History of Art at Wolfson
The three-year course is designed to provide students with a sound general introduction to the history of art, its theory and methodologies. The teaching includes making use of the exceptional resources of Cambridge collections and buildings. As well as greater knowledge of the subject, you will acquire critical and analytical skills and the ability to undertake independent research.
Cambridge is one of the best places in the world to study the History of Art. The city and University are home to fantastic collections of the finest art and architecture from the Middle Ages to the twenty-first century. Cambridge has a host of museums, some of the country’s greatest libraries, and internationally renowned and dedicated academic staff to guide your studies.
History of Art is organised very largely at a Departmental level, and for this reason students at different Colleges have basically the same academic experience. Whilst every College has a Director of Studies in the subject, all supervisions, lectures and seminars are organised centrally in the Department. History of Art is in this sense one of the most integrated subjects in the University.
You can find further information about studying History of Art on the University's course pages. Detailed information is also available on the Department's Prospective Undergraduates page.
What are we looking for?
Art historians study visual and material culture in their historical contexts. As such, we are looking for students with the potential to develop both acute skills of visual analysis and the ability to interpret works of art and architecture in relation to the social, political, religious and intellectual circumstances in which they were made and received.
Entry Requirements
No particular subjects at A level (or equivalent) are required for the History of Art course but subjects should be primarily academic. Subjects like History, English, Modern Languages, History of Art, Religious Studies and Classics are ideal, and Mathematics and experimental sciences are acceptable if accompanied by one or two arts A levels. Art/History of Art do not necessarily confer an advantage. Please consult the University's entry requirements for History of Art for further information.
Applications
Applications to study History of Art at Wolfson are submitted through UCAS.
Written Work | No written work submission is required. |
Assessment | There is no written assessment. |
Interview | Shortlisted candidates will be invited to be interviewed in December. There will be one or two interviews (in total lasting 40-50 minutes) which will be conducted online via Zoom. The interview may include visual analysis, where applicants are presented with a couple of images of works of art or architecture, and asked to comment on them. This aspect is not intended as a narrow identification test but rather to facilitate broader discussion of how we can read and respond to visual material. |
For more information about making an application, please visit our application webpages.
You can also find useful information on our Application FAQs page.