Course details

Summary

‌We are constantly surrounded by objects and images: things that have meanings, and which have an effect on our experiences. Art History helps you to find messages encoded within the visual world, including, but not exclusively, ‘fine art' objects - in other words, to become visually literate. This is an extremely useful skill - highly applicable to many other subjects of study, and to a range of different career paths.

Art History also provides windows onto histories and cultures. Artworks, buildings, and objects hold important clues and offer unique insights into the societies, places, and ideas from which they came, as well as telling us about the people who have interacted with them since they were made. Studying Art History therefore 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.

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' specialisms, 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.

The UC Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is a research-only degree carried out under expert supervision and using world-class facilities.

A PhD involves extensive, sustained and original research and study in your chosen subject, with the results being presented in a thesis that will contribute to intellectual knowledge of the field. It is a mark of intellectual ability, self-discipline and commitment. A PhD prepares you for a number of careers, including as an academic.

The minimum period of enrolment for a full-time candidate is two years and the maximum period four years; most PhD students take between three and three-and-a-half years.

Career opportunities

While some graduates work directly in the art world, career possibilities are diverse. Many Art History and Theory graduates enter careers which offer ample opportunity to use their understanding of art history, highly developed aesthetic sense, attention to visual details, analytical and research skills as well as verbal, written and thinking skills.

Art History and Theory graduates are employed in such work places as museums, galleries, auction houses, educational institutions and libraries and in industries such as information services, publishing, journalism, marketing, heritage conservation, and tourism.

Entry criteria

Enrolment in a PhD requires completion of a research-focused honours or master's degree at first-class or second-class division 1 level (or equivalent qualifications). Applicants with qualifications from outside New Zealand must have been granted admission to the University.

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.