History of Art BA
ABB at A level; graduates earn a median £28,000 three years on.
Typical A level offer
ABB
95% of entrants came with A levels · 100% stay on after year 1 · Warwick course page, Discover Uni
Year 13 · applying
What do you need to get in?
ABBtypical A level offer; abb.
Typical offer — the grades most applicants are asked for. Contextual offer: BBB, for applicants from under-represented backgrounds.
Warwick course page, read 19 September 2026 · Discover Uni entry profile
Who actually got in: 95% with A levels, 5% with other higher education. Based on 25 entrants.
Other qualifications4
| Qualification | Typical offer | Required subjects |
|---|---|---|
| IB | 32 points32. | — |
| BTEC | D*DDWe welcome applications from students taking BTEC qualifications, either alone or in combination with A levels. Our typical BTEC offers are as follows: BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate plus | — |
| Advanced Highers | ABAB in two Advanced Highers and BBB in three further Highers subjects. | — |
| Access | 45 Credits at Level 3, including Distinction in 33 Level 3 credits and Merit in We will consider applicants returning to study who are presenting a QAA-recognised Access to Higher Education Diploma on a case-by-case basis. Typically, we require 45 Credits at Level 3, including Di | — |
Years 1–3
What do you study?
3compulsory modules in year 1, 9 optional
Compulsory modules this year: arts & humanities 100%.
Module — one course unit, usually a term or a year long; “core” means everyone takes it. One UK credit is about ten hours of study; a full year is 120 credits.
Warwick course page · optional modules vary by year
Year 1 · 3 core, 9 optional · 75 credits ≈ 750 hours
- Introduction to Art History: The Natural World and the Arts of Modernity
What you learn (8)
- identify key artworks and monuments from the eighteenth century to today
- describe major artistic movements spanning the modern and contemporary eras
- analyse artworks in relation to their social and political context
- examine the religious and economic influences shaping artistic production
- apply specialist art-historical vocabulary when discussing artworks
- apply appropriate methodologies to analyse artistic movements
- identify materials and techniques used by modern and contemporary artists
- discuss construction methods used by architects in recent periods
- Introduction to Art History: Classicism and the Arts of Christianity
What you learn (10)
- identify key artworks and monuments from antiquity to c.1600
- describe major developments in Western art across this period
- identify materials used by pre-modern artists and architects
- discuss techniques employed in pre-modern art and architecture
- recognise iconographical subjects in classical and Christian art
- describe historical, mythological and religious themes in artworks
- analyse art processes within their social and political contexts
- examine art processes within their economic and religious contexts
- apply specialist art historical vocabulary to describe artworks
- apply art historical methodologies to analyse monuments
- History of Art and Interpretation
What you learn (8)
- describe technical procedures used to manufacture art objects in various materials
- identify key works within the Waddesdon collection
- explain the commissioning and production context of selected artworks
- explain how consumption and display shaped the reception of artworks
- describe different methodological approaches to interpreting art objects
- relate art objects to their technological and cultural contexts
- apply visual analysis techniques to describe art objects
- use technical vocabulary to classify and catalogue art objects
9 optional modules
- Architecture
What you learn (6)
- identify materials used in buildings across different historical eras
- analyse how building design relates to its intended use across various building types
- compare different architectural styles and their defining features
- contrast construction techniques used in different architectural traditions
- interpret architectural plans of existing buildings
- discuss the design features shown in architectural plans
- Portraiture
What you learn (5)
- describe uses of portraits across cultural and historical contexts
- evaluate how portraits reflect concepts of selfhood
- evaluate how portraits relate to social structures
- explain how materials and techniques shape portraiture's development
- analyse formal features of portraits from diverse contexts
- Prints
What you learn (7)
- describe key developments in the history of printmaking
- discuss cultural and theoretical debates surrounding reproduction in art
- distinguish between concepts of high and low culture
- analyse prints using knowledge of materials and techniques
- situate prints within their historical and cultural context
- identify different types of prints
- recognise the technical processes used to produce prints
- Sacred Art
What you learn (6)
- identify visual imagery and spatial arrangements shared across religious traditions
- describe textual sources underlying shared religious imagery
- explain the visual origins of Christian art and architecture
- present verbal and written descriptions of shared religious images and settings
- evaluate visual artefacts within their religious contexts
- discuss motivations behind religiously driven destruction of imagery
- Contemporary Art
What you learn (7)
- explain key concepts underpinning twentieth and twenty-first century art
- discuss major debates shaping modern and contemporary artistic practice
- relate developments in contemporary art to social and political contexts
- relate developments in contemporary art to cultural contexts
- analyse contemporary artworks within their historical context
- identify mediums and techniques used by contemporary artists
- describe creative processes developed by contemporary artists
- Painting Techniques
What you learn (6)
- describe key artistic mediums used in painting
- explain how techniques and mediums affect a painting's final appearance
- describe painting media and techniques using specialist vocabulary
- evaluate painting media and techniques in their cultural and historical context
- assess scholarly debates on artistic practice
- analyse formal characteristics across a wide range of paintings
Year 2 · 1 core, 11 optional · 30 credits ≈ 300 hours
- Practices of Art History
What you learn (6)
- describe major theoretical frameworks in art history
- evaluate how theory and method shape interpretation of artworks
- outline the historical development of art history as a discipline
- analyse how landmark scholarly works have shaped art historical practice
- apply research methods to identify gaps for independent study in art history
- formulate a research project proposal in art history
11 optional modules
- The Italian City States in the Age of Dante and Petrarch
What you learn (3)
- explain the roles of painting, sculpture and architecture in medieval Italian cities
- discuss how religious change influenced the use of religious imagery
- apply visual analysis methods to evaluate medieval Italian buildings and imagery
- From Fortress to Country House: The Architecture of the Nobility from 1300-1600 (Level 2)
What you learn (4)
- describe the historical development of medieval secular architecture in Great Britain
- identify the materials used in medieval secular buildings
- examine architectural plans of historical buildings
- assess the design features shown in building plans
- Practical Art
What you learn (7)
- research historical and contemporary artists relevant to own practice
- apply a range of media and techniques in artwork
- explain how personal ideas and existing art influence own practice
- describe print processes including monoprinting, collotype and lino printing
- describe drawing and painting techniques using varied media and surfaces
- describe three-dimensional making techniques using varied materials
- compile a coherent sketchbook supporting own art practice
- A Fine Tomorrow: British Art & Culture in the 1950's
What you learn (6)
- situate 1950s artistic developments within their cultural and political context
- examine links between welfare state ideals and changes in art patronage
- apply visual analysis techniques to artworks and buildings of the period
- relate artworks and architecture to their social and economic context
- evaluate art and architecture in relation to debates on national identity
- assess competing views on the role of artists and architects in modern society
- The Renaissance: North and South
What you learn (10)
- describe the artistic contexts shaping renaissance artists and architects
- explain the religious and social contexts influencing renaissance production
- evaluate how artist mobility shaped a pan-european art style
- assess the influence of technological innovation on renaissance art development
- appraise the influence of patrons and audiences on renaissance art production
- evaluate how socio-economic and political factors shaped renaissance art
- critique traditional definitions of renaissance art and architecture
- apply visual analysis methods to interpret renaissance art works
- identify unexpected connections between diverse renaissance objects
- compare representational techniques and styles across renaissance art works
- Art Histories from Africa
What you learn (7)
- describe the historical significance of major African art and architecture works
- explain theoretical frameworks used to interpret colonial and postcolonial art
- evaluate how historians have applied these frameworks to specific works
- examine different expressions of colonial and national identity in art
- evaluate artistic identity within its historical development
- analyse regional discourses within African art history
- analyse the relationship between African art discourse and the Global North
- Icons & Iconoclasm: Art and the Russian Revolution
What you learn (7)
- identify key artworks from the late Russian Empire and early Soviet Union
- describe the historical context surrounding the Russian Revolution
- explain the factors that caused the fall of the Imperial dynasty
- describe the ideological principles underpinning the Bolshevik regime
- evaluate how artworks reflect shifting state cultural policies
- compare different scholarly approaches to interpreting period visual culture
- critique theoretical frameworks used to analyse revolutionary-era art
Year 3 · 2 core, 11 optional · 60 credits ≈ 600 hours
- Dissertation (History of Art)
What you learn (16)
- locate and evaluate scholarly sources on a chosen topic
- investigate a chosen topic in substantial depth
- apply prior subject knowledge to a new research task
- apply a suitable research methodology critically to the topic
- lead group discussion through targeted questioning and debate
- conduct independent research on a topic
- present research findings as a structured written argument
- use essential ICT tools to support academic work
- collaborate effectively with peers on shared tasks
- explain differing scholarly viewpoints on a topic
- select and synthesise relevant evidence into a coherent account
- construct a sustained and coherent argument
- think independently about conceptual issues in the discipline
- analyse visual artworks with sophistication
- apply advanced bibliographical research techniques
- critically analyse cultural artefacts within their historical context
- Histories, Theories and Practices of Museums and Galleries
What you learn (7)
- analyse historical developments in museum and gallery practice
- critique theoretical frameworks underpinning museum and gallery studies
- evaluate exhibition practices within local museum and gallery collections
- research art objects to inform curatorial decisions
- interpret art objects for display in a curatorial context
- design an original exhibition project based on critical analysis
- construct a coherent argument using researched evidence and examples
11 optional modules
- Venice, Rise and Myth: Art and Architecture in the Veneto (1100-1600)
What you learn (6)
- analyse artworks and buildings on site in relation to their physical setting
- evaluate works of art and architecture in relation to their cultural context
- compare medieval and early modern Venetian works regarding setting and materials
- contrast techniques and patronage practices across different periods of Venetian art
- analyse the historical conditions that established Venice as an artistic centre
- evaluate Venice's role in transnational cultural and artistic exchange
- Modern Architecture and the Historic City
What you learn (4)
- evaluate the contested role of history and tradition in modern architecture
- analyse the diversity of international architectural modernisms
- assess the relationship between architectural form and function
- evaluate buildings and urban developments in their historical and political contexts
- Deconstructing Medieval & Early-Modern Buildings
What you learn (5)
- evaluate design approaches used in medieval and early-modern buildings
- evaluate construction methods used in medieval and early-modern buildings
- analyse written primary sources relevant to historic buildings
- analyse visual and material sources relevant to historic buildings
- apply archaeological recording techniques to standing buildings
- Visual Art and Poetry
What you learn (7)
- explain key movements in american avant-garde art and poetry
- analyse connections between visual art and poetry across periods
- evaluate the significance of visual-poetic relationships critically
- examine modern and contemporary poetic texts
- evaluate the literary merit of modern and contemporary poems
- construct complex arguments about art and poetry for varied audiences
- adapt communication of artistic ideas to different contexts
“What you learn” restates each module’s published learning outcomes in our own words, as short skill statements in the same form as the GCSE and A level curriculum, with the help of an AI model; fields of knowledge follow the twelve fields of the knowledge sphere. The university’s module page, linked from each title, is the authoritative description.
After graduating
Where does it lead?
£28,000median pay three years after graduating
Lower quarter£24k
Median£28k
Upper quarter£36k
Median — the middle earner: half earned more, half less. Pay is for graduates of this subject at this university who finished in 2016-18, not adjusted for inflation; based on 420 graduates.
Discover Uni dataset (HESA and Office for Students, CC BY 4.0, contains HESA data); earnings from the Longitudinal Education Outcomes data (Department for Education) · aggregation level 24, 14, 12, 22
Half of graduates earned between £24,000 and £35,500. Five years on, the median is £36,500. 85% were in work or further study 15 months after finishing; 55% of those in work were in professional or managerial jobs.
All outcome figures7
| Measure | Value | Based on |
|---|---|---|
| Continue after year 10% left | 100% | 25 |
| In work or study, 15 months on15% studying | 85% | 20 |
| Professional or managerial job | 55% | 10 |
| Pay 15 months on, median | £30,000 | 50 |
| Pay 3 years on, median | £28,000 | 420 |
| Pay 5 years on, median | £36,500 | 450 |
Money
What does it cost?
£10,050a year for UK students, 2027/28 entry
Tuition fee loan — paid straight to the university; repayments start the April after you leave, at 9% of income above the threshold. UK fees are capped by government and rise with inflation; placement and study-abroad years are usually charged at a lower rate.
Warwick fees page · source
About £30,150 in fees over 3 years, covered by a tuition fee loan you repay only when earning above the threshold.
National Student Survey 2025-26
What do students say?
90%agreed the course was good overall (question 26)
NSS — a yearly survey of final-year students at every UK university; 88% of this course’s final year answered. Small groups can swing a lot year to year.
National Student Survey, via Discover Uni · 20 students answered
Highest: 100% agreed on question 5; lowest: 50% on question 17.
All questions26
| Question | Agree |
|---|---|
| Question 1 | 95% |
| Question 2 | 91% |
| Question 3 | 82% |
| Question 4 | 91% |
| Question 5 | 100% |
| Question 6 | 91% |
| Question 7 | 86% |
| Question 8 | 82% |
| Question 9 | 86% |
| Question 10 | 73% |
| Question 11 | 73% |
| Question 12 | 77% |
| Question 13 | 73% |
| Question 14 | 73% |
| Question 15 | 86% |
| Question 16 | 95% |
| Question 17 | 50% |
| Question 18 | 59% |
| Question 19 | 86% |
| Question 20 | 95% |
| Question 21 | 95% |
| Question 22 | 86% |
| Question 23 | 68% |
| Question 24 | 68% |
| Question 25 | 90% |
| Question 26 | 90% |
Question texts are published by the Office for Students; the dataset carries only the question numbers.
Modules, entry requirements and fees are facts read from University of Warwick’s course page on 2026-09-19 and may change; the university’s page is authoritative. Descriptions are not reproduced. Outcome figures are from the Discover Uni dataset. University of Warwick is a trade mark of the university; sch.today is independent of it.