Digital Art History – online

Entry requirements

• A 2.1 Honours undergraduate degree. If you studied your first degree outside the UK, see the international entry requirements.
• English language proficiency. See English language tests and qualifications.

The qualifications listed are indicative minimum requirements for entry. Some academic Schools will ask applicants to achieve significantly higher marks than the minimum. Obtaining the listed entry requirements will not guarantee you a place, as the University considers all aspects of every application including, where applicable, the writing sample, personal statement, and supporting documents.

Application requirements

• CV that includes your personal details with a history of your education and employment to date
• personal statement (500 words)
• sample of your own, single-authored academic written work (2,000 words)
• two original signed academic references
• academic transcripts and degree certificates

For more guidance, see supporting documents and references for postgraduate taught programmes.

English language proficiency

If English is not your first language, you may need to provide an English language test score to evidence your English language ability. See approved English language tests and scores for this course.

Months of entry

September

Course content

The Digital Art History online programme will allow you to unlock the power of digital tools in art history research and elevate your career with in demand skills embraced by leading museums and galleries worldwide.

This unique programme equips you with sought-after digital and analytical skills at the intersection of art history and computer science, preparing you for a career in museums, cultural heritage, academica, and beyond.

Why study this course

• First Digital Art History degree programme in the UK
• Delivered jointly by the School of Art History and the School of Computer Science
• Flexible and fully online

Whether you're passionate about preserving cultural heritage, analysing digital art, or reimagining how we experience history, this Masters programme prepares you to lead in a world where technology and art converge.

The Digital Art History course is an online self-paced programme, with options to study for MLitt, PGCert and PGDip. The programme brings together the expertise of the UK’s top-ranked School of Computer Science and our world-renowned School of Art History where you will learn advanced computational techniques with traditional art history methods, empowering you to push the boundaries of how we analyse, interpret, and visualise art historical data.

Working with live data and live collections from university collections, ArtUK, and the McManus Gallery, you will explore key contemporary topics.

You will learn:

• The possibilities, limitations, and risks of digital technologies and their impact on the arts and industry
• How digital tools are changing the way people engage with and understand collections and artefacts
• Issues of ethics, inclusivity, accessibility – is digital art history truly more equitable and accessible?
• Digital access, creative working and decision-making about collections covering themes such as the role of AI and using technology to decolonise collections

You will develop and explore your own research questions to test your new computational skills in action, using the techniques needed to succeed in an increasingly digital world, including:

• Data and text mining
• The principles of visualisation design and interaction
• Practical visualisation techniques and tools
• Digital mapping techniques
• Machine learning

Dive into the future of art history with innovative tools and insights that redefine how we understand the past.

Fees and funding

The University of St Andrews is committed to supporting you through your studies, regardless of your financial circumstances. You may be eligible for scholarships, discounts or other support:

• St Leonard's funding opportunities
• Graduate discount (15% off tuition fees)