Prospective Postgraduates

Two kinds of postgraduate courses involving History of Art are possible at Bristol. Postgraduate degrees by research alone lead to the following qualifications MPhil (Master of Philosophy - 1 year), MLitt (Master of Letters  -2 years) and PhD (Doctor of Philosophy - 3 years), and masters degrees involving a taught element lead to an MA (Master of Arts) qualification. The department supports students by providing a resource centre and postgraduates also benefit from the Arts Faculty Graduate Centre.

The department has a lively research culture, fostered by all the Academic Staff and led by Professor Stephen Bann (currently President of CIHA: the Comité International de l'histoire de l'art) and Professor Elizabeth Prettejohn.

The Department's research interests range from the medieval period to the 20th century and include a wide range of specialisations in art and architectural history and in art theory. We encourage an interdisciplinary approach and have close links with many other departments.

Research Groups

Much research is carried out by individual scholars, with concentrations of interest in the following areas:

• Medieval Studies
• Renaissance Art
• British Art
• 19th-century French Art and Criticism
• 20th century Russian Art

Staff and postgraduates are also engaged in Arts Facutly interdisciplinary research themes and groups, including Medieval Studies, Reception, Colonial and Post-colonial Studies. There is a departmental research seminar for postgraduates and staff, and there are several seminars across the Faculty.