History of Art with a Placement Year

History of art is the academic study of how visual art has been created, displayed, and interpreted from prehistory to today, and the University of East Anglia offers a distinctive setting in which to pursue it: the only art history department situated within a world-renowned museum. Based in the iconic Sainsbury Centre, one of the great modern art collections in Britain, you will be part of an enthusiastic, creative, and vibrant community dedicated to the study of art with immediate access to major works across the full range of art historical periods and cultures.

At the University of East Anglia, this four-year full-time programme with a placement year integrates a dedicated work placement into the degree, giving you direct professional experience in galleries, museums, auction houses, arts organisations, or other settings where art historical expertise is applied. You will examine how art has been created across global cultures and historical periods, developing visual literacy, the ability to analyse and interpret images and objects in their cultural and historical context, and the theoretical frameworks that art historical scholarship has developed. UEA's research strengths in British art, global art, and the social history of art are reflected in the teaching.

With a typical entry tariff of 120 UCAS points, this is an accessible programme at a well-regarded research university with exceptional museum facilities. Graduates pursue careers in gallery and museum curatorial work, auction houses, arts administration, cultural heritage, arts journalism and criticism, publishing, education, and any field where the ability to research, interpret, and communicate about visual art is professionally valued. Many graduates continue to postgraduate study in art history, museum studies, or conservation, often building directly on their placement experience.