History of Art with Film
UCAS Code: V3P3
Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
About this course
This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.
Our BA History of Art with Film is for those with a passion for both the visual arts and the study of film; it is also ideal if you are interested in a career in the broad area of arts, media and cultural industries. This course covers a wide range of Western art, from the Parthenon to performance art, and film history and theory from film's beginnings to the present day.
You will develop your understanding of works of visual and film culture in their historical context, enhance your skills of visual perception and critical analysis of texts and of still and moving images, and be introduced to the current approaches to the discipline. You will learn to research the cultural and historical contexts in which art and film has been produced and write confidently and analytically about images, films and texts.
While some of our students have studied art history at school or have completed short courses, most haven’t studied the subject in any depth prior to starting this course. The first-year modules are therefore intended to provide you with academic skills and a good grounding in the discipline. As you progress through the course, you will have opportunities to explore different types of visual culture in more detail. Studying at Birkbeck you are based in the heart of London, close to museums and galleries, while being part of a vibrant and stimulating student community.
Highlights
- Arts and humanities at Birkbeck are ranked fifth best in London, 18th in the UK and 87th globally in the 2019 Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject.
- Established almost half a century ago, Birkbeck's Department of History of Art is an internationally respected centre for research and teaching. Keep up to date with our activities on the Birkbeck History of Art blog. We offer information evenings for prospective students interested in our History of Art programmes throughout the year. As well as regular gallery and museum visits, we offer an exciting study trip abroad every spring.
- In the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF), Art and Design at Birkbeck achieved 100% for a research environment supporting world-leading or internationally excellent research.
- We have a state-of-the-art cinema and exhibition spaces, all housed in a historic building that was a former home to key members of the Bloomsbury Group, including the author Virginia Woolf and the artist Vanessa Bell. See a video about our home in Gordon Square.
- Students are encouraged to become involved in the lively research culture of the Department through the History and Theory of Photography Research Centre, the Architecture, Space and Society Centre and the Vasari Research Centre, which has pioneered the field of digital art history.
- The School of Arts is an official partner of the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in London. Opportunities for students have included a year’s free membership of the ICA, private views, discounts on all talks and events, free members' screenings and £3 cinema tickets on Tuesdays, up to 25% off ICA Artists' Editions and a monthly e-newsletter.
Modules
For information about course structure and the modules you will be studying, please visit Birkbeck’s online prospectus.
Assessment methods
Our assessment methods vary from essays, exhibition reviews, research portfolios and project proposals, to presentations and examinations. The programme culminates in a 10,000-word dissertation on a chosen topic.
Tuition fees
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Birkbeck, University of London
History of Art
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