University of Wales, Aberystwyth

Course Details

Art History with Fine Art Degree

Course Description

This degree scheme allows you to engage with the study of art and visual culture from a range of different perspectives and through close engagement with actual works of art. The modules you take in Fine Art will allow you to create your own original work and to draw links between your theoretical knowledge and your own creative practice. As this is a major/ minor scheme you will spend two-thirds of your time studying Art History and one-third studying Fine Art. Why study Art History with Fine Art at Aberystwyth? The School of Art at Aberystwyth is a well-established department with a strong international reputation. The School was established in 1917 and was one of the first university Art departments to engage with the Arts and Crafts Movement. Our lecturers include practising artists, historians and theorists who are at the cutting edge of research and are highly regarded in their respective fields. In the most recent Research Assessment Exercise (2008) 65% of research submitted by the School of Art was rated as being of an international standard, including 25% that was placed in the top categories of internationally excellent and world-leading research. Our students rated our courses very highly in the latest National Student Survey, with 88% expressing overall satisfaction. The School of Art is large enough to offer a diverse range of modules and areas of staff expertise but small enough to be nurturing and supportive, allowing staff to get to know students and show an interest in their development. The hundred-year-old listed building that houses the School of Art contains an art gallery that displays artefacts from the School’s extensive collections, with pieces dating from the fifteenth century to the present. In your final year you will be offered the opportunity to curate an exhibition in this space, including selecting the works of art, researching them and writing labels and the text for the exhibition catalogue. Art History modules make extensive use of the School’s collection, and those pieces that are not currently on display are available for researchers to access. The School runs an exciting programme of guest lectures and workshops from all aspects of the arts, and fieldtrips and excursions offer you the opportunity to enjoy art in a variety of historic and cultural settings. On the Fine Art side of your course, the School of Art can offer you excellent facilities for the study of painting, the graphic arts, and photography, with studio facilities for painting, printmaking in intaglio, lithography, screen and relief printing, typography, black and white and colour photography. We also have a Creative Media Lab for the development of digital art, animation and video. Your research will be greatly helped as the National Library of Wales is just a short walk from the main university campus and the School of Art. The National Library is a copyright library, which means that it has the right to hold a copy of every book published in Britain and Ireland, so you will find plenty of material on any topic you want to research. As a student you will benefit from full membership of the National Library. The University’s other facilities include the Arts Centre on the main university campus, which has several galleries with a varied programme of exhibitions of paintings, photography, sculpture, ceramics and installations.

Course Duration

NumberDuration
3year

Career outcomes

Graduates of this degree scheme are highly qualified for a range of art-related careers, such as museum or art gallery curator or education officer, arts administrator, conservation officer or art therapist. Alternatively, you may choose to become a professional artist, photographer, printmaker, book illustrator, graphic designer, fashion or textile designer. You could choose to go onto further study and pursue a career in lecturing and research, or you could take a PGCE and teach in a school. However, your options are not limited to careers that are directly related to your degree scheme. Other career prospects include public relations, advertising, librarianship, local government and management.




Art History with Fine Art Degree University of Wales, Aberystwyth