At Essex, students will acquire a broad foundation in the history of visual culture: both by learning about canonical forms of art and architecture and by discovering what has been overlooked or marginalized, such as medical photography, tattoos or objects from political protests. They will also develop the skills they need to make exciting new connections between the forms of visual culture they study, developments in other disciplines, and broader social and political forces.
To study on this course, students don’t need an Art History A-Level. In fact, the Department believes that the best art historians are those who bring fresh eyes and new perspectives to their objects of inquiry.
Students will develop the skills they need to transform their excitement about art, architecture and visual culture into the ability to uncover new insights about the material of study. Students will also develop a solid grounding in the history of art and other forms of visual culture, including the ideas and forces that shaped their production, distribution and reception.
For students with a particular interest in pursuing careers in curating and museumship, the Department also provides modules every year that explore the histories, theories and practices of museums, exhibitions and galleries, as well as more nuts-and-bolts issues, such as installing and marketing artwork.
One of the major reasons for choosing Essex is the quality of the education students will receive. The Department is ranked 6th among Art History departments in the UK for research excellence (REF 2014, mainstream universities, THE 2014). Students will be taught by their expert staff in the very first year, a rarity in UK art history courses.
