Art History and Music

Art history and music are disciplines that reward close attention and historical curiosity. Art history asks how paintings, sculptures, architecture, film, and other visual forms came to look the way they do, and what they reveal about the societies and individuals that made them. Music history asks how compositions, performances, and musical cultures developed over time, what ideas and social forces shaped them, and what it means to listen and think critically about music as a historical and cultural phenomenon.

Together, they give you two distinct analytical languages for understanding human creativity and expression.

At the University of Aberdeen, this four-year full-time joint degree lets you move between both disciplines, developing the methods and knowledge that each demands. The art history strand encompasses the study of art, architecture, and curation across a wide range of media and techniques, situating European art within its global connections and the full complexity of its social, political, and religious contexts. Research-led teaching and practical engagement with artworks beyond the classroom give you both intellectual depth and vocational experience.

The music strand develops your understanding of musical composition, performance, and culture across historical periods, building analytical and critical skills alongside your engagement with repertoire. A year abroad is built into the programme, broadening your academic and personal horizons and giving you first-hand experience of art and music in an international setting.

Aberdeen has a 500-year heritage of intellectual life, and the art history department is recognised for high levels of student satisfaction, while the music provision connects academic study to vibrant performance culture.

Graduates go on to careers in museums, galleries, heritage organisations, arts administration, curatorial work, music education, broadcasting, journalism, publishing, and the cultural sector. Many pursue postgraduate study in art history, musicology, or museum studies, building specialist expertise for research and professional roles.