Research Degrees

The Department offers research training and supervision within the following fields:

• European art and theory 1250-1700, particularly in Italy and France
• British and European art and theory in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries
• Twentieth-century art and theory in Europe, Britain and North America
• Expressionism
• Cubism
• Dada and Surrealism
• Aesthetics and theory of art
• Historiography of art history
• Contemporary art and theory
• Psychoanalysis and art
• Photography since the 60s
• Art and music
• Art and Film Studies
• Pre-Columbian, colonial and modern Latin American art since Independence
• History and theory of architecture and industrial design
• Urbanism and the built environment
• Museology and gallery studies (Centre for Curatorial Studies CCS)

For more information about research topics, see:

• Current students and their research topics
• Former PhD students, their dissertation topic and current employment

Minimum entrance requirement is a good honours degree from a British university or an equivalent overseas qualification; preference is given to applicants of MA standing. Candidates are expected to fulfil the minimum English language requirement i.e. IELTS 7 or TOEFL (paper based 600 or internet 100).

Supervision is by regular individual tutorials. The award of a research degree depends solely on the merits of the thesis. A thesis submitted for the degree of MPhil must not exceed 50,000 words in length, for the PhD 80,000 words. Full-time students are normally expected to be registered for a minimum period of two years for the degree of MPhil or three years for the PhD.

We regard the PhD not only as an academic degree but as a professional qualification. There are opportunities to acquire skills in IT and research methodologies, experience in undergraduate teaching, in conference organising and curating of exhibitions. Most of our successful candidates are now working in academic institutions, in national or regional museums or galleries, or in other arts-related professions, both throughout Britain and abroad.

Graduate Seminars

New research students attend the Graduate Director’s seminar on research planning and methodologies. All graduate students are invited to attend a regular programme of weekly seminars covering the whole of the Department’s range of interests with papers by members of staff, research students and outside speakers. PhD students are also welcome to attend the whole range of MA modules on offer.

Interdisciplinary Activities

We co-operate closely with other departments, including joint supervision of MA and research students, particularly with the Department of Philosophy. Staff and students are actively involved in the work of several of the interdisciplinary centres of the University, in particular the Latin America Centre, the Centre for Theoretical Studies in the Humanities and Social Sciences, and the Centre for Psychoanalytic Studies. The Department works closely with Firstsite@the Minories in Colchester, a leading international contemporary visual arts venue.

Contacting the Department

Elsewhere on the University website:

• On-line application forms
• General information for prospective postgraduates
• The Graduate School