History and History of Art

Our undergraduate BA History and History of Art degree at the University of Birmingham will enable you to investigate past and present cultures - and the process of human creativity itself. You'll explore unfamiliar territory and question some of the myths, preconceptions and prejudices that surround our past.

Our degree gives you the opportunity to explore your interests in both History and Art History through a wide range of core and optional modules, from the medieval to the contemporary, and across a range of global contexts. Joint Honours flexibility enables you to develop your own interests in second and final years. Central to your learning will be the study of original artworks, texts and archives. You will have access to unparalleled resources in our Special Collections of rare books and over 2 million manuscripts and archive items, and in our outstanding campus art collections.

Study trips play an important part in your degree and include visits to galleries and museums in the UK and abroad. You will participate in a week-long, University-funded trip to a major European centre of artistic and historic importance, where you have the opportunity to examine works of art and architecture in situ. Previous study trips have been to Rome, Prague, Berlin and Paris and are led by staff with specific research interests in the city.

Why study this course?

Two complementary areas of study - gain key transferable skills including textual and visual analysis. Our modules explore how the past informs the present and provides a global historical understanding from the Middle Ages to the present. You will also learn how to analyse artworks from a range of perspectives including social history, feminist, queer and decolonial methodologies.

Direct insight to first-hand research - Your learning will be directly informed by our research; 95% of our Department’s staff research is ‘world-leading’ and ‘internationally excellent’ (Research Excellence Framework 2021).

Our very own on-campus gallery - Our Department is based in the Barber Institute of Fine Arts, with an internationally renowned collection of Western art including works by Botticelli, Manet and Kollwitz. Many of your lectures and seminars will take place in the Barber’s teaching spaces and gallery, and you'll get to enjoy the fine art library and regular exhibitions and events.

University-funded trips - Gallery study trips are organised in the West Midlands and London, while students enjoy a week-long, University-funded trip to a major European city in their second year. Students can also choose to study abroad for one year or one semester during their degree. Our exchange universities include Melbourne University in Australia, Lund University in Sweden and Leiden University in the Netherlands.

A city brimming with culture - Birmingham is home to internationally leading museums, galleries and cultural events, from Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, which houses the world’s largest collection of Pre-Raphaelite art, to the Ikon with its vibrant programme of contemporary art.

Present day application - We believe in history as a practical and engaged endeavour that speaks to questions of social inequality, community belonging and even climate change. As a Birmingham student you have opportunities to learn about the uses of history such as through a placement in the heritage sector on our Professional Skills module.

Top 5 for History of Art in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025

13th for History in the Complete University Guide 2025

Top 100 for History in the QS World University Subject Rankings 2024

First-year modules cover a broad base of the subject and are designed to introduce you to ways of studying at university. By the final year the modules you take will become more specialised and reflect the research expertise of the academic staff. More detailed module information can be found on the ‘Course detail’ tab on the University of Birmingham’s coursefinder web pages.