Art History MLitt

Program Overview

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Art History (MLitt) 2025 entry

Overview

Study a diverse range of subject areas, from medieval and Renaissance art to Impressionism, Islamic Art, African modernism, eco-art, and contemporary performance art from one of the largest and most prestigious Art History departments in the UK.

Application Deadline

Thursday 7 August 2025

Starts

September 2025

Duration

One year full time

School

School of Art History

Fees

• UK: £12,030
• Rest of the world: £25,900

Why Study This Course?

The MLitt in Art History is designed to:

• develop and enhance research and writing skills
• introduce and deepen knowledge of the theoretical and methodological foundations of art history
• enable students to explore current critical debates, art media and contextual questions

Highlights

• The choice of modules allows wide-ranging study of thematic or methodological issues, as well as focused research pathways.
• All teaching is done in small seminars, giving students regular contact with academic staff from across the School.
• We run exciting exchange programmes with our partner institutions including the Ecole du Louvre in Paris, which students may apply to take part in.
• Teaching includes class trips to art museums, artist studios, and local collections. It also makes use of the University's historical collection of rare books, photography, and other materials.
• We host regular research seminars, symposia, and visiting speakers from around the world.
• Our research centres include: the Centre for Contemporary Art, the Museums, Galleries and Collections Institute, the Institute of Medieval Studies, the French Centre for History and Culture, and the St Andrews Scottish Studies Centre.

Flexible Study

Learn full-time (two semesters) or part-time (four semesters).

Class Sizes

Average group size of 10 students.

Dissertation

A 15,000-word project with regular support.

Assessment

Coursework including exhibition reviews, critical bibliographies, visual analysis and object analysis essays, reading journals, and research papers.

Modules

Art History students choose three postgraduate-level course modules, with the option to choose one of those modules from the undergraduate-level Honours programme.

Each module has a minimum contact time of 16 hours.

Compulsory

• Themes in Art History: introduces students to a selection of key issues, concepts and writings in the field.

Optional

• Art and Technology
• Art History in the Studio: Materials, Processes, Techniques
• Object Lessons in Photography
• Representation and the Body
• The 'New Vision' in Twentieth-Century European Photography
• The Book as Object and Idea
• The Classical Tradition
• The Documentary Impulse
• The Image of the Artist
• Writing on the Visual

Dissertation

The final three months of your course will be focused on writing the major assessment piece, a 15,000-word dissertation. Across the two semesters, students participate in a series of skills workshops designed to help prepare for the dissertation element. Student dissertations will be supervised by members of the teaching staff who will advise on the choice of subject and provide guidance throughout the research process. The completed dissertation must be submitted by a date specified in August.

If students choose not to complete the dissertation requirement for the MLitt, there are exit awards available that allow suitably qualified candidates to receive a Postgraduate Diploma. By choosing an exit award, you will finish your degree at the end of the second semester of study and, assuming you have attained appropriate grades, receive a PGDip instead of an MLitt.

What It Will Lead To

Careers

Recent postgraduates in Art History are employed in:

• universities
• art consulting
• museums
• galleries
• auction houses
• archives
• web design
• cultural diplomacy
• publishing houses and magazines

Further Study

In addition to the MLitt, the School offers a two-year Art History Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degree option.

Many graduates continue their education by enrolling in PhD programmes at St Andrews or elsewhere.

Why St Andrews?

The School of Art History supports a large, active and diverse postgraduate community. Postgraduate students publish the peer-reviewed North Street Review journal containing articles on a wide range of topics by students at St Andrews and other universities.

The School also organises postgraduate research seminars and occasional symposia. Each year they invite a number of artists and scholars to give lectures.

The School was instrumental in establishing the Museums, Galleries and Collections Institute (MGCI) which is a leading centre for training and research in the heritage sector.

Alumni

When you graduate you become a member of the University's worldwide alumni community. Benefit from access to alumni clubs, the Saint Connect networking and mentoring platform, and careers support.

Entry Requirements

• A 2.1 Honours undergraduate degree. A degree in art history is strongly recommended but is not an essential requirement. If you studied your first degree outside the UK, see the international entry requirements.
• English language proficiency. See English language tests and qualifications.

The qualifications listed are indicative minimum requirements for entry. Some academic Schools will ask applicants to achieve significantly higher marks than the minimum. Obtaining the listed entry requirements will not guarantee you a place, as the University considers all aspects of every application including, where applicable, the writing sample, personal statement, and supporting documents.

Application Requirements

• CV or résumé with your personal details and a history of your education and employment to date
• personal statement (500 words)
• sample of your own, single-authored academic written work (2,000 words)
• two original signed academic references
• academic transcripts and degree certificates

English Language Proficiency

If English is not your first language, you may need to provide an English language test score to evidence your English language ability. See approved English language tests and scores for this course.

Fees and Funding

• UK: £12,030
• Rest of the world: £25,900

Before we can begin processing your application, a payment of an application fee of £50 is required. In some instances, you may be eligible for an application fee waiver. Details of this, along with information on our tuition fees, can be found on the postgraduate fees and funding page.

Scholarships and Funding

We are committed to supporting you through your studies, regardless of your financial circumstances. You may be eligible for scholarships, discounts or other support:

• GREAT Scholarship
• St Andrews Sanctuary Scholarship
• St Leonard's funding opportunities
• Graduate discount (15% off tuition fees)

Art history scholarships