time are recommended to take Critical Perspectives in Art History, an essential theoretical background. Other options include skills in Visual Culture, languages and palaeography.

In the second half-session, some skills such as languages continue, but the majority of courses deal with a wide range of visual topics based on Scottish resources. Students taking their dissertation commence with personal guidance on their dissertation topic, before writing up on their own during the summer. The Dissertation is 15-20,000 words long.

Assessment

Students must acquire 180 credits (120 for courses + 60 for dissertation). Assessment is based on written work (essays) and moderated according to university standards.

Duration

24 months, part-time.