BA (Hons) History of Art with Gallery and Museum Studies
Key Details
- Award
- Degree of Bachelor of Arts
- UCAS Course Code
- V3P1
- Typical Offer
- ABB
- Contextual Offer
- BBC
- Course Length
- 3 years
- Course Start Date
- September 2027
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95%
Of graduates go on to work and/or study within 15 months after the course
Graduate Outcomes Survey 2021-23Course Overview
Why BA History of Art with Gallery and Museum Studies at UEA?
This course gives you unparalleled access to a major art gallery, allowing you to study art directly through its collections. You’ll develop the knowledge and skills needed to understand how museums shape culture, audiences and public life.
Why choose UEA
- Study inside a world-renowned museum: Learn daily within the Sainsbury Centre, gaining exceptional first-hand access to global art collections
- Hands-On professional experience: Explore curating, conservation, education, and display through real objects, exhibitions and expert-led sessions
- International research network: Benefit from links with leading global institutes, opening pathways to careers in museums and heritage
What is BA History of Art with Gallery and Museum Studies?
This course explores how museums shape our understanding of art and culture. You’ll study objects and artworks from many periods and places.
You’ll learn inside the Sainsbury Centre, gaining direct access to exhibitions and collections. This unique setting supports hands‑on, object-based learning.
You’ll examine how curators, conservators and educators engage diverse audiences. This experience prepares you for careers across museums, galleries and heritage.
Careers
Career Pathways
With a BA History of Art with Gallery and Museum Studies degree, you could launch a career in:
- Public museums and art galleries: Develop and deliver exhibitions, support collections and help engage diverse audiences through public programmes
- Commercial art galleries: Support sales, curate displays, and work directly with artists, clients and contemporary art markets
- Publishing: Contribute to art books, catalogues, and digital platforms through research, writing and editorial work
- Event management: Plan and coordinate cultural events, exhibitions and programmes across creative and heritage organisations
- Teaching and lecturing: Share knowledge of art and visual culture in schools, universities and community learning environments
Career Support
You’ll be supported throughout your degree to develop skills valued in the job market. We’ll help you assess different career paths to understand what suits your specific needs and interests best.
Our career centre at UEA will offer personalised career support, campus careers events, alumni networking opportunities, paid internships and career-planning and CV workshops. You’ll be strongly prepared for cultural and creative employment.
Discover more on our Careers webpages.
After the Course
You’ll graduate with practical experience and strong critical skills valued across the cultural and heritage sectors. Your time in the Sainsbury Centre offers genuine professional insight. Many graduates progress into museum roles or broader creative careers. Others continue to postgraduate study at UEA or beyond.
Study and Modules
Structure
Your first year will lay the foundations for your study of art, galleries and museums. You’ll be introduced to art history and museum studies as disciplines and learn to engage with objects and artworks first-hand. In the process, you’ll develop visual, critical and communication skills central to your degree. You’ll explore significant themes in the history of art and exhibitions and consider the history, politics and ethics of museum and gallery work. You’ll also embark on a series of workshops which will help you to begin your search for the placement you’ll undertake in your third year.
Compulsory Modules
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Structure
You’ll be encouraged to think about varied and fascinating museum object biographies and how art history interacts with anthropology and archaeology. In the spring semester, you’ll consider how your historical studies relate to contemporary debates about the status of art and the role of galleries and museums in the present. Alongside these lectures, you’ll choose from a range of optional modules through which you’ll develop more specialist knowledge of particular problems and periods. You’ll continue to be supported in your search for your third-year placement with another series of workshops.
Compulsory Modules
Optional A Modules
(Credits: 20)Optional B Modules
(Credits: 40)Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Structure
In your final year of study, you’ll explore various aspects of museum work from curating to conservation, interpretation to participation, along with two optional modules on advanced topics in art history. Our optional modules may address topics such as identity, psychology, memory, materiality, decolonisation, social inequality and injustice, ecology, climate change and sustainability from a broad range of historical and global perspectives.
You’ll also write a dissertation on a topic that has most sparked your interest, working closely with a supervisor to design your own research programme.
Compulsory Modules
Optional A Modules
(Credits: 30)Optional B Modules
(Credits: 30)Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning, and Assessment
Teaching and Learning
You’ll learn through lectures, seminars, tutorials and independent study guided by leading specialists. Each week blends contact hours, assessment work and self‑directed research. Teaching encourages active engagement with artworks, objects and key texts. As you progress, you develop skills in analysis, visual literacy and historical interpretation.
In year one, you’ll build core skills through guided preparation, close visual analysis and structured engagement with artworks and texts.
During year two, you’ll explore specialised topics linked to staff research and develop greater independence in your academic work.
In your final year, you’ll deepen subject expertise while increasing independent study, especially through your dissertation research
Assessment
Your learning is assessed through coursework rather than formal examinations. Assessments include essays, presentations, critiques, posters and catalogue entries. Each task builds key academic and professional skills. Assessment supports your development as an independent critical thinker.
In year one, assessments develop close analysis, critical thinking and clear communication across varied written and visual tasks.
During year two, you’ll shape your own essay topics and develop practical and scholarly skills for museums and galleries.
In your final year, you’ll complete a dissertation on a chosen topic, working with a supervisor to design an original research project.
Entry Requirements
- This course is open to
UK and International fee-paying students. Choose UK or International above to see relevant information. The entry point is in September each year.
We welcome and value a wide range of qualifications, and we recognise that some students might take a mixture of different qualifications. We have listed typical examples that we accept for entry.
You should hold or be working towards the specified English and Mathematics requirements and one of the examples of typical entry qualifications listed below. If your qualifications aren’t listed, or if you are taking a combination of qualifications that isn’t specified, please contact Admissions.
- English and Mathematics
All applicants must hold or be working towards GCSEs in English Language and Mathematics at minimum grade 4 or grade C.
In place of Mathematics GCSE we can also consider Functional Skills Level 2 Mathematics.
We accept a wide range of English Language qualifications, please see our English Language equivalencies(opens in a new window) page.
- Contextual Offers
UEA are committed to ensuring that Higher Education is accessible to all, regardless of their background or experiences. One of the ways we do this is through our contextual admissions schemes(opens in a new window).
- Typical UK Entry Requirements
A levels
ABB
Contextual offer: BBC
BTEC
Level 3 Extended Diploma: DDM
Contextual offer: DMM
BTEC in Public Services, Uniformed Services and Business Administration are all excluded from our BTEC offers
Access to HE Diploma
Access to Humanities and Social Sciences Pathway. Pass Access to HE Diploma with Distinction in 30 credits at Level 3 and Merit in 15 credits at Level 3 .
Contextual offer: Access to Humanities & Social Sciences pathway. Pass the Access to HE Diploma with Merit in 30 credits at Level 3 and pass in 15 credits at Level 3.
T levels
Obtain an overall Merit.
Foundation Year options:
If you do not meet the academic requirements for direct entry, you may be interested in one of our Foundation Year programmes such as - History of Art with a Foundation Year.
- Further Examples of Typical Entry Requirements
International Baccalaureate
32 points overall
Irish Leaving Certificate
3 subjects at H2, 3 subjects at H3
Scottish Highers
AAABB
Scottish Advanced Highers
BCC. A combination of Advanced Highers and Highers may be acceptable
- Deferred Entry
We welcome applications from students who have already taken or intend to take a gap year. We believe that a year between school and university can be of substantial benefit. You are advised to indicate your reason for wishing to defer entry on your UCAS application.
- Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all undergraduate applicants.
- Progression
Once enrolled onto a course at UEA, your progression and continuation (which may include eligibility for study abroad, overseas experience, placement or year in industry opportunities) is contingent on meeting the assessment requirements which are relevant to the course on which you are enrolled.
- This course is open to
UK and International fee-paying students. Choose UK or International above to see relevant information. The entry point is in September each year.
We welcome and value a wide range of qualifications, and we recognise that some students might take a mixture of different qualifications. We have listed typical examples that we accept for entry.
You should hold or be working towards the specified English and Mathematics requirements and one of the examples of typical entry qualifications listed below. If your qualifications aren’t listed, or if you are taking a combination of qualifications that isn’t specified, please contact Admissions.
- English and Mathematics
All applicants must hold or be working towards GCSEs in English Language and Mathematics at minimum grade 4 or grade C.
In place of Mathematics GCSE we can also consider Functional Skills Level 2 Mathematics.
We accept a wide range of English Language qualifications, please see our English Language equivalencies(opens in a new window) page.
- Typical International Entry Requirements
A levels
ABB
International Baccalaureate
32 points overall
We accept many international qualifications for entry to this course. For specific details about your country, view our information for International Students(opens in a new window).
- UEA International Study Centre
If you do not meet the academic and/or English language requirements for direct entry our partner, UEA International Study Centre(opens in a new window) offers progression on to this undergraduate degree upon successful completion of a preparation programme. Depending on your interests, and your qualifications you can take a variety of routes to this degree.
- English Foreign Language
Applications from students whose first language is not English are welcome. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading):
-
IELTS: 6.0 overall (minimum 5.5 in all components)
We also accept a number of other English language tests. Review our English Language Equivalencies(opens in a new window) for a list of example qualifications that we may accept to meet this requirement.
Test dates should be within two years of the course start date.
If you do not yet meet the English language requirements for this course, UEA International Study Centre offer a variety of English language programmes which are designed to help you develop the English skills necessary for successful undergraduate study:
-
- Deferred Entry
We welcome applications from students who have already taken or intend to take a gap year. We believe that a year between school and university can be of substantial benefit. You are advised to indicate your reason for wishing to defer entry on your UCAS application.
- Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all undergraduate applicants.
- Progression
Once enrolled onto a course at UEA, your progression and continuation (which may include eligibility for study abroad, overseas experience, placement or year in industry opportunities) is contingent on meeting the assessment requirements which are relevant to the course on which you are enrolled.
)
Fees and Funding
Tuition fees for the Academic Year 2027/28 are:
-
UK Students: £10,050
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International Students: £24,250
We estimate living expenses at £1,171 per month.
Further Information on tuition fees can be found here(opens in a new window).
Scholarships and Bursaries
We are committed to ensuring that costs do not act as a barrier to those aspiring to come to a world leading university and have developed a funding package to reward those with excellent qualifications and assist those from lower income backgrounds. View our range of Scholarships(opens in a new window) for eligibility, details of how to apply and closing dates.
Course Related Costs
You may need to pay some additional costs for optional field trips, which are subsidised by the department.
Please see Additional Course Fees for details of other course-related costs.
How to Apply
UCAS Hub is a secure online application system that allows you to apply for full-time undergraduate courses at universities and colleges in the United Kingdom.
Your application does not have to be completed all at once. Register or sign in to UCAS to get started.
Once you submit your completed application, UCAS will process it and send it to your chosen universities and colleges.
The Institution code for the University of East Anglia is E14.
View our guide to applying through UCAS for useful tips, key dates and further information: