Art History and Visual Culture BA(Hons)

Program Overview

This History of Art and Design program explores the global art history and visual culture from the 18th century to the present day. Students learn about the politics of creativity and culture, studying material and visual histories, art theory, debates around gender and sexuality, ecology, race, class, and politics. The program utilizes specialist facilities and benefits from close relationships with local museums, galleries, and archives. Graduates can pursue careers in museums, galleries, heritage sites, arts administration, and auction houses.

Program Outline

Outline:

Year 1: Global and Local

• Module 1: Local and Global: Concepts and Ideas in Cross-cultural Histories of Art and Design
• Explores the interaction between art, design and global cultural exchange.
• Focuses on the movement of people, ideas, materials and images within a historical context.
• Module 2: Local and Global: Themes and Topics in Cross-cultural Histories of Art and Design
• Examines key themes and topics in global art and design history.
• Emphasizes collection practices, exhibitions and displays.
• Explores colonial and postcolonial history through object and image study.
• Module 3: Art and Design History in Brighton: Places and Processes
• Investigates the significance of Brighton and Hove to art and design history.
• Analyzes key sites, themes and resources including the Royal Pavilion and Museums.
• Studies the development of local subcultures and identities.
• Explores Brighton on film.
• Module 4: Material Matters
• Focuses on the characteristics, histories and value of different materials in artistic and design production.
• Analyzes the qualities of various materials and their environmental and cultural implications.
• Examples include cotton in clothing, nitrate in photography and film, and clay and porcelain in kitchenware.
• Module 5: Artist, Designer and the Prosumer: Theories and Debates
• Introduces key historical and theoretical concepts in art and design.
• Explores the relationship between artist’s life and their work, art and activism, and design in the context of modernity.
• Examines the concept of the prosumer and its impact on art and design.
• Module 6: Artist, Designer and the Prosumer: Approaches and Practices
• Builds on Module 5 by studying specific approaches and practices in art and design.
• Examines artist-curator roles, culture of craft, professionalization, feminist art, DIY fashion, and the photographer as prosumer.

Year 2:

• Module 7: Spaces and Bodies
• Module 8: Gender and Sexuality in Art and Visual Culture
• Module 9: Art, Visual Culture and Ecology
• Module 10: Constructing Histories: Research Methods and Professional Practice in History of Art and Design
• Module 11: Option modules (select one)
• Reconstruct, Recreate, Remake
• Understanding Exhibitions and Creating Displays
• Staging and Screening Fashion and Design
• Behind the Scenes: Arts and Heritage Placements (includes paid travel and placement experience)

Final Year:

• Module 12: Art and Visual Culture in Communities
• Module 13: Dissertation in History of Art and Design
• Module 14: Communicating Research
• Module 15: Professional Paths in Art and Design History
• Module 16: Option modules (select one)
• Participation, Performance and Politics
• The Past in the Present: Vintage, Retro, Revival
• Fashion Contexts
• Contemporary Art and Design in Asia
• Making the Modern Home: Design, Domesticity and Discourse

Careers:

• Positions in museums, galleries, heritage sites, arts administration, and auction houses.
• Examples: Victoria and Albert Museum, Royal Ontario Museum, Edinburgh College of Art, Christies Auction House.
• Potential to progress to postgraduate study in Curating Collections and Heritage MA, or History of Design and Material Culture MA.
• PhD research opportunity at Brighton alongside world-leading researchers in the Centre for Design History.

Other:

• This program is a joint endeavor between Art History and Visual Culture and Fashion and Design History students.
• Students share some of their studies throughout their course.
• The program focuses on global art history and visual culture from the 18th century to the present day.
• Students learn about the politics of creativity and culture, studying material and visual histories, art theory, debates around gender and sexuality, ecology, race, class, and politics.
• The program utilizes specialist facilities like the St Peters House Special Collection, the world-renowned Teaching Collection and Design Archives, and the Screen Archive South East.
• Students benefit from close relationships with local museums, galleries, and archives.
• The Art History and Visual Culture BA(Hons) program is taught by a specialist course team with research expertise on the Middle East, North Africa, South and East Asia, North America and Britain.

UK (full-time) 9,250 GBP International (full-time) 15,900 GBP