History of Art and Scottish Literature

You will study history of art and Scottish literature in equal depth with this joint honours programme.

The history of art and Scottish literature complement each other well. Both subjects benefit from shared methodologies and historical contexts, and many ideas and movements are shared across the visual arts and literature.

Our programme is extremely flexible. In Years 1 and 2, in addition to your compulsory subjects, you will choose option courses from a broad list of disciplines, then specialise as you progress through your honours years.

We will help you develop an openness to ideas and perspectives other than your own, which is an essential attribute in many careers and the global marketplace.

History of art

History of art will introduce you to art from different periods and world cultures.

You will:

• learn how, and for whom, works of art were made

• situate artworks within visual and material culture more broadly

• explore the meanings of works of art and visual culture and the ways they continue to be interpreted

In Years 3 and 4 you will have the opportunity to:

• specialise in particular areas of the subject

• develop independent research projects

• complete a dissertation

In Year 3 you will have the opportunity to study abroad.

Scottish literature

Our programme aims to develop your critical, analytic, linguistic and creative skills by engaging with a broad range of texts and a variety of approaches to reading.

After an introduction to the essential skills needed for critical close reading, you will specialise in Scottish Literature as you move through the literary side of your studies.

You will explore the cultural contexts of all major periods of Scottish literature from the late Middle Ages to the present.

In your honours years, you will select courses on the basis of your own interests, choosing from a wide range of options in different topics, periods and genres.

Programme benefits

• You will work alongside leading academics, many of whom are involved in curating at major international art institutions.

• Our range of teaching specialisms is one of the broadest in the UK, including Asian, Islamic, Mesoamerican, and European premodern and contemporary art, and the global art market.

• We are the oldest department of literature in the UK and one of the longest-established in the world. We are proud to be based in the heart of the first UNESCO World City of Literature, a city that many of Scotland's greatest writers have called home.

• From the University's special collections to the National Library and Galleries of Scotland, the city's resources for studying art and literature are exceptional.