Program Overview

BA (Hons) Art History and Curating

Overview

BA (Hons) Art History and Curating combines the study of art history, focusing on developments since the nineteenth century, with the essential practical skills and critical perspectives needed by the contemporary curator. The course is taught by a multidisciplinary team of practising artists, art historians, curators, and theorists.

Fact File

• Entry year: September 2026
• Typical offer: 104-112 UCAS tariff points
• Course length: 3 years full-time, 4 years with placement year and/or overseas study
• UCAS code(s): 8N73

Course Overview

The course shares much of its teaching with BA (Hons) Fine Art and Art History, and students from the two courses collaborate on projects and exhibition-making. The University's exhibition spaces, cultural programmes, and collections are used in the course’s teaching, providing opportunities to acquire valuable, professionally relevant experience and skills.

Features and Benefits

• Globally recognised: Ranked in the top 100 schools for art and design in the world (QS World Rankings 2024).
• Creative industry connections: The course works closely with arts institutions and galleries in Manchester and beyond.
• Collaborative working: Access to cross-disciplinary forms of collaboration.
• Designated gallery space: Opportunity to work in a designated on-site gallery.
• Learn from experts: Taught by arts practitioners and scholars with diverse, contemporary expertise and knowledge.
• Cultural exploration: Study trips include gallery and museum visits to national and international centres.

Year 1

• Future X: Kinship: Explore your creative field through questions of belonging.
• Art History 1: The Nineteenth Century: Introduction to art history, addressing Romanticism, Realism, and Modernism.
• Introduction To Art History And Curating; Encountering Art: Transition to higher education, introducing the course's subject areas and their relationship to each other.
• Art History 2: The Early Twentieth century: Examining groupings such as Cubism, Futurism, Vorticism, Constructivism, Dada, and Surrealism.
• Intra-actions: Opportunity to explore collaborative and interdisciplinary art and/or curatorial practice.

Year 2

• Future X: Symbiosis: Tackle complex planetary challenges by working with students from different creative fields.
• Post-war Art Theory: Key theoretical texts that have been used to frame, analyse or critique Post War Art practices.
• Writing for Art’s Audiences: How art is mediated for its audiences through different forms of writing.
• Art History 3: Post-war Art History: Art from the mid-to-late twentieth century in different geographical locations.
• Art History 4: Interpretations: Methods and theories relevant to the historical study and interpretation of art.

Year 3

• Future X: Re-worlding: Explore the boundaries of where your discipline intersects with other fields of practice.
• Contemporary Art Theory: Selected theories of contemporary art.
• Projects in Curating A: Comprehensive development and planning of hypothetical thematic exhibitions.
• Art History 5: Contemporary Art: Contemporary art practices, identifying significant themes and contexts.
• Art History 6: Framings: Institutional contexts for the teaching, production, and use of art.

Study and Assessment

• Study: Combination of lectures, seminars, and independent study.
• Assessment: Coursework, with the option of a placement in the final year.

Entry Requirements

• Typical offer: 104-112 UCAS tariff points.
• IELTS score: 6.0 overall with no individual element below 5.5.
• UK students: Level 3 qualifications, including GCE A levels, Pearson BTEC National Extended Diploma, Access to HE Diploma, UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma, OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma, and T level.
• International students: IB Diploma with minimum 26 points overall or 104 UCAS Tariff points from three Higher Level subjects, and IELTS score of 6.0 overall with no individual element below 5.5.

Fees and Funding

Tuition fees for the 2026/27 academic year are still being finalised.

Careers Support and Prospects

• Employed or in further study: 88.7% of UK-domiciled, full-time, first degree graduates.
• Explore your options and build sought-after skills: Through the Careers Service, Future Me, and Rise.
• Taught by experts: Committed and enthusiastic teachers and researchers, experts in their chosen field.

A Career as Unique as You

The course will allow you to develop into informed, critically capable art historians and curators, able to take your place as professionals in the arts and the wider cultural industries. It will also offer you the opportunity of enhancing your employability through placement and overseas study sandwich year options. This course is appropriate for careers in a range of cultural roles, such as gallery/museum curator, archivist, art historian, arts manager, cultural event organiser, art writer/journalist, as well as being appropriate for postgraduate study.