Prospective Undergraduates
Undergraduate
Undergraduate
Why study Art History and Visual Culture at the University of Exeter?
- Wide variety of techniques and approaches to learning, including opportunities for study ‘in the field’ at galleries and museums
- Varied programme allowing the study of a range of fine arts and contemporary visual forms
- Internationally-recognised fine art, heritage and film collections on site
- Opportunity to study abroad
- Flexibility to customise your degree around your own interests
- Designed to develop a broad range of highly desirable transferable skills, but with specialist knowledge and professional experience
Art History and Visual Culture at the University of Exeter is an exciting area of study which explores both the history of art as well as more recent visual practices – extending the analysis of visual forms from the traditional right through to areas of modern cultural activity.
The degree offers a thorough grounding in art history and its related disciplines. It develops expertise in the description and analysis of painting, sculpture and other visual media and provides the basis to recognize the processes, institutions and technologies associated with art and visual culture. It enhances the historical and critical skills necessary to place visual artefacts in appropriate cultural contexts and to comprehend their connection to wider systems of thought and belief.
Our Art History and Visual Culture programme builds on the University of Exeter’s strong research expertise in these areas and makes good use of our internationally-recognised buildings, artworks and collections. These include fine art and heritage collections, a sculpture walk and one of Britain’s largest public collections of books, prints, artefacts and ephemera relating to the history and prehistory of cinema. Students will also have access to important public collections and art spaces in Exeter, especially the Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Spacex gallery. The degree will be of particular interest if you have a background or interest in the history of art, creative practice, cinema or cultural history.
As an Art History and Visual Culture student, you will learn how to use the technical, historical and theoretical approaches necessary to study visual artefacts and to assess their significance in societies past and present. You will also understand the debates surrounding the interpretation of works of art and how museums and galleries participate in those debates. For example, you might explore the painting of modern life in Impressionist Paris, the influence of so-called ‘primitive art’ on 20th-century painting and sculpture, the use of mass-media techniques in post-war art, the rise of the ‘block-buster’ exhibition or the role of visuality in digital platforms today.
First year modules provide a thorough grounding in the methods and approaches used to study art and visual culture, as well as introducing some of the most important themes that characterise these disciplines. You will learn how to ‘read’ images and how to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of what has been said about them.
During your second and third years you will be able to follow your interests through a wide range of optional modules, allowing you to study in depth particular themes (for example, the representation of the body, artists’ use of text, the visualisation of the self), periods or episodes (for example, French art of the 18th century, Surrealism between the wars, the Armory show) in the history of art and visual culture.
Our lecturers are at the cutting edge of art historical and visual culture research. Key staff specialise in the analysis of historic and contemporary arts practices, art and technology, photography, performance, popular culture, museology and curatorship, visual representations of ethnicity, gender and sexuality, and visual cultures from the classical era to the present.
- Art History & Visual Culture BA
- Art History & Visual Culture and Classical Studies BA
- Art History & Visual Culture and Drama BA
- Art History & Visual Culture and English BA
- Art History & Visual Culture and Film & Television Studies BA
- Art History & Visual Culture and History BA
- Art History & Visual Culture and Modern Languages BA
All undergraduate students, regardless of degree subject, have the opportunity to study a language as part of their degree. You can even have this study included as part of your degree title, 'with proficiency in...' Employers are increasingly looking for graduates across all subjects who have additional language skills, so this is a fantastic way of standing out from the crowd.
The languages available are:
- French
- German
- Italian
- Japanese
- Mandarin Chinese
- Portuguese
- Spanish
For further information see the Language Centre's webpages.
What our students say
Chloe
Undergraduate student and Art Society committee member
Taking this programme will allow students to maintain and develop an interest in art and the visual whilst doing so from an academic perspective, equipping them with transferable academic skills for a wide range of employment. This area of study is a very exciting and valuable one in today’s society, in which visual stimuli are becoming increasingly pervasive, for example film, television and the diverse media of advertising. Gaining an informed knowledge of visual culture from past up to present, and developing skills to critically analyse the impact and influence of visual culture will be a valuable attribute.
Eleanor
Undergraduate student
When it came to choosing the uni and course it was the Exeter campus that made my decision very easy! I felt very at home after the post-offer open day, as a friend of mine who had already looked around told me I would, and I knew then that as long as I had a place at Exeter, I would be going there.
I find the Royal Albert Memorial Museum (RAMM) really interesting and I know a few people who have found the Exeter City Library useful, especially for their Foundation Course 'Wiki'.
The proximity to the coast is great and I am actually enjoying being quite far away from home, I love the freedom!
Thomas
Undergraduate student
I think that Exeter being a campus university creates a sense of community - I feel like I know half the people on campus! The campus and the town centre are within walking distance from each other which is really convenient, compared to other universities where the town centre is a lengthy bus journey away from the campus or halls.
There are always the worries about whether you will get on with the people you are living with, but you soon realise that isn't a problem. Freshers’ Week allows you to meet so many people and my housemates for next year are all among the first people I met.
Exeter accommodation is really safe and of good quality, with an efficient estates patrol service. The Birks Grange shop is very convenient for snacks and drinks and your post is easily accessible. The night life is a short distance away and is cheap, so a night out won't dent your loan too much! There is a range of clubs that organise great student nights and events and they change every week to keep you interested.
I am interested in a job in the media and Exeter offer a range of employability events with big companies such as PWC giving presentations and employment tips. There are many opportunities to improve your employability, including CV workshops and interview skills, which I have found very useful.