University of York

What you'll study

This three-year undergraduate programme blends academic art-historical study with hands-on curatorial practice. You will study canonical and lesser-known art across periods—from medieval and Renaissance objects to modern and contemporary visual culture—alongside thematic modules on visual culture, materiality, provenance, and the social life of objects.

Core components typically include research methods and theory in art history, object-based learning and display techniques, and modules introducing curatorial practice, conservation principles and ethics, and collections management. Practical project work is emphasised: students plan and deliver exhibitions, produce interpretative materials, and engage in mounting, documentation and audience development exercises.

In later stages you normally complete an independent dissertation or major curatorial project, supported by a supervisor, and can choose from optional modules such as photography and film studies, museum education, digital heritage and public history. The department also offers opportunities for placements with local museums and galleries, and occasional field visits to collections and archives in York and beyond.

Structure

• Year 1: foundational modules in art history, visual culture and basic curatorial skills, plus introductory object-based sessions.
• Year 2: intermediate thematic and period modules, professional skills for curators, and opportunities for small-scale exhibition projects.
• Year 3: advanced options, a substantive independent dissertation or curatorial project, and optional placement or extended practice modules.

Entry requirements

Typical offers are at the higher secondary level and vary by applicant profile. Applicants are normally expected to have strong achievement in relevant school qualifications (for example, A-levels, Scottish Highers, or an International Baccalaureate) or equivalent vocational qualifications. Admissions tutors will consider compatible subject backgrounds such as art, history, humanities or languages, but applicants from a wider academic range with relevant experience or a strong personal statement are also welcome.

Where requested, applicants may be asked to submit a short written sample or a portfolio of relevant practice (for example, project work, documentation of exhibitions or visual studies). Mature applicants and those with non-standard qualifications are considered on an individual basis. English language proficiency is required where English is not the applicant's first language.

Career prospects

Graduates move into a variety of roles across the cultural and creative sectors. Common career paths include positions as curators, assistant curators or collections officers in museums and galleries, learning and outreach officers, exhibitions producers, and heritage or archive workers. Skills developed on the programme—research, project management, object handling, interpretive writing and public engagement—also transfer to roles in arts administration, cultural policy, publishing, auction houses, and the commercial gallery sector.

Many students progress to postgraduate study in curating, museum studies, art history or conservation, while others use the degree as a springboard into creative entrepreneurship, freelance curating and community arts projects. The department’s links with local museums and cultural organisations help with placements and early-career networking.

Why study at University of York

Studying at York places you in a city with rich cultural resources and active museum and gallery networks, allowing frequent access to collections and professional contacts. The History of Art and related departments are research-active, providing students with supervision from staff working across periods and methodologies and encouraging object-led and interdisciplinary approaches.

The programme emphasises practical, project-based learning alongside rigorous academic training, with teaching that often uses local collections and archives as learning resources. Facilities include strong library holdings, object-handling sessions, and opportunities for internships with regional institutions. Small-group teaching, dedicated supervisors for final projects and a supportive arts community across the university make York a good environment for students wishing to combine curatorial practice with critical study.