History of Art and Visual Culture

Overview

Aims of the Programme

• A deep and systematic understanding of History of Art and Visual Culture and their interrelationships with other disciplines;
• An understanding of current theoretical and methodological approaches and how they affect the way that knowledge is interpreted;
• Conceptual understanding in order to evaluate critically current research in the discipline and to critique methodologies, where appropriate proposing new hypotheses;
• The extension and development of their visual analytical, evaluative and critical capacities;
• Originality in the application of their knowledge, having developed the ability to form independent judgements based on their close visual analysis and object study, reading, research and writing;
• A comprehensive understanding of techniques, knowledge and analysis applicable to their own research or advanced scholarship (in this case the dissertation).

• The academic, technical and ancillary skills necessary to participate in critical debates within the field of history of art and visual culture, dealing with complex issues both systematically and creatively and making sound judgments in the absence of complete data;
• Self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, and the ability to act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks at a professional or equivalent level;
• Transferable skills, including the ability to take responsibility for their own learning, decision-making in unpredictable situations, making oral and written presentations to both specialist and non-specialist audiences, planning and producing written assignments, working independently, and, where they have chosen to do so, using different types of technology;
• The ability to formulate a research topic, create a research design, and communicate their ideas and research conclusions in a substantial piece of postgraduate level research.