BA Art History and Language Studies - Art History and Language Studies Degree

Program Overview

The BA Art History and Language Studies program at the University of Essex combines art history with a modern language, offering a comprehensive curriculum that spans the entire art history spectrum. Students gain proficiency in one or more languages to enhance their career prospects, and the program features a focus on careers in curating, museumship, and international business. It also benefits from expert staff, dedicated modules on museums and exhibitions, and access to the state-of-the-art Essex Collection of Art from Latin America (ESCALA).

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The BA Art History and Language Studies program at the University of Essex combines the study of art history with a modern language (French, German, Italian, Spanish, or Portuguese). The program provides a comprehensive curriculum that covers the entire history of art, allowing students to choose from a variety of specialist options. Students also become proficient in one or more languages, which enhances their career prospects in fields such as curating, museumship, and international business.

Outline:

Year 1

• Component 01: Compulsory
• Writing and Researching Art History (15 credits)
• Component 02: Compulsory
• Art and Ideas: I (15 credits)
• Component 03: Optional
• Language option(s) (Initial to Advanced) (30 credits)
• Component 04: Compulsory with Options
• Language option(s) (Intermediate or above) or Intensive Beginners Parts I & II) (30 credits)
• Component 05: Compulsory with Options
• AR116-4-AU and/or Art History option(s) (30 credits)

Year 2

• Component 01: Compulsory
• Art and Ideas II: More Art, More Ideas - Critique and Historiography in the History of Art (15 credits)
• Component 02: Optional
• Art History options (30 credits)
• Component 03: Optional
• Language (Post A-Level or above) option(s) from list (30 credits)
• Component 04: Optional
• Language (Post Beginners or above) option(s) from list (30 credits)
• Component 05: Optional
• CS200-5-AU or (CS207-5-AU and option from list) (15 credits)

Year 3

• Component 01: Compulsory
• Final Year Dissertation Project (15 credits)
• Component 02: Optional
• CS307-6-AU and/or Art History option(s) (30 credits)
• Component 03: Optional
• Language (Proficiency or above) option(s) from list (30 credits)
• Component 04: Optional
• Language (Intermediate or above) option(s) from list (30 credits)
• Component 05: Compulsory
• Art and Ideas III (15 credits)

Assessment:

Assessment methods include coursework (essays, analysis of source material, exhibition reviews, virtual portfolios, coursework reports, oral presentations), language assessments (role-plays, translations), and written examinations.

Teaching:

Teaching methods include lectures, seminars, discussion classes, close examination of texts, subsidized gallery visits, practical experience in curating, and activities designed to develop practical language skills.

Careers:

Graduates of the BA Art History and Language Studies program are prepared for roles as curators, teachers, translators, and journalists. Their strong language skills also enable them to work in diverse fields such as banking, entertainment, media, education, and tourism.

Other:

• The program is ranked 3rd in the UK for research outputs in art history (Grade Point Average, REF2021).
• Students are taught by expert staff in their very first year, a rarity in UK art history courses.
• The program has a strong focus on careers in curating and museumship, with modules dedicated to the histories, theories, and practices of museums, exhibitions, and galleries.
• The program includes a state-of-the-art teaching and research space for the Essex Collection of Art from Latin America (ESCALA), the most comprehensive Latin American art research resource in the UK.

Home/UK fee £9,250 per year International fee £19,500 per year