About the History of Art

History of Art was founded in 1971 and four-year Honours programmes have been taught since then. It is situated in the heart of King's College quad, in Old Aberdeen.

The popularity of the teaching programmes remains consistently high and through the years there has been a steady increase in the number of students wishing to study History of Art. There are full-time members of staff plus tutorial assistants and postgraduates working at MLitt and PhD levels.

The History of Art programme at Aberdeen allows students to build up an extensive specialised knowledge of the history of painting, sculpture, architecture and the decorative arts in many areas of the European tradition from the Middle Ages to the present day.

Aberdeen may seem like a long way off (to some people) but extensive field trips ensure our students are widely informed. We travel regularly to Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Paris, Durham and all around North East Scotland.

A series of Art History research seminars are hosted throughout the year which are open to all interested parties. Details can be found on the History of Art Bulletin Board.

Why Study History of Art?

Although the History of Art is not necessarily a vocational subject, graduates have obtained work in:

• Museums and galleries
• Art publishing
• The art trade
• Tourism
• Art therapy and teaching
• Heritage and conservation
• Libraries and information services.

History of Art students also acquire transferable skills during the course of their degree. Disciplined and focused historical study encourages the development of enquiry, analytical and presentational skills. All of these have allowed our students to pursue a wide range of careers.

Some students have continued with postgraduate studies in History of Art, museum work, conservation, art evaluation and auctioneering and other related subjects. For further details of such opportunities at Aberdeen please see the website link?