Art History and English, MA drafted

Program Overview

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The English and Art History program at Aberdeen combines the strengths of two highly-ranked departments, offering a comprehensive exploration of literature and art history. Students develop critical thinking, analytical, and communication skills, preparing them for careers in the arts, education, media, and beyond. The program features passionate teachers, modern facilities, and opportunities for research, study abroad, and field trips.

Program Outline

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Degree Overview:

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English and Art History at Aberdeen:

This program combines the strengths of two highly-ranked departments: English Literature, Language, and Creative Writing (2nd in the UK for research output) and Art History (Scotland's top-rated university). Students will explore a wide range of topics, including:

• Literature and the power of storytelling
• The dynamic relationship between author, reader, and text
• Poetry and prose from Chaucer to contemporary writers
• European and American writing
• The cultural and critical impact of powerful works
• History of painting, sculpture, architecture, and decorative arts
• Artistic production from the Middle Ages to the present day

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Objectives:

• Develop critical thinking, analytical, and communication skills.
• Gain a strong foundation in literary and artistic history.
• Prepare for a variety of careers in the arts, education, media, and more.

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Key Features:

• Study in ancient buildings with modern facilities and technology.
• Be inspired by passionate teachers and researchers.
• Gain transferable skills valued by employers.
• Choose from a wide range of elective courses to tailor your degree to your interests.

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Outline:

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Year 1:

• Compulsory Courses:
• Academic Writing for Divinity, History & Philosophy
• Acts of Reading
• Introduction to Art History
• Introduction to Modern and Contemporary Art
• Optional Courses: Select one or both of the following:
• Introduction to Art History
• Rethinking Reading
• Plus, select further courses to make up 120 credit points.

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Year 2:

• Compulsory Courses:
• Encounters with Shakespeare
• The Tragedy of Knowledge
• Art Matters: Materials and Techniques
• Optional Courses: Select one of the following:
• What is Art?
• Object Lessons: Ten Works in Context
• Plus, select further courses to make up 120 credit points.

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Year 3:

• Optional Courses: Select one course from EACH of the following categories:
• Medieval/Renaissance Literature
• Romantic/Victorian Literature
• Contemporary/Modern Literature
• Select one course from the following, or an outside subject, to make up 120 credit points in total:
• Creative Writing: Creativity and Craft
• Stylistics
• Landscapes of Film and Literature
• Plus, select one of the following:
• Painting in Tudor and Early Stuart England
• Surrealism and Its Legacies in Contemporary Art
• Plus, select one of the following:
• Curation: Theory and Practice
• Climates of Classicism: Scottish Travellers in Greece, 1770-1880
• Italian Mural Painting and the Making of Visual Cultures, 1400-1500

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Year 4:

• Optional Courses: Select one of the following dissertation options:
• English Dissertation
• History of Art Dissertation
• Plus, select one of the following:
• Italian Mural Painting and the Making of Visual Cultures, 1400-1500
• Painting in Tudor and Early Stuart England
• Art and the City
• Select further credit points from level 4 courses in English to gain 60 credits in the discipline.
• Plus, select 30 credit points in level 4 Art History if required.

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Assessment:

Students are assessed through a combination of methods:

• Coursework: Essays, reports, and other assignments completed throughout the program.
• Practical Assessments: Evaluation of skills and competencies acquired in the program.
• Written Examinations: End-of-course exams.
The specific mix of these methods varies depending on the subject area, year of study, and individual courses.

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Teaching:

• Learning Methods: Individual projects, lectures, research, tutorials.
• Faculty: Enthusiastic teachers and researchers, themselves acclaimed authors and poets.
• Unique Approaches: Encouragement to develop your own creative writing skills, inspiration from renowned guest speakers and events.

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Careers:

• Potential Career Paths: Art gallery and museum sectors, arts education, publishing, journalism, fine art conservation, and more.
• Transferable Skills: Teamwork, time management, personal initiative, enquiry, analytical and presentational skills.

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Other:

• Study Abroad Opportunities: Available through the Undergraduate Foundation Programme.
• Field Trips: Included in the program, such as a week-long visit to a major European city.
It is possible that some information may be outdated or have changed since then.

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Tuition Fees for 2024/25 Academic Year RUK: £9,250 EU / International students: £20,800 Home Students: £1,820