Art History with Curating with Foundation Year

On Birkbeck’s BA Art History with Curating you will explore the cultural and political contexts of artworks and exhibitions and think more broadly about the role of images within society. You will also have the opportunity to plan and pitch an exhibition. This history with curating degree will give you the opportunity to develop a range of key skills, from critical thinking and writing, to historical research and visual analysis. Our modules make creative use of the art galleries, museums and other facilities in London and beyond, including a study trip abroad in spring.

We teach art history as a rich and dynamic topic, encompassing exhibitions, installation, print culture and digital media as well as painting, sculpture and photography. You will be taught by skilled and experienced teachers who have curated exhibitions in diverse settings and are published writers of ground-breaking art history in periods from medieval to contemporary.

Our evening teaching allows you to combine studying with work or taking up volunteering opportunities during the day. This course will also support you in making the first steps towards working in the arts and you will be part of a diverse, vibrant and stimulating student community in central London. Our alumni now work in a variety of arts and art-related organisations, or progress to postgraduate studies.

Foundation Year If you opt for the Foundation Year route, this will fully prepare you for undergraduate study. It is ideal if you are returning to study after a gap, or if you have not previously studied the relevant subjects, or if you didn't achieve the grades you need for a place on your chosen undergraduate degree.

This course has an evening timetable with lectures, seminars and classes taking place in the evening.

Highlights

Birkbeck was ranked as one of the top four universities in the UK for its Art and Design research in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.

The teaching and research of history of art was established almost half a century ago at Birkbeck. Today, we are an internationally respected centre in this area. 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 courses throughout the year. As well as regular gallery and museum visits, we offer an exciting study trip abroad every spring.

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.

As a student here you are encouraged to become involved in our lively research culture through the Centre for Museum Cultures, 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.

We typically have some bursary funding available from our annual application to the Royal Female School of Art Foundation, which supports undergraduate students who are experiencing short-term financial hardship.

Careers and employability

Graduates can pursue career paths in:

arts management

conservation

policy

education

marketing

publishing

the museums and heritage sectors

research

academia.

We offer a comprehensive careers service - Careers and Enterprise - your career partner during your time at Birkbeck and beyond. At every stage of your career journey, we empower you to take ownership of your future, helping you to make the connection between your experience, education and future ambitions.