Course details

Summary

We are constantly surrounded by objects and images: these things have meanings, and affect our experiences. Art History and Theory helps you to find messages encoded within the visual world, and to think about the effects they have in and on society. In our courses, we study a range of artworks and objects – including paintings, moving images, crafts, and everyday things – and these provide insights into a variety of places, histories, and cultures.

The ‘visual literacy’ Art History and Theory courses promote is an extremely useful skill – highly applicable to many other subjects of study, and to a range of different career paths. Studying Art History and Theory also offers students the chance to develop expertise in how to look at things in detail, and to get the most out of what can be seen.

Why study Art History and Theory at UC?

At UC we take a particularly broad view of Art History and Theory as a subject; this is reflected in the variety of objects we look at and the ways we discuss them. We also consider the mechanics of the art world, as practices such as collecting, display, patronage, art education, art criticism, and community engagement all affect how we understand art and objects.

Our courses reflect the lecturers' specialism’s, which include contemporary art, East Asian art, and European art and material culture. All our lecturers cultivate research interests that extend beyond Art History and Theory and connect to other disciplines, ideas and fields such as literature, cultural studies, aesthetics, and the history and philosophy of science. This interdisciplinary aspect is woven into a number of Art History and Theory courses at UC.

Recommended preparation

Our first-year students come from a variety of backgrounds, and previous study of Art History and Theory at high school is not a requirement. More important is your interest, commitment and enthusiasm for the subject.

Qualification structure and duration

The Master of Arts degree consists of two parts:

Part I: Coursework

Part II: A thesis.

Honours may be awarded if the student completes within the timeframe indicated by the schedule. Distinction or Merit may be awarded if the student completes an MA by thesis-only in the timeframe indicated by the schedule and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with Honours.

Further study

Doctor of Philosophy

Career opportunities

Graduates from Art History and Theory often go on to work in museums, galleries, auction houses, educational institutions, libraries and heritage conservation.

However, many seek careers beyond the art and heritage world, and professional possibilities are diverse (for example, in industries such as publishing, journalism, information services, marketing, tourism, and more).

Careers across a range of sectors offer ample opportunities for our graduates to draw on skillsets developed by studying Art History and Theory, such as aesthetic awareness, attention to visual cues and sources, developed analytical and research skills, and strong verbal and written communication.

Entry criteria

Normally the minimum requirement is a three-year bachelor's degree from a New Zealand university, or a qualification or combination of qualifications considered to be equivalent. If you gained your qualifications overseas, these will need to be assessed to make sure they are of an equivalent standard.

Other English language requirements: TOEFL PBT with a minimum score of 575 and TWE with a minimum score of 4.5; CCEL EAP Level 2 with a minimum B+ grade; CAE or CPE score of 176 with a minimum of 169 in reading, writing, listening and speaking; Pearson Test of English (Academic) - PTE with an overall score of 64 and no PTE communicative skills score below 58.