university of edinburgh phd history of art

• Schools & departments

History of Art, Theory and Display MSc

Awards: MSc

Study modes: Full-time, Part-time

Funding opportunities

Placements/internships

Programme website: History of Art, Theory and Display

Postgraduate Virtual Open Days

Join us online on 12 to 14 November where you can learn more about postgraduate study through webinars, live panel sessions, and one-to-one chat.

Find out more and register

Programme description

This programme offers you the opportunity to explore the history and theory of art and its display in exhibitions and museums across a wide range of historical and geographical boundaries. Based in one of the largest art history departments in the UK, it is perfect for providing you with a comprehensive overview of the discipline, as well as giving you access to an exceptionally wide range of art-historical expertise across time and place.

The city of Edinburgh is a World Heritage Site of leading museums and galleries with a rich range of collections and exhibitions, while its Scottish setting gives you access to an exceptional wealth of historic properties, buildings and sites, from medieval castles to the palace and parliament of Holyrood.

Within the University there are also research collections and noted museums and galleries ranging from contemporary art to the history of medicine as well as rare illustrated books and manuscripts. You will also have access to the National Library of Scotland with exceptional collections in rare books and manuscripts and their exhibition display.

You will examine art in its historical contexts, the theoretical frameworks of interpretation and their relationship as physical objects to practices and concepts of display. You will have the opportunity to put your learning into practice through an optional Work Placement in one of Edinburgh’s many museums, galleries or archives.

The programme content will allow you to develop an excellent knowledge of the discipline of art history, advanced research abilities and the possibility of gaining valuable vocational experience.

Programme structure

The programme is underpinned by two compulsory courses over the academic year, called:

• Research Theories and Methods
• The Cultures and Politics of Display. 

You will also take option courses ranging across Chinese and Islamic art, European art from Roman, Medieval, Renaissance and Modern times, right up to the most recent art being made in the UK and abroad today. 

In the end, you will have developed strong research abilities, a wide knowledge of art in its many contexts, an ability to communicate your ideas clearly, and, for those who study the work placement, first-hand experience of some of the practices and concepts of museology and contemporary curating.

Part-time study

If you choose to study part-time, you will take half the usual number of courses. Typically this will mean you study four courses in your first year (for example, one core course and three option courses), and then two courses (for example, one core course plus an option course), plus the Dissertation in your second year.

Teaching includes a mixture of small-group teaching, individual tutorials, research seminars, and lectures. Tutorials are discussion-based, and you will be asked to join in with discussion of key texts, images and objects which are relevant to the course.

This programme is heavily based in reading academic texts, writing essays, and class discussion of ideas. Courses require students to read and prepare notes on up to 12 academic articles or book chapters per week, and a high level of personal and group participation in class discussion is expected. Approximately half of the working week involves independent study and research.

Formal assessment is by means of essays, project work, presentations, and a dissertation.

Course assessment is through a mix of 4,000 word essays, presentations, and other academic tasks. Overall, students are required to write 12,000 words for their assessment each semester, as well as the 15,000 word Dissertation in the summer.

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

Work placements/internships

All students have the opportunity to apply for a work placement in a local museum, gallery or achieve. These placements are competively awarded, and not all applicants can be guaranteed a place. Typically we award around 40 placements per year.

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete the programme will have developed:

• Knowledge and understanding of History of Art across a wide range of geographical and chronological periods.
• Up-to-date theoretical understanding of the latest methodological developments in the study and display of art.
• The ability to complete a major piece of original, independent art historical research for their dissertation.
• The capacity for further research in the History of Art.
• Transferable skills in the analysis of images and texts, research, academic writing, public presentations, and IT.

Career opportunities

Graduates have found the History of Art, Theory and Display programme the ideal stepping-stone to pursue more in-depth study (such as a PhD), or to gain invaluable experience towards finding a position in the museum world and cultural sector.

Field trips and campus facilities

Field trips.

Many courses include a trip to a local museum, gallery or archive to discuss objects and displays on a theme relevant to the course.

Campus faciliites

Courses are taught in our purpose-built History of Art classrooms on the Lauriston Place campus, with occasional classes taught in local museums, galleries and archives.

Lauriston campus redevelopment

ECA are excited to be undertaking a capital redevelopment of ECA’s Lauriston campus over the next 3 years, from April 2024 to April 2027.

The project aims to maximise the use of existing space, improve accessibility, and create a vibrant campus that fosters collaboration and innovation.

The project involves refurbishing and repurposing various spaces across the Lauriston campus, including technical facilities, student and teaching spaces, and the relocation of the Reid School of Music from Alison House to the Lauriston campus. New social spaces, seminar rooms, and studios are being created to accommodate our growing community.

You can find more about the project at the below link:

Building work starts at ECA’s Lauriston campus | Edinburgh College of Art

Entry requirements

These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.

Normally a UK 2:1 honours degree or its international equivalent.

Students from China

This degree is Band C.

• Postgraduate entry requirements for students from China

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country
• English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced ( CAE ) / C2 Proficiency ( CPE ): total 185 with at least 176 in each component.
• Trinity ISE : ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 73 with at least 65 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
• Oxford ELLT : 8 overall with at least 7 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS , TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE , in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

Fees and costs

Additional costs may include the travel fare to the site of local cultural institutions for training or seminars.

Scholarships and funding

Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.

Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:

• taking out a loan
• family support
• personal savings
• income from work
• employer sponsorship
• scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

Featured funding

• Edinburgh College of Art scholarships

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

• your programme
• the duration of your studies
• your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

• UK government and other external funding

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding

Further information

• Phone: +44 (0)131 650 4086
• Contact: College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences Admissions Office
• Programme Director, Professor Heather Pulliam
• Phone: +44 (0)131 651 3120
• Contact: [email protected]
• Postgraduate Admissions Office
• College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
• 57 George Square
• Central Campus
• Programme: History of Art, Theory and Display
• School: Edinburgh College of Art
• College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Select your programme and preferred start date to begin your application.

MSc History of Art, Theory and Display - 1 Year (Full-time)

Msc history of art, theory and display - 2 years (part-time), application deadlines.

We encourage you to apply at least one month prior to entry so that we have enough time to process your application. If you are also applying for funding or will require a visa then we strongly recommend you apply as early as possible.

Deadlines for applicants applying to study in 2025/6 will be published shortly.

• How to apply

You must submit one reference with your application.

Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:

• Schools & departments

History of Art MScR

Awards: MScR

Study modes: Full-time, Part-time

Funding opportunities

Programme website: History of Art

Postgraduate Virtual Open Days

Join us online on 12 to 14 November where you can learn more about postgraduate study through webinars, live panel sessions, and one-to-one chat.

Find out more and register

Research profile

At Edinburgh College of Art within the History of Art department we provide a dynamic and supportive research environment in which your MSc by Research studies would be situated. The MSc by Research programme is for students who have strong research skills in place and wish to include a substantial research element within their study, and those who also wish to focus their interests and deepen their knowledge of a specific topic.

The research topics that we can supervise includes but is not limited to:

• Medieval Art History
• South Asian Art History
• Renaissance Visual and Material Cultures
• Eighteenth-Century History of Art
• Modern and Contemporary Art History
• Islamic Art
• Nineteenth-Century Art
• Curatorial Theory and Practice
• Scottish Visual Culture
• Early Modern
• Contemporary Art History and Digital Culture
• Contemporary German Art
• Chinese Art

Programme structure

The MSc by Research in History of Art consists of assessed work, split between a dissertation (15,000 words) and supervised research essays on topics related to the dissertation.

The programme also includes a compulsory research training course and either a methodology course or a course from another MSc programme, if agreed to be more suitable by your supervisor and postgraduate director .

You can study on this programme either full-time over one year or part-time over two years.

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

Training and support

You will be assigned at least one research supervisor at the outset of your degree. On occasion, more than one supervisor will be assigned, particularly where your research brings together multiple disciplines. Your first/lead supervisor would normally be based in the same subject area as your degree programme. If a second supervisor is needed, they may be from another discipline within ECA , or within the University of Edinburgh, according to the expertise required.

Our research culture is supported by seminars and public lecture programmes and discussion groups.

Through the programme you will be equipped with skills in advanced research techniques, critical analysis/writing and presentation.

You are encouraged to attend courses at the Institute for Academic Development ( IAD ), where all staff and students at the University of Edinburgh are supported through a range of training opportunities.

You will have access to study space (some of which are 24-hour access), studios and workshops at Edinburgh College of Art’s campus, as well as University wide resources. There are several bookable spaces for the development of exhibitions, workshops or seminars. And you will have access to well-equipped multimedia laboratories, photography and exhibition facilities, shared recording space, access to recording equipment available through Bookit, the equipment loan booking system.

You will have access to high quality library facilities. Within the University of Edinburgh, there are three libraries; the Main Library, the ECA library and the Art and Architecture Library. The Centre for Research Collections which holds the University of Edinburgh’s historic collections is also located in the Main Library.

The Talbot Rice Gallery is a public art gallery of the University of Edinburgh and part of Edinburgh College of Art, which is committed to exploring what the University of Edinburgh can contribute to contemporary art practice today and into the future. You will also have access to the extraordinary range and quality of exhibitions and events associated with a leading college of art situated within a world-class research-intensive University.

St Cecilia’s Hall which is Scotland’s oldest purpose-built concert hall also houses the Music Museum which holds one of the most important historic musical instrument collections anywhere in the world.

In addition to the University’s facilities you will also be able to access wider resources within the City of Edinburgh. Including but not limited to; National Library of Scotland, Scottish Studies Library and Digital Archives, City of Edinburgh Libraries, Historic Environment Scotland and the National Trust for Scotland.

You will also benefit from the University’s extensive range of student support facilities provided, including student societies, accommodation, wellbeing and support services.

Lauriston campus redevelopment

ECA are excited to be undertaking a capital redevelopment of ECA’s Lauriston campus over the next 3 years, from April 2024 to April 2027.

The project aims to maximise the use of existing space, improve accessibility, and create a vibrant campus that fosters collaboration and innovation.

The project involves refurbishing and repurposing various spaces across the Lauriston campus, including technical facilities, student and teaching spaces, and the relocation of the Reid School of Music from Alison House to the Lauriston campus. New social spaces, seminar rooms, and studios are being created to accommodate our growing community.

You can find more about the project at the below link:

Building work starts at ECA’s Lauriston campus | Edinburgh College of Art

Entry requirements

These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.

Normally a UK 2:1 honours degree or its international equivalent. If you do not meet the academic entry requirements, we may still consider your application on the basis of relevant professional experience.

You must also submit a research proposal; see How to Apply section for guidance.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country
• English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced ( CAE ) / C2 Proficiency ( CPE ): total 185 with at least 176 in each component.
• Trinity ISE : ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 73 with at least 65 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
• Oxford ELLT : 8 overall with at least 7 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS , TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE , in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

Fees and costs

Scholarships and funding.

Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.

Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:

• taking out a loan
• family support
• personal savings
• income from work
• employer sponsorship
• scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

Featured funding

• Edinburgh College of Art scholarships

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

• your programme
• the duration of your studies
• your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

• UK government and other external funding

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding

Further information

• Edinburgh College of Art Postgraduate Office
• Phone: +44 (0)131 651 5736
• Contact: [email protected]
• Postgraduate Research Director, History of Art, Professor Patricia Allmer
• Phone: +44 (0)131 651 5740
• Contact: [email protected]
• Edinburgh College of Art Postgraduate Research Team Student and Academic Support Service
• The University of Edinburgh
• Evolution House, 78 West Port
• Central Campus
• Programme: History of Art
• School: Edinburgh College of Art
• College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Select your programme and preferred start date to begin your application.

MSc by Research History of Art - 1 Year (Full-time)

Msc by research history of art - 2 years (part-time), application deadlines.

If you are applying for funding or will require a visa then we strongly recommend you apply as early as possible. All applications must be received by the deadlines listed above.

• How to apply

You must submit two references with your application.

One of your references must be an academic reference preferably from your most recent studies.

You should submit a research proposal that outlines your project's aims, context, process and product/outcome. Read the application guidance before you apply:

• Preparing your application - postgraduate research degrees (PDF)

Although we welcome perceptive proposals on traditional subjects, using established methodologies, we are particularly looking for applicants prepared to challenge and expand the traditional boundaries of the discipline.

Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:

Site search

Ahrc sgsah phd doctoral studentships.

PhD tuition fees and stipend at the UKRI level for 3.5 years

Thursday 21 November 2024

For research interests aligning with, or cutting across, ECA's Schools. Open to UK and Overseas applicants for full-time and part-time PhD on campus study.

The University of Edinburgh is part of a consortium of ten Higher Education institutions which has been awarded funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) to support postgraduate doctoral studentships and training through the Scottish Graduate School for Arts & Humanities (SGSAH).

Applying for this scholarship? Find out how your personal data will be used.

Studentship application deadline - Thursday 21 November 2024 (23:59 GMT)

The studentships are being awarded as part of the AHRC Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) scheme, which forms part of the wider Scottish Graduate School for Arts & Humanities (SGSAH).

• Further details of the Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) scheme

The award will cover the PhD tuition fee and a stipend at the UKRI level (around £19,237) for up to 3.5 years full-time study (pro-rata for part-time study).

Postgraduate research candidates applying for admission to Edinburgh College of Art (ECA) may be eligible for a studentship from the AHRC. ECA has a vibrant research community reflecting the diverse expertise of its members and the disciplines it brings together. It encourages applications from applicants who have a research interest aligning with, or cutting across, ECA's Schools:  Architecture and Landscape Architecture ,  Art ,  Design ,  History of Art ,  Music .

Are you eligible?

Candidates will normally hold a relevant First Class Honours degree (such as BA, BMus, BSc or LLB) and preferably a similar calibre of Master’s degree.  PhD students within the eligible subject areas who are currently in their first year of study are eligible to apply.

Awards are available to Home fee applicants and limited awards available for International applicants. Please check the full UKRI eligibility criteria  here.

To qualify for Home status an applicant must: be a UK National (meeting residency requirements), or have settled status, or have pre-settled status AND meet residency requirement (3 years residency in the UK/EEA/Gibraltar/Switzerland immediately before the start of the PhD) or have indefinite leave to enter or remain.

In accordance with UKRI and AHRC policy, permissible positive action is being applied to the 2025 SGSAH DTP Open Studentships. For the 2025 competition, SGSAH is making available at least three ring-fenced studentships for applicants from UK Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities. These 3 ring-fenced studentships represent a minimum recruitment, with no maximum. 

For further information on eligibility and residency criteria can be found on How to Apply section on the SGSAH website.  

"Edinburgh College of Art has a vibrant research community reflecting the diverse expertise of its members and the disciplines it brings together. It encourages applications from applicants who have a research interest aligning with, or cutting across, ECA's Schools."

The application process

To apply for the AHRC SGSAH PhD Doctoral Studentship, you  must first  apply for admission for an eligible PhD programme of study at ECA (start date September 2025). All on campus PhD programmes at ECA are eligible (full-time and part-time study).  PhD by Distance programmes are not eligible. 

You must make your PhD programme application through the EUCLID online application system to the University in full by  Thursday 14 November 2024 (23:59 GMT) . Please ensure that all supporting documentation (eg research proposal, references, transcripts etc) are uploaded with your application.  Incomplete applications may not be considered .

• How to apply for postgraduate study

AHRC SGSAH PhD Doctoral studentship applications that do not have a matching PhD programme application will not be considered.  You do not need a PhD offer before applying for the AHRC SGSAH PhD Doctoral Studentship but you must have made a PhD application.  If you are currently a first year PhD student at the University, please see Stage 2.

If you’d like to discuss your application with potential supervisors, or have any enquiries you wish to discuss with the Postgraduate Research Team or the School Postgraduate Research Directors, please do so as soon as possible before the deadlines.

Applicants must then complete and submit the SGSAH PhD Doctoral studentship application form by email to the ECA Postgraduate Research Team ( [email protected] ) by no later than Thursday 21 November 2024 (23:59 GMT) . Applications received after this will not be considered. 

Please refer to the SGSAH PhD Doctoral studentship application guidance and complete each section of the application form as instructed. The SGSAH PhD Doctoral Studentship application form for ECA and full guidance are attached here:

• Download the application form (Word)
• Download the guidance document (PDF) 

Please note that the Institutional Statement and Nominating Member of Staff details are not required at this stage.

The ECA Selection Panel will meet in mid-December 2024 to select applications to go forward to the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Science (CAHSS) for nomination to the SGSAH.

The SGSAH assessment criteria for SGSAH PhD Doctoral Studentships will be used by the ECA Selection Panel. The Panel will rank the applications in relation to the criteria outlined in the AHRC DTP guidance document (see link above).

Applicants will be notified by late December 2024 if they have been selected to go forward to the SGSAH Selection Panels.

If selected by ECA and CAHSS, you and your potential PhD supervisor will be requested to develop the SGSAH PhD Doctoral studentship application form and draft the Institutional Statement. The SGSAH PhD Doctoral studentship application must be submitted as an online version through the SGSAH Portal, which will be open from 3 February (09:00 GMT) to 14 February 2025 (12:00 noon GMT).

The SGSAH Selection Panels will then consider the applications as per the review process outlined on their website. Final results will be announced by the SGSAH by the end of April 2025.

PhD application deadline – Thursday 14 November 2024 (23:59 GMT)

SGSAH studentship application deadline – Thursday 21 November 2024 (23:59 GMT)

Please note: you must complete both steps by the specified deadlines in order to be considered for this funding opportunity .

Any questions?

Please contact the ECA Postgraduate Research Team ( [email protected] ) if you have any questions about the application process.

If you have an academic enquiry please contact the School Postgraduate Research (PGR) Director for the programme you wish to apply for:

• Architecture and Landscape Architecture  - Dr Sepideh Karami -  [email protected]
• Art  - Dr Kristin Mojsiewicz -  [email protected]  
• Design  - Dr Nichola Dobson – [email protected]
• History of Art  - Prof Patricia Allmer – [email protected]
• Music  - Prof Stefan Bilbao - [email protected]

The College Dean of Postgraduate Research hosted an online information session for prospective SGSAH applicants on 15 October 2024.  The slides presented at this meeting can be accessed here .

Associated links

• AHRC PhD Studentships at the University of Edinburgh

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History of Art

Entry requirements.

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in a relevant subject.

Months of entry

January, September

Course content

The MSc by Research programme is for students with a good general knowledge of the subject area, who wish to focus their interests and deepen their knowledge of a specific topic.

To complete the programme you would normally submit two, 5,000-word, independent research essays, on topics chosen in consultation with your supervisor. You are also required to complete the History of Art core course, Research Theories and Methods (which is assessed via a 3,000-word essay) plus one further course (which may be chosen from a broad range of taught postgraduate option courses, assessed by a 4,000-word essay, or a credit-bearing language course or other suitable option), over semesters 1 and 2. At the end of the summer, you are required to submit a 15,000-word dissertation.

The MPhil and PhD degrees are both major pieces of independent research, preparing you for a future in academic scholarship. These degrees are obtained by research and presentation of a thesis of up to 60,000 words (MPhil) or 80,000–100,000 words (PhD). The first year of a PhD is probationary, meaning that you must pass a first year review before you are permitted to continue to the second year of the PhD. At your review, you will be required to discuss with a review board a presentation comprising an overview of your thesis and proposed chapter plan, with a bibliography, and a draft chapter of at least 10,000 words.

Qualification, course duration and attendance options

• Campus-based learning is available for this qualification

Course contact details