Program Overview

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MA History of Art

Overview

The Department of History of Art offers a broad-based master's programme, which enables you to study a range of periods and approaches before specialising for your dissertation. The MA draws on the research strengths of all members of the department, which includes specialists in medieval, renaissance and modern art.

We aim to help you develop an informed understanding of the main strands of art history, as practised globally. We also offer curatorial units in collaboration with external museum partners, through which you will learn to research and catalogue museum collections and to mount exhibitions.

Our students are drawn from a variety of backgrounds. Some have undergraduate degrees in art history, others do not, and some are working artists. Studying for this MA is a chance to become part of a thriving academic community, with a sizeable and close-knit student body and a lively programme of research and social events.

Key Information

• Programme duration: One year full-time
• Start date: September 2025
• Application deadline:
  • Overseas applicants: 25 July 2025
  • Home applicants: 8 August 2025
• Delivery method: On-Campus
• Location: Clifton
• Awards available: MA

Programme Structure

You will study two core units and then select four optional units.

The research component of the programme is written over the summer and is submitted in September.

Three-hour optional units are delivered in two sessions that are frequently scheduled on multiple weekdays.

World-leading Research

• The University of Bristol is ranked fifth for research in the UK (Times Higher Education).
• 94% of our research assessed as world-leading or internationally excellent.

Entry Requirements

You will typically need an upper second-class honours degree or an international equivalent in any subject. For students of Fine Art, please be aware that this programme is rooted in history, not the study of Art as a discipline.

If you are currently completing a degree, we understand that your final grade may be higher than the interim grades or module/unit grades you have achieved during your studies to date.

We will consider your application if your interim grades are currently slightly lower than the programme's entry requirements and may make you an aspirational offer. This offer would be at the standard level, so you would need to achieve the standard entry requirements by the end of your degree. Specific module requirements would still apply.

We will also consider your application if your final overall achieved grade is slightly lower than the programme's entry requirement. If you have at least one of the following, please include your CV (curriculum vitae / résumé) when you apply, showing details of your relevant qualifications:

• Evidence of significant, relevant work experience - a minimum of one year in Creative industries - Journalism, Teaching, Curating, Museums, Art-related fields, Cultural sector.
• A relevant postgraduate qualification

English Language Requirements

If English is not your first language, you will need to reach the requirements outlined in our profile level B.

Fees and Funding

• Home: full-time £14,600 per year
• Overseas: full-time £29,300 per year

Fees are subject to an annual review. For programmes that last longer than one year, please budget for up to an 8% increase in fees each year.

Alumni Discount

University of Bristol students and graduates can benefit from a 25% reduction in tuition fees for postgraduate study.

Funding and Scholarships

Funding and studentship opportunities are listed on the Faculty of Arts, Law and Social Sciences funding pages.

Career Prospects

Students who have graduated from the MA in History of Art have gone on to careers in a variety of fields, including journalism, art consultancy, buying and marketing, galleries and more.