History of Art

A typical week

Each week you will have around two lectures, and a weekly tutorial. Teaching usually takes place in the department or in a college, as well as in one of the Oxford museums and galleries where tutors often lecture in front of actual works of art. Visits to exhibitions or historical buildings will also be part of the course. Outside the classroom most of your time will be spent preparing essays for your tutorials and working in libraries, archives or museums on longer research papers.

Tutorials are usually up to three students and a tutor. Class sizes may vary depending on the options you choose, but there would usually be no more than around 16 students. Most tutorials, classes, and lectures are delivered by staff who are tutors in their subject. Many are world-leading experts with years of experience in teaching and research. Some teaching may also be delivered by postgraduate students who are studying at doctorate level.

To find out more about how our teaching year is structured, visit our Academic Year page.

Academic YearCourse structureYEAR 1

COURSES

Four elements are taken:

• Core course: Introduction to the history of art
• Core course: European art, 1400–1900: meaning and interpretation
• Core course: Antiquity after Antiquity
• Supervised extended essay on a building, object or image in Oxford.

Students also have the opportunity to undertake a French, German or Italian for Art Historians course through the University’s Language Centre. No previous experience or qualifications are required for these courses and they do not form part of the assessment.

ASSESSMENT

First University examinations: three written papers and one extended essay

YEARS 2 AND 3

COURSES

Seven elements are taken:

• Core Course: Approaches to the history of art
• Further subject in art history, options include:
  • Anglo-Saxon archaeology
  • The Carolingian Renaissance
  • Culture and society in Early Renaissance Italy
  • Northern European portraiture, 1400–1800
  • Flanders and Italy in the Quattrocento
  • Court culture and art in early modern Europe
  • Intellect and culture in Victorian Britain
• Two Year 2 options, regularly taught options include:
  • Egyptian art and architecture
  • Greek art and archaeology
  • Art under the Roman Empire
  • Encountering South Asian sculpture
  • Gothic art through medieval eyes
  • Understanding museums and collections
  • Literature and the visual arts in France
  • European cinema
  • Modernism and after
  • The experience of modernity: visual culture, 1880–1925
  • American art, 1560s–1960s
• Special subject and extended essay in art history options include:
  • Art and culture in Renaissance Florence and Venice
  • Art and culture in the Dutch Golden Age
  • English architecture
  • Art and its public in France, 1815–67
  • The social life of photographs
  • Pop and the art of the Sixties: global perspectives
• Undergraduate thesis

Students also have the opportunity to undertake a collections placement in one of the University museums, libraries or colleges in their second year.

ASSESSMENT

Final University examinations: four or five written papers, one or two extended essay(s) and one thesis

For the latest information on all course details and a full list of current options see the History of Art website.

YEAR 1

COURSES

Four elements are taken:

• Core course: Introduction to the history of art
• Core course: European art, 1400–1900: meaning and interpretation
• Core course: Antiquity after Antiquity
• Supervised extended essay on a building, object or image in Oxford.

Students also have the opportunity to undertake a French, German or Italian for Art Historians course through the University’s Language Centre. No previous experience or qualifications are required for these courses and they do not form part of the assessment.

ASSESSMENT

First University examinations: three written papers and one extended essay

YEARS 2 AND 3

COURSES

Seven elements are taken:

• Core Course: Approaches to the history of art
• Further subject in art history, options include:
  • Anglo-Saxon archaeology
  • The Carolingian Renaissance
  • Culture and society in Early Renaissance Italy
  • Northern European portraiture, 1400–1800
  • Flanders and Italy in the Quattrocento
  • Court culture and art in early modern Europe
  • Intellect and culture in Victorian Britain
• Two Year 2 options, regularly taught options include:
  • Egyptian art and architecture
  • Greek art and archaeology
  • Art under the Roman Empire
  • Encountering South Asian sculpture
  • Gothic art through medieval eyes
  • Understanding museums and collections
  • Literature and the visual arts in France
  • European cinema
  • Modernism and after
  • The experience of modernity: visual culture, 1880–1925
  • American art, 1560s–1960s
• Special subject and extended essay in art history options include:
  • Art and culture in Renaissance Florence and Venice
  • Art and culture in the Dutch Golden Age
  • English architecture
  • Art and its public in France, 1815–67
  • The social life of photographs
  • Pop and the art of the Sixties: global perspectives
• Undergraduate thesis

Students also have the opportunity to undertake a collections placement in one of the University museums, libraries or colleges in their second year.

ASSESSMENT

Final University examinations: four or five written papers, one or two extended essay(s) and one thesis

For the latest information on all course details and a full list of current options see the History of Art website.

YEAR 1YEAR 1YEAR 1

COURSES

Four elements are taken:

• Core course: Introduction to the history of art
• Core course: European art, 1400–1900: meaning and interpretation
• Core course: Antiquity after Antiquity
• Supervised extended essay on a building, object or image in Oxford.

Students also have the opportunity to undertake a French, German or Italian for Art Historians course through the University’s Language Centre. No previous experience or qualifications are required for these courses and they do not form part of the assessment.

ASSESSMENT

First University examinations: three written papers and one extended essay

COURSES

Four elements are taken:

• Core course: Introduction to the history of art
• Core course: European art, 1400–1900: meaning and interpretation
• Core course: Antiquity after Antiquity
• Supervised extended essay on a building, object or image in Oxford.

Students also have the opportunity to undertake a French, German or Italian for Art Historians course through the University’s Language Centre. No previous experience or qualifications are required for these courses and they do not form part of the assessment.

COURSES

COURSES

Four elements are taken:

• Core course: Introduction to the history of art
• Core course: European art, 1400–1900: meaning and interpretation
• Core course: Antiquity after Antiquity
• Supervised extended essay on a building, object or image in Oxford.

Core course: Introduction to the history of art

Core course: European art, 1400–1900: meaning and interpretation

Core course: Antiquity after Antiquity

Supervised extended essay on a building, object or image in Oxford.

Students also have the opportunity to undertake a French, German or Italian for Art Historians course through the University’s Language Centre. No previous experience or qualifications are required for these courses and they do not form part of the assessment.

ASSESSMENT

First University examinations: three written papers and one extended essay

ASSESSMENT

ASSESSMENT

First University examinations: three written papers and one extended essay

YEARS 2 AND 3YEARS 2 AND 3YEARS 2 AND 3

COURSES

Seven elements are taken:

• Core Course: Approaches to the history of art
• Further subject in art history, options include:
  • Anglo-Saxon archaeology
  • The Carolingian Renaissance
  • Culture and society in Early Renaissance Italy
  • Northern European portraiture, 1400–1800
  • Flanders and Italy in the Quattrocento
  • Court culture and art in early modern Europe
  • Intellect and culture in Victorian Britain
• Two Year 2 options, regularly taught options include:
  • Egyptian art and architecture
  • Greek art and archaeology
  • Art under the Roman Empire
  • Encountering South Asian sculpture
  • Gothic art through medieval eyes
  • Understanding museums and collections
  • Literature and the visual arts in France
  • European cinema
  • Modernism and after
  • The experience of modernity: visual culture, 1880–1925
  • American art, 1560s–1960s
• Special subject and extended essay in art history options include:
  • Art and culture in Renaissance Florence and Venice
  • Art and culture in the Dutch Golden Age
  • English architecture
  • Art and its public in France, 1815–67
  • The social life of photographs
  • Pop and the art of the Sixties: global perspectives
• Undergraduate thesis

Students also have the opportunity to undertake a collections placement in one of the University museums, libraries or colleges in their second year.

ASSESSMENT

Final University examinations: four or five written papers, one or two extended essay(s) and one thesis

COURSES

Seven elements are taken:

• Core Course: Approaches to the history of art
• Further subject in art history, options include:
  • Anglo-Saxon archaeology
  • The Carolingian Renaissance
  • Culture and society in Early Renaissance Italy
  • Northern European portraiture, 1400–1800
  • Flanders and Italy in the Quattrocento
  • Court culture and art in early modern Europe
  • Intellect and culture in Victorian Britain
• Two Year 2 options, regularly taught options include:
  • Egyptian art and architecture
  • Greek art and archaeology
  • Art under the Roman Empire
  • Encountering South Asian sculpture
  • Gothic art through medieval eyes
  • Understanding museums and collections
  • Literature and the visual arts in France
  • European cinema
  • Modernism and after
  • The experience of modernity: visual culture, 1880–1925
  • American art, 1560s–1960s
• Special subject and extended essay in art history options include:
  • Art and culture in Renaissance Florence and Venice
  • Art and culture in the Dutch Golden Age
  • English architecture
  • Art and its public in France, 1815–67
  • The social life of photographs
  • Pop and the art of the Sixties: global perspectives
• Undergraduate thesis

Students also have the opportunity to undertake a collections placement in one of the University museums, libraries or colleges in their second year.

COURSES

COURSES

• Core Course: Approaches to the history of art
• Further subject in art history, options include:
  • Anglo-Saxon archaeology
  • The Carolingian Renaissance
  • Culture and society in Early Renaissance Italy
  • Northern European portraiture, 1400–1800
  • Flanders and Italy in the Quattrocento
  • Court culture and art in early modern Europe
  • Intellect and culture in Victorian Britain
• Two Year 2 options, regularly taught options include:
  • Egyptian art and architecture
  • Greek art and archaeology
  • Art under the Roman Empire
  • Encountering South Asian sculpture
  • Gothic art through medieval eyes
  • Understanding museums and collections
  • Literature and the visual arts in France
  • European cinema
  • Modernism and after
  • The experience of modernity: visual culture, 1880–1925
  • American art, 1560s–1960s
• Special subject and extended essay in art history options include:
  • Art and culture in Renaissance Florence and Venice
  • Art and culture in the Dutch Golden Age
  • English architecture
  • Art and its public in France, 1815–67
  • The social life of photographs
  • Pop and the art of the Sixties: global perspectives
• Undergraduate thesis

Core Course: Approaches to the history of art

Further subject in art history, options include:

• Anglo-Saxon archaeology
• The Carolingian Renaissance
• Culture and society in Early Renaissance Italy
• Northern European portraiture, 1400–1800
• Flanders and Italy in the Quattrocento
• Court culture and art in early modern Europe
• Intellect and culture in Victorian Britain

• Anglo-Saxon archaeology
• The Carolingian Renaissance
• Culture and society in Early Renaissance Italy
• Northern European portraiture, 1400–1800
• Flanders and Italy in the Quattrocento
• Court culture and art in early modern Europe
• Intellect and culture in Victorian Britain

Anglo-Saxon archaeology

The Carolingian Renaissance

Culture and society in Early Renaissance Italy

Northern European portraiture, 1400–1800

Flanders and Italy in the Quattrocento

Court culture and art in early modern Europe

Intellect and culture in Victorian Britain

Two Year 2 options, regularly taught options include:

• Egyptian art and architecture
• Greek art and archaeology
• Art under the Roman Empire
• Encountering South Asian sculpture
• Gothic art through medieval eyes
• Understanding museums and collections
• Literature and the visual arts in France
• European cinema
• Modernism and after
• The experience of modernity: visual culture, 1880–1925
• American art, 1560s–1960s

• Egyptian art and architecture
• Greek art and archaeology
• Art under the Roman Empire
• Encountering South Asian sculpture
• Gothic art through medieval eyes
• Understanding museums and collections
• Literature and the visual arts in France
• European cinema
• Modernism and after
• The experience of modernity: visual culture, 1880–1925
• American art, 1560s–1960s

Egyptian art and architecture

Greek art and archaeology

Art under the Roman Empire

Encountering South Asian sculpture

Gothic art through medieval eyes

Understanding museums and collections

Literature and the visual arts in France

European cinema

Modernism and after

The experience of modernity: visual culture, 1880–1925

American art, 1560s–1960s

Special subject and extended essay in art history options include:

• Art and culture in Renaissance Florence and Venice
• Art and culture in the Dutch Golden Age
• English architecture
• Art and its public in France, 1815–67
• The social life of photographs
• Pop and the art of the Sixties: global perspectives

• Art and culture in Renaissance Florence and Venice
• Art and culture in the Dutch Golden Age
• English architecture
• Art and its public in France, 1815–67
• The social life of photographs
• Pop and the art of the Sixties: global perspectives

Art and culture in Renaissance Florence and Venice

Art and culture in the Dutch Golden Age

English architecture

Art and its public in France, 1815–67

The social life of photographs

Pop and the art of the Sixties: global perspectives

Undergraduate thesis

ASSESSMENT

Final University examinations: four or five written papers, one or two extended essay(s) and one thesis

ASSESSMENT

ASSESSMENT

Final University examinations: four or five written papers, one or two extended essay(s) and one thesis

For the latest information on all course details and a full list of current options see the History of Art website.

For the latest information on all course details and a full list of current options see the History of Art website.

For the latest information on all course details and a full list of current options see the History of Art website.

For the latest information on all course details and a full list of current options see the History of Art website.History of Art

The content and format of this course may change in some circumstances. Read further information about potential course changes.

The content and format of this course may change in some circumstances. Read further information about potential course changes.

The content and format of this course may change in some circumstances. Read further information about potential course changes.

The content and format of this course may change in some circumstances. Read further information about potential course changes.

potential course changes

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Overview

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Overview
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