Program Overview

History of Art and Architecture (M.Phil. / P.Grad.Dip.)

The M.Phil. in History of Art and Architecture offers a distinctive programme founded on primary study of the outstanding collections on campus and nearby. The focus on both Irish and global art and architecture held in collections in Ireland provides students with a broad range of possible avenues for research.

Overview

• The programme is designed to encourage sophisticated documentation and analysis of both works of art and architecture in Ireland and of the diverse range of approaches and methods current in the discipline.
• Students gain an understanding of best practice in art history through a series of modules designed to inform and enrich the research component of the course.
• The programme develops students’ ability to produce original and articulate contributions to scholarship.

Is This Course for Me?

• This course is aimed at students with a primary degree in the history of art or related discipline.
• Applicants from all backgrounds are considered, and those with a proven interest in the art and architecture found in the Irish and global collections of Ireland are particularly welcome.
• The subject is ideal for students interested in the history of art, architecture, design, and visual culture and who wish to understand the influence of these disciplines on the development of societies.

Career Opportunities

• The M.Phil. provides a strong foundation in art-historical skills, methodologies, and approaches and helps prepare graduates for a wide variety of careers.
• Career paths include the gallery, museum, and heritage sectors, libraries and archives, public policy and administration, teaching, media, public relations, publishing, and art practice.
• For those already working in these sectors, the course enriches knowledge and skills, stimulates lateral thinking, and acts as a spur to innovation.
• It also provides invaluable training in research for those planning to pursue a doctorate and/or career in research.

Course Structure

• Taken as a full-time course, the programme lasts for 12 months starting in September.
• Teaching is spread over 24 weeks, from September to the following April.
• Students then complete a dissertation, to be submitted in August.
• The course consists of a combination of compulsory and optional components that together make up 90 ECTS expected for full-time study over one academic year at Masters Level.
• EU/UK/EEA students can also take the course on a part-time basis over two years.

Course Content

• All students take the core module Research Methods in Art History, which introduces students to the principal sources and methodologies applicable for advanced study in the history of art.
• Students choose four elective modules that offer detailed engagement with periods and media.
• Students can choose to follow an Irish art strand throughout their course or pick more widely from the diverse selection of modules available.
• Elective modules offered in recent years include:
  • Medieval Monastic Ireland
  • The Artist and the Printed Image: Concepts, Technologies and Dissemination
  • Portraits and Portraiture in Dublin Collections
  • Interpreting Ireland’s Built Heritage
  • Arts of the Book (Islamic)
  • Ireland and France, 1800–2000
  • Gender, Art and Identity
  • Visualising Climate Change
  • Constructing Drawings
• Students undertake a substantial research dissertation of 15,000 words on a selected subject under the supervision of a member of staff.

Course Details

• Awards: NFQ Level 9
• Number of Places: 15 Places
• Next Intake: September 2025
• Course Director: Dr Anna McSweeney
• Closing Date: 30th May 2025

Admission Requirements

• Applicants should normally have at least an upper second class (2:1) Honours Bachelor degree or equivalent in a relevant area.
• An undergraduate degree in art history is preferable but not essential.
• Since places on the course are limited, applicants may be interviewed or asked to submit a writing sample for assessment.
• English Language Requirements: All applicants to Trinity are required to provide official evidence of proficiency in the English language. Applicants to this course are required to meet Band B (Standard Entry) English language requirements.

Course Fees

• For a full list of postgraduate fees, refer to the relevant section of the university’s website.

Related Courses

• Classics (M.Phil. / P.Grad.Dip.)
• Early Modern History (M.Phil. / P.Grad.Dip.)
• Environmental History (M.Phil. / P.Grad.Dip.)
• International History (M.Phil. / P.Grad.Dip.)
• Medieval Studies (M.Phil. / P.Grad.Dip.)
• Modern Irish History (M.Phil. / P.Grad.Dip.)
• Public History and Cultural Heritage (M.Phil. / P.Grad.Dip.)