History of Art

Why study BA History of Art at Goldsmiths
Investigate modern and contemporary art, art theory and visual culture from around the world, and from a fresh perspective.

• This degree encourages you to develop an independent critical involvement with works of art and visual culture. You'll examine changing historical conceptions of art and the artist, and explore the visual arts in their wider cultural and political contexts.

• We'll explore visual culture in all forms to broaden your outlook. You’ll not only examine the kinds of artefacts you might see in museums and art galleries, but also those that make up our everyday environment: like architecture, city and landscapes, adverts, TV and film, websites, the body, and street style.

• You'll study history of art from a fresh perspective, investigating key areas of debate rather than traditional chronology.

• You’ll study in one of the world's best universities for art and design (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025) and you'll be based in London, which means you'll be able to take advantage of the many galleries, art spaces, museums, cultural facilities and specialist libraries the city has to offer.

• You’ll get the chance to put theory into practice with a work placement module, where you could gain experience at a public institution such as Hackney Museum or the Live Art Development Agency.

• Many of our recent graduates are now working as curators and exhibition managers with employers including Tate Modern, the V&A Museum and Edinburgh Castle, while others enter creative fields such as journalism and marketing.