History of Art
Entry requirements
MPhil: An upper second-class degree (or international equivalent). Please note, acceptance will also depend on evidence of your readiness to pursue a research degree.
PhD: A master's qualification, or be working towards a master's qualification, or international equivalent. Applicants without a master's qualification may be considered on an exceptional basis, provided they hold a first-class undergraduate degree (or international equivalent). Applicants with a non-traditional background may be considered provided they can demonstrate substantial equivalent and relevant experience that has prepared them to undertake their proposed course of study.
See international equivalent qualifications on the International Office website.
Months of entry
January, September
Course content
The Department of History of Art is a thriving and collegial centre for the study of art, visual culture and theory. Staff specialisms range from medieval altarpieces to Soviet public monuments, from pre-Renaissance sculpture to contemporary art of the diaspora. We are interested in thinking across historical periods and through a variety of critical approaches.
We encourage you to participate in the stimulating intellectual and social life of the department, with regular research seminars and guest lectures, not to mention annual events such as the Autumn Art Lectures. We support interdisciplinary approaches and have expertise in topics such as the interrelationship between art and music, or art and writing, as well as issues of art and race.
We also have close links with many other departments in the school and faculty, as well as with national and local galleries and museums.
Information for international students
See international equivalent qualifications on the International Office website.
Fees and funding
The University of Bristol is part of the South, West and Wales Doctoral Training Partnership (SWW DTP), which will be offering studentships for September 2025. For information on other funding opportunities, including University-funded studentships, please see the Faculty of Arts, Law and Social Sciences funding pages.
Further information on funding for prospective UK and international postgraduate students.
Qualification, course duration and attendance options
- PhD
- part time96 months
- Campus-based learningis available for this qualification
- full time48 months
- Campus-based learningis available for this qualification
- MPhil
- full time12 months
- Campus-based learningis available for this qualification
- part time24 months
- Campus-based learningis available for this qualification
Course contact details
- Name
- Postgraduate Admissions Team
- artf-pgadmissions@bristol.ac.uk
- Phone
- +44 (0) 117 428 2296