History of Art at the University of Leicester
History of Art at Leicester is internationally renowned for its high standards of research and teaching.
With us, you can explore the history and theory of art from Classical Antiquity through to the present day. We have recently overhauled and refreshed our curriculum to focus on our key strengths: Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque art and sculpture; architecture and design from medieval times to the present day; the growth of historicism, heritage and preservation from the 18th century onwards; Northern European, French and British Art, 1700-1900; critical theory and philosophical aesthetics; contemporary and conceptual art; advanced techniques of ‘object-based’ visual analysis. You can study these subjects in great depth with leading research specialists in the field, and you will benefit also from the many new vocational and employment-based elements, e.g. group work on exhibition design and heritage listing, that we have introduced into our teaching and assessment across every year of study. As well as learning – and questioning – the established ‘canons’ of art history, you will also be taught ‘Special Subject’ modules that reflect the professional research interests of academic staff as they evolve over time, making you not passive recipients of our modules but active collaborators and co-researchers.
We pride ourselves on our friendly and approachable culture, which makes for a relaxed and supportive teaching environment that we know always gets the best out of students. Classes are kept small and informal, creating an excellent teaching and learning experience.