Art History provides a first-class rounded education and excellent intellectual training. While the primary focus is on the visual arts, the subject also touches on many other traditional humanities disciplines such as literature, history, religion, languages, classics, psychology and philosophy, with which it provides natural subject combinations. Students acquire skills of critical and historical analysis and the ability to evaluate evidence and present arguments fluently, both orally and in writing. Wallace CollectionThe History minor is designed to provide students with an understanding of historical methods and interpretations of evidence through the study of selected topics which afford an awareness of the shaping of the modern world and engage with fundamental areas of knowledge. Historical rigour and method complement and reinforce comparable academic processes applied to the study of art and cultural history in the Major Subject, developing skills which are applicable to both subjects studied.

As well as the wide variety of professional or management careers for which an arts and humanities degree is a useful preparation, art history and heritage can prepare graduates for employment or further academic study or graduate training in areas related to the subjects studied, which can include the art market, curating, museums and heritage organisations, specialist media and publishing, and to areas for which visual understanding is an asset such as in advertising. A knowledge of art history is also useful for conservation training in fine and decorative art and architecture.