Fine Art and History of Art, BA (Hons)

Course summary

This distinctive degree supports your individual concerns and development and enables you to navigate your way through theory and practice, various fine art media, and thematic strands within the study of art history and visual cultures. Why study BA Fine Art & History of Art at Goldsmiths

• You’ll gain the expertise that will help you develop independent thought and confidence in your practice, as well as transferable skills suitable for employment in the creative industries.

• Studying both the theory and practice of fine art means you’ll be able to take a critical approach to your work and think about it in the wider context of art history.

• We're renowned for our strengths in the creative and visual arts, as well as humanities subjects, so you'll be able to benefit from this wide-ranging expertise.

• We're ranked 21st in the world for art and design (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024).

• Staff on the programme are practising artists, curators, academics and writers, here to help you develop your practice, focus your research and respond to the work that you make.

• Our teaching takes advantage of the many galleries, art spaces, museums, cultural facilities and specialist libraries in London and on campus you'll have access to a studio space and excellent facilities including specialist art practice areas, as well as the newly opened Goldsmiths Centre of Contemporary Art.

• Invited artists, curators, gallerists, administrators and funders will provide you with specialist advice and further information to complement your studies and prepare you for professional life after graduation.

This programme allows you to integrate fine art practice and the study of history of art in the context of contemporary visual culture. Throughout the programme, you'll be required to participate actively in seminars, discussing your own work and that of other students. The programme is made up of: Fine art studio practice, taught in the Department of Art, develops your work through experimentation, with the aim of achieving a thorough understanding of your chosen media and their relevance within contemporary culture. Three years of intensive studio and workshop practice culminate in the final year exhibition which is assessed and then opened to the public. History of art modules taught through lectures, seminars and tutorials in the Department of Visual Cultures. An interdisciplinary Link Seminar taught across both departments, which explores the dynamic relationships between art history, theory and practice in large seminar and small workshop formats. Year 1 (credit level 4) Studio Practice focuses on the acquisition of fundamental knowledge and gives you the basic practical skills necessary to initiate your research. You will gain experience of making art independently and an awareness of the interaction between the history of art and theory as it relates to your studio practice. Your tutors assess your Studio Practice coursework continuously and your work is also assessed through an end-of-year presentation. In Art History, you will develop an independent critical involvement with works of art and visual culture. Our first-year modules enable you to examine changing conceptions of art and the artist, historically and also in terms of context, ideas, and kinds of practice. Each of our first-year modules is taught by a team of four or five different teachers from the permanent faculty. In this way, first-year students soon get to know many of the Department’s core academic staff. You will therefore begin your second year with both rich insights from and a comprehensive overview of Department life as a whole. All students take a compulsory Art History module: Modernities plus Space and Time or Beyond Boundaries. Your first year will introduce you to history of art as a discipline and engage you in discussion of key aspects of contemporary visual culture – including not just artefacts in museums and art galleries, but also architecture, cityscape and landscape, adverts, TV and film, websites, the body, and street style. You must pass all components to progress to the following year. Year 2 (credit level 5) Studio Practice in Year 2 begins to deal with more complex issues and a selective application of acquired knowledge and practical skills. It is a period of experimentation and synthesis, expanding and deepening your practice. Your tutors assess your Studio Practice coursework continuously and you make a presentation of selected work for a viva voce in the third term, where you will be asked to discuss your work in depth. History of Art in Year 2 will involve two option modules and the compulsory module, The Link. Year 3 (credit level 6) Studio Practice at this level reflects an independent, self-motivated practice and your potential to work as an artist. You will demonstrate a high degree of understanding, critical awareness and independent judgement. At this level, you will have consolidated your practical and critical skills in preparation for the Final Exhibition and further independent practice. Your tutors assess your Studio Practice coursework continuously and at the end of the year you mount an exhibition of your Studio Practice for assessment, which is then open to the public. In History of Art you either take 45 credits from a list of Special Subjects and option modules, or 15 credits plus a dissertation of 8,000–10,000 words (30 credits). You will also take the compulsory module The Link. Please note that due to staff research commitments not all of these modules may be available every year.