BA HISTORY OF ART UNDERGR ADUATE PROSPEC TUS - Courtauld Institute of Art
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BA
HISTORY
OF AR T
UNDERGR ADUATE
PROSPEC TUS
2020/21
D I R EC TO R ’ S W E LCO M E 02 A B O U T US 06 W H Y S T U DY A R T H I S TO RY 10 CO U R S E I N F O R M AT I O N 12 FE E S & FU N D I N G 16 E N T RY R EQ U I R E M E N T S 18 S T U D E N T S TO R I E S 22 THE RESEARCH FORUM 26 T H E CO L L EC T I O N 27 S T U DY R E SO U R C E S 30 CAREERS 32 A LU M N I 34 T H E S T U D E N T S’ U N I O N 36 ACCO M M O DAT I O N 38 H E A LT H & W E L L B E I N G 39 V I S I T US 40 CONTENTS
“Our teaching places a strong emphasis on critical analysis
and historical inquiry so our students develop excellent
skills for careers in either the art world or beyond.”
DIREC TOR’S I
am delighted you are considering studying Meanwhile, our university operations, teaching
at The Courtauld Institute of Art, the world- and learning have been relocated to a beautiful,
leading centre for the study of History of Art, spacious, and purpose-built educational facility at
Conservation and Curating. Our vision is to Vernon Square. Further information on Courtauld
WELCOME
open minds to the power of art as central to Connects and Vernon Square can be found
the human experience. throughout this prospectus.
The Courtauld is unique. It brings together Through its global network of 7,500 alumni,
exceptional teaching and research in the history and The Courtauld generates an evolving community of
conservation of art and an outstanding art collection. specialists who shape the international art world and
W E L C O M E | U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E C T U S
W E L C O M E | U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E C T U S
It has an unmatched concentration of specialisms beyond. They include the Directors of the National
from antiquity to the present. Our small class sizes Gallery, National Portrait Gallery and Tate Modern in
create an intimate experience where you will develop London. All students are automatically a part of this
knowledge, friends and contacts for life. We pride community, as soon as they come to The Courtauld.
ourselves on offering a truly memorable learning
experience which will stay with you always. You can I hope you will join our unique and friendly
immerse yourself in this fascinating subject among community of students and scholars, passionate
like-minded students and scholars. about Art History and committed to the very
highest levels of achievement. We look forward
Our teaching places a strong emphasis on critical to welcoming you.
analysis and historical inquiry so our students develop
excellent skills for careers in either the art world or
beyond. Our academic staff are the leaders in their
fields of research and publication. Their passion and
commitment to their disciplines enriches the student
experience by bringing current research and debates
into classroom discussion. P R O F E S S O R D E B O R A H S WA L L O W,
M Ä R I T R AU S I N G D I R E C T O R
The Courtauld is at a moment of great change and
excitement at present, with our major, multi-million-
pound transformation project Courtauld Connects
in full swing. The project will significantly improve
teaching and learning, conservation and Gallery
facilities, enabling deeper connections between
curating, teaching and research.
2 3
W E L C O M E | U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E C T U S
4
5
W E L C O M E | U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E C T U S
A SMALL , WORLD -
LE ADING INS TITUTE
THAT PL ACES
S TUDENT S AT THE
ABOUT HE AR T OF IT S
TE ACHING AND
A B O U T U S | U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E C T U S
A B O U T U S | U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E C T U S
US RESE ARCH
T
he Courtauld Institute of Art is a small, At Vernon Square we are in easy walking distance of digital presence. A key part of the project is the In February 2019, a landmark exhibition was also
friendly, specialist centre for the study of all the capital’s major museums, galleries and libraries. major refurbishment of The Courtauld’s magnificent launched at the Foundation Louis Vuitton in Paris
Art History, Conservation and Curating. It With about 500 students taking degrees from BA buildings in the North Block of Somerset House. and a tour of the collection to Japan will begin in
is an independent college of the University to PhD, you will meet students from all courses We are working with Stirling Prize winning architects September 2019.
of London and was founded in 1932 as the and years. Teaching is led by a faculty of around 35 Witherford Watson Mann to carefully restore
UK’s first university department devoted to the study academics, the largest dedicated Art History faculty our important Grade I listed building, as well as The second phase, commencing in 2021, will
of art, by Samuel Courtauld, Viscount Lee of Fareham in the UK. We have a very lively research culture, transform the experience of The Courtauld for our transform our Somerset House teaching and research
and Sir Robert Witt. attracting some of the leading figures in Art History students and the public through improved access facilities, develop our curriculum and enhance our
from around the world, who give lectures and and re-awakening of some of the beautiful spaces student experience. This phase is expected to be
Over the past 85 years, it has developed as the seminars at The Courtauld, which we encourage all throughout the building. completed by 2022/2023.
leading Art History department in the country, our students to attend.
attracting the best students, teachers and The first phase of the project, which commenced in For further detail on our regional and international
researchers. The Courtauld was originally located CO U R TAU L D CO N N E C T S September 2018, will finish while you are a student touring programmes, please visit
in Portman Square, Marylebone. In 1989 we moved with us. This will give you the chance to see and study connects.courtauld.ac.uk
to Somerset House, Strand, and since January 2019, Courtauld Connects is a major, multi-million pound our outstanding art collection when it reopens in
we have been in our new temporary home at Vernon transformation project – the biggest development the Fine Rooms of Somerset House, originally built
Square, King’s Cross, where we will remain until programme since The Courtauld moved to Somerset for the Royal Academy and other learned Societies
2022/23. This move marked the start of our exciting House in 1989. This visionary project, supported in the eighteenth century. While the work goes on,
transformational Courtauld Connects project that by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, will enable key parts of the collection will remain on display
you can read more about below. The Courtauld significantly to improve teaching and at the National Gallery in London and at regional
research facilities, enhance the Gallery and widen and galleries and museums across the UK. The Prints and
extend our reach locally, nationally and internationally. Drawings Study Room has been relocated to Vernon
With a refurbished home, we will be better suited to Square, and is actively used in teaching.
host new audiences, create partnerships with other
key institutions around the world, and enhance our
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A B O U T U S | U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E C T U S
A B O U T U S | U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E C T U S
T H E CO U R TAU L D I N S T I T U T E O F A R T &
V E R N O N S Q UA R E C A M P U S OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD K E Y N E A R BY L O C AT I O N S
Since January 2019, teaching and learning, including King’s Cross is home to one of the biggest and most Campus
our faculty staff and book library, has been housed in exciting redevelopment projects in London. It is a Museums and Galleries
1. The Courtauld at Vernon Square 11. The British Library
a spacious, purpose-built educational facility at Vernon vibrant part of the city with the likes of Google HQ,
Square, located in King’s Cross, London. We are UAL Central Saint Martins campus, and many new 2. The Courtauld Gallery and Somerset House 12. The British Museum
located a 5-minute walk from King’s Cross Station in homes, shops, offices, galleries, bars, restaurants 13. The Brunei Gallery (SOAS)
a dynamic and vibrant part of London, near world-class and schools moving into the area. We are also close
University of London and nearby Institutions 14. The Cartoon Museum
research and cultural facilities including the British to Regent’s Canal, a charming waterway which runs
Library and The University of London Senate House. through the heart of King’s Cross. The location has 3. Senate House, University of London Library 15. Charles Dickens Museum
excellent transport links throughout London via buses 4. Student Central – formerly University of London 16. The Foundling Museum
At Vernon Square we offer outstanding facilities and tubes (including the 24-hour night tube on the Union 17. Hunterian Museum at the Royal College
and an excellent student experience and learning Victoria Line). You can even go directly into central of Surgeons
5. UAL Central St Martins Campus
environment, with state of the art lecture theatres and Paris using the Eurostar at St Pancras International 18. The Library and Museum of Freemasonry
seminar rooms, as well as digital resources and our train station, which is only a short walk away from 6. UCL Main Campus
19. London Transport Museum
library with more than two kilometres of books. the campus.
20. Sir John Soane’s Museum
Our campus at Vernon Square means that we are Accommodation 21. UCL Museums: Art, Grant and Petrie Museums
within walking distance of 13 extraordinary museums, 7. Duchy House and Geology Collections
including some of the world’s biggest museums and 8. Connaught Hall 22. Wellcome Collection
collections: the British Library, the British Museum 9. College Hall 23. The National Gallery
and The National Gallery. There are also lesser known
gems, such as the Foundling Museum – the first public 10. International Hall 24. National Portrait Gallery
art gallery in London – and the Wellcome Collection.
There is a strong sense of community in King’s Cross,
with an exciting cultural scene and a thriving business
community. It is modern, innovative, and a great
location for our students and academics to study
and thrive.
8 9
WHY
STUDY
AR T
HISTORY
A
W H Y S T U DY | U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E C T U S
W H Y S T U DY | U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E C T U S
rt History is a dynamic and lively
subject. It combines the rigour of a
history degree with visual skills and
the ability to look at and interpret
works of art. It will help you develop
critical skills in how to look, to think and to present
your ideas succinctly and persuasively that are
essential in today’s job market. You will learn to
analyse the role art plays in shaping society. Art
history will introduce you both to some of the
canonical ‘great’ art works of the past, but also
to different cultures, unfamiliar artworks and
new ideas. If you enjoy reading history, studying
literature or languages, or have studied maths or W H Y S T U DY AT T H E CO U R TAU L D
sciences, and are passionate and curious about
the visual world around you, then Art History is As an institute dedicated to Art History,
the subject for you. Conservation and Curating, with one of the major
art collections in the UK at its heart, The Courtauld
brings together all aspects of the visual world in one
centre. We have the largest faculty of art historians
in the country, who are working on an increasingly
global scale, from the Americas to Europe, from
North Africa and the Middle East to Iran to China.
We are interested in studying how the arts of all
these regions interact and intertwine. Our size
means that we have expertise across all periods
from the Late Antique World to the contemporary,
but we are still small enough that we can all come
together as a community. We study, research and
teach about art in all forms and all media, from the
smallest, most personal painting or object to the
design and evolution of whole cities; from medieval
cathedrals, mosques and temples, to modern
fashion, photography and performance art.
10 11
Teaching extends across diverse periods and cultures,
from Byzantium to the early modern Islamic world,
and from Renaissance Europe to contemporary China.
COURSE
INFORMATION
C O U R S E I N F O R M AT I O N | U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E C T U S
C O U R S E I N F O R M AT I O N | U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E C T U S
B A (H O N S) H I S T O RY O F A R T
Our BA degree builds up a strong understanding of Topic Courses: In Autumn and Spring terms, you art historical vocabulary (these courses run in French the first two years of their programme to work with a
Art History over its three years. It encourages you to will also join a Topic Course, which focuses on the or Italian) or from a wider selection of general broad range of object types, periods, and cultures.
study works of art at first hand, and to understand firsthand study of art in London, making the most of language courses, which normally includes, for
them in the light of the latest critical approaches and the world class works in museums and galleries that example, Spanish, Russian, Arabic and Mandarin. The Constellation seminars in the Autumn term
ideas. All our teachers are researchers at the cutting surround us. The courses are taught in groups of eight normally study a series of objects that are closely
edge of their areas of specialism and they bring their to ten students. The specific Topic Courses offered related to the lectures; Spring term seminars normally
knowledge, discoveries and ideas to discuss with you change from year to year; an indicative list based on YEAR 2 focus on the analysis of pertinent texts. The specific
in their seminars and lectures. those which ran in 2018–19 included, among others: Constellation courses change from year to year.
The second year introduces more specialised An indicative list based on the courses which ran in
UCAS code: V350 • The Pursuit of Leisure in the Middle Ages. investigation, enabling you to develop critical 2018–19, included, among others:
Delivery: full-time only • The Arts of Spanish Iberia, 1330–1550. thinking and extend your detailed knowledge
Duration: three years (Sept–June) • Taking Shape: Italian Renaissance Altarpieces of art historical periods. • Image Making and the Medieval Imagination: Gothic
Intake: circa 90 students in London Collections. Art in Northern Europe, c.1200–1500 (lectures); Case
• Hogarth in London. Autumn and Spring terms: Throughout both Studies in Gothic Art: Intention and Reception (seminars).
As a specialist institution, The Courtauld Institute • Looking at the Overlooked: An Introduction terms, you will follow a course called ‘Frameworks • From Shiraz to Beijing: Persian Arts in the Global
of Art offers a single degree programme at to Early Modern Still Life. for Interpretation’, which examines the ways in which Fifteenth Century (lectures); A Taste for the Wondrous
undergraduate level – a BA in History of Art. The size • Seventeenth-Century Prints and Drawings in our understanding of the History of Art has been in Fifteenth-Century Persian Arts (seminars).
of our faculty means we are able to offer teaching London Collections. shaped by the different approaches applied to it. • Questioning the Italian Renaissance: Art in Italy
across an unrivalled breadth of periods and cultures, • Avant-Gardes and Neo-Avant-Gardes. The Frameworks lectures are delivered every two from 1470 to 1527 (lectures); Renaissance Art Theory
from Byzantium to the Early Modern Islamic World, • Beyond Black: Contemporary Art in Britain Now. weeks, with alternate weeks devoted to discussions (seminars).
and from Renaissance Europe to Contemporary China. • Sensory Encounters with Dress and Textiles. in seminar groups of about 15 students each, which • Competing Ventures, Contested Visions:
work through the issues raised by the lecturers and Constructing European Empires in the Early Modern
Language course: We strongly believe in the by the accompanying readings. World (lectures); Art and Imperialism (seminars).
YEAR 1 importance of offering you the chance to learn or • The Modern Interior (lectures); Consuming the
improve a foreign language. It gives you insights into Constellation I and II: In each term, you will take Modern Object (seminars).
Foundations: The first year provides a broad a different culture, it helps connect you with other one of our Constellation courses, each of which • Mapping Contemporary Asian Art (lectures);
coverage of the History of Art. A Foundations course, people, and it gives you access to new literature and consists of two components: a series of twice- Asian Art Histories (seminars).
dealing with major themes and issues from antiquity ways of thinking. It is also increasingly important as weekly lectures on a broad theme and/or period
to the present day across the globe, runs throughout a way to stand out in the job market. You will follow in the History of Art, and an accompanying weekly Summer Term: The final element of the second-year
the year. It is made up of regular lectures throughout a year-long language course, taught in the Language seminar class with a maximum of 15 students. You curriculum is a 4,000-word assessed essay, which allows
the year, supported by discussion classes of about 15 Centre at the London School of Economics, based will choose your courses in order of preference, you to develop interests arising directly from your
students which help you to build up your confidence in Aldwych. You may choose a course tailored to the and we will accommodate your choice wherever courses, with guidance from one of your teachers.
in looking, thinking and writing about Art History. specific needs of Courtauld students as they include possible, keeping in mind that we ask students in
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YEAR 3
C O U R S E I N F O R M AT I O N | U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E C T U S
C O U R S E I N F O R M AT I O N | U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E C T U S
Autumn and Spring terms: The third year of • East and West at the Time of the Crusades.
the BA enables you to explore specialised topics • Inventing Michelangelo: Disegno, Painting,
in depth, and helps you to find your own critical Sculpture and the Myth of the Artist.
voice as an art historian. • English Baroque Architecture.
• Mughal Painting 1555–1748.
Throughout both terms, you will take ‘Lessons • Reassembling Modernism: Artists’ Networks in
in Critical Interpretation’, a course designed Europe 1909–1960.
to build on the introduction to art historical • Beyond Painting and Sculpture: Happenings and
methodologies provided by Frameworks in year Performance through the Twentieth Century.
two. Every second week, a lecturer examines a • Fashion and Photography: Viewing and Reviewing
single or set of objects, and their interpretation, Global Images of Dress.
in two focused classes. In alternate weeks you
will meet in groups of 12-15 students to consider Summer Term: The final year ends with a 5,000-
the issues raised by the lecturers, and place word assessed essay, which gives you a further
these within a broader context, established by opportunity to develop your research and
the assigned reading. You will also develop your communication skills, now on any subject which
communication skills through preparing a lecture interests you, provided that appropriate academic
of your own about an object of your choice. guidance is available.
Special Option courses: During your final year, For more detailed and up-to-date course
you will also meet twice a week in a Special Option information for the next academic year, please visit:
seminar course, one in the autumn, and one in
the spring term. You choose your options in order www.courtauld.ac.uk/ba
of preference from a selection of about eight
each term, and we will accommodate your choice
wherever possible, keeping in mind that class sizes
will not exceed 10 students. These courses are
designed to engage with materials and methods
at an advanced level, and to equip students for
further study or for a broad range of careers. Year
three Special Options are directly shaped by the
tutor’s research and partly for that reason, they
change from year to year. An indicative list based
on the courses which ran in 2016–17 and 2017–18,
for example, included, among others:
14 15
The Courtauld is committed to admitting students
with the best ability and potential, regardless of their
educational background or financial resources
WITH AROUND 50 0
S TUDENT S TAK ING
FEES DEGREES FROM BA TO
AND PHD, YOU WILL MEE T
S TUDENT S FROM ALL
FUNDING COURSES AND Y E ARS.
F E E S A N D F U N D I N G | U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E T C U S
F E E S A N D F U N D I N G | U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E C T U S
H OW M U C H W I L L I T CO S T ? STUDENT FINANCE CO U R TAU L D B U R S A R I E S
The information below relates to students who started For information on student loans to cover tuition We are committed to offering financial support to Ireland, Student Awards Agency for Scotland and
the programme in 2019/20. For up-to-date information fees and living costs, visit gov.uk/student-finance. students to study at The Courtauld who come from Student Finance Wales. Therefore, only Home
about fees, please check our website: Please note, for students to be eligible for Student under-represented groups in higher education. students who have applied for Student Loans are
courtauld.ac.uk/study/fees-and-funding Loans financed by Student Finance England, they The Courtauld Bursary provides financial support on eligible for The Courtauld Bursary scheme. When
must be studying on an eligible course at a provider a sliding scale for Home undergraduates registered applying for government funding, both you and
UK/EU students: £9,250 per annum. registered with the Office for Students (OfS). as students at The Courtauld Institute of Art who your parents/guardians must consent to sharing the
The OfS is the new independent regulator for meet certain criteria. financial information you provide on your Student
Non-EU International students: £19,500 per annum. higher education in England. For information on Loan application. This will allow us to access your
Tuition fees will be frozen for the duration of the Register and details about the OfS, please visit The Courtauld Bursary: information and determine your eligibility for
the programme. www.officeforstudents.org.uk • Is available each year of your studies as long as The Courtauld Bursary.
your parents/guardians annual household income
Students from Scotland, Northern Ireland and remains under £42,620. In addition, the following markers are also considered:
Wales: Students ordinarily resident in Scotland, • May be revised each year if there are changes to
Northern Ireland and Wales will be provided your parents/guardians household income. • State school or college educated.
for in different ways by the relevant devolved • Does not distinguish between students living • Students whose parents have not
administrations. at home and those living away from home. attended university.
• Resident in a neighbourhood which has a low
For the most up to date guidance, you can visit: The Courtauld Bursary is not available for: Higher Education participation rate.
• Repeat years of study. • In receipt of Disability Support Allowance.
• Scotland: saas.gov.uk • Postgraduate study or research.
• Northern Ireland: studentfinanceni.co.uk • Overseas students. There is no formal application procedure and no
• Wales: studentfinancewales.co.uk • EU students. separate application form for The Courtauld Bursary.
Your eligibility for The Courtauld Bursary will be
Eligibility: assessed in the first few weeks of the first term of
The key criterion for assessing how The Courtauld the academic year, as long as you have applied
Bursaries are awarded is based on parents/ for a Student Loan. In subsequent years, you will
guardians household income assessments done by be reassessed at the start of the academic year to
relevant government funding bodies, i.e. Student ensure that you still meet the eligibility criteria for
Finance England, Student Finance Northern The Courtauld Bursary.
16 17ENTRY
REQUIREMENTS
E N T R Y R E Q U I R E M E N T S | U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E C T U S
E N T R Y R E Q U I R E M E N T S | U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E C T U S
O
ur Art History degree is open to all Scottish Highers: AAAAB or AAABB, usually results should be sent to Student and Academic
with a curiosity for the role art plays supplemented by two or more Advanced Highers. Services if they are not reported to UCAS.
in the world around us. You don’t Offers made to candidates on the basis of the A list of equivalent entry requirements for EU and
need to have studied Art History at Advanced Higher subjects are likely to be set at Overseas students can be found on our website:
school to apply. While the following AA for two subjects, and AAB for three subjects.
describes the standard entry requirements, please www.courtauld.ac.uk/ba-entry-requirements
note that these are flexible subject to applicants’ Welsh Baccalaureate: Advanced Diploma with two
personal circumstances. A grades at A-Level alongside the Core Certificate
at Level 3. English proficiency: International students wishing
You will be assessed on your academic potential to apply to The Courtauld, and whose first language
as much as achievement. Your personal statement International Baccalaureate (IB): A minimum 35 is not English must be able to demonstrate their
should demonstrate your interest in Art History and points overall. We typically look for a score of at least competence in English in order to benefit fully
an appreciation of visual culture. 6 in Group 1 (Language A1), Group 3 (Individuals and from their course of study. Non-EEA nationals must
Societies) and Group 6 (Arts), though consider the also satisfy the UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI)
We warmly encourage students of all backgrounds overall score more important than individual subjects. requirements for English language before The
to apply to the Institute. If you are applying as a Courtauld can issue a Confirmation of Acceptance
candidate from socio-economic groups that are European Baccalaureate: 80% overall. for Studies (CAS) for visa purposes. Government
under-represented in Higher Education, we are able guidance on English language test providers is
to make you a lower offer than our typical entry Cambridge Pre-U: D3, D3, M2 in three subject to change, so visit courtauld.ac.uk/study/
requirement. Cambridge Pre-U Principal Subjects. english-language-requirements for the most up-to-
date information.
A-levels: Grades AAA-ABB (excluding General BTEC: DDM. Access: Access to Humanities Diploma
Studies). Admissions tutors are flexible on subjects at Level 3 with 39 Level 3 credits from units awarded Selection: Application for admission to the BA
studied, however where a student is completing at Distinction, with the remaining credits at Merit. (Hons) History of Art programme should be made
two A-Levels in practical art subjects, a fourth through UCAS. Applicants currently at school or
A-Level in a core subject is preferred. Mature students: We welcome applications from college will be provided with advice on the process.
mature candidates (i.e. at least 21 years old at the Applicants who have left school or who are based
International A-levels: Typically accepted on time of application). outside the UK are able to obtain information directly
a grade-per-grade basis. from UCAS (ucas.com). The Courtauld Institute of
International students: The Courtauld has a long Art’s UCAS code is C80.
GCSE: Grade A-C in a European language tradition of welcoming international students.
is desirable but not required. International applicants are required to apply through
the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service
(UCAS) and a transcript of final secondary school
18 19U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E C T U S
20
21
U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E C T U S“FROM COURSES
COVERING THE GLOBAL STUDENT
CONTEMPOR ARY TO 17TH STORY:
CENTURY GR APHIC SATIRE ,
M Y THREE Y E ARS AT
ANJA
THE COUR TAULD HAVE
T
ALLOWED ME TO
S T U D E N T S T O R Y | U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E C T U S
S T U D E N T S T O R Y | U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E C T U S
he Courtauld has offered me a full and
well-rounded education, letting me
UNDERS TAND A R ANGE experience a range of courses and helping
me to understand what I truly enjoy. From
OF TOPIC S ACROSS courses covering the Global Contemporary
to 17th Century Graphic Satire, my three years at The
AR T HIS TORY” Courtauld have allowed me to understand a range of
topics across Art History, helping me to narrow down
my personal interests. I have discovered time periods
and objects that I did not expect to study when entering
my first year, and would never have guessed that my
final Assessed Essay would cover a 14th century Italian
ostensory, used in Christian ritual. As someone who did
not study Art History prior to beginning my first year
at The Courtauld, I can confidently say that the courses
here are not intimidating to newcomers, but still remain
challenging to those who already have a foundational
understanding of the subject.
Extracurricular activities such as writing and editing
for The Courtauldian, the student publication, helped
me to make close friends at The Courtauld and gain
experience at the same time. I have also enjoyed smaller
social events held by the Student Union, such as pub
quizzes and hand-in parties. Research Forum events
help students to get to know the staff and broaden their
research interests, and there are a number of lectures that
I have attended that have sparked interests I didn’t realise
I had. I also attended Masters and PhD presentations at
The Courtauld, giving an insight into what it would be
like to continue in an academic environment.
22 23STUDENT “ WHEN S TUDY ING
THE HIS TORY OF AR T,
STORY: THE ADVANTAGES OF
BEING ABLE TO SEE
MORGAN GRE AT WORK S ON
YOUR DOORS TEP ARE
F
or me, the primary benefits of studying at
The Courtauld are the opportunities offered
by being in the middle of one of the world’s
IMME A SUR ABLE”
S T U D E N T S T O R Y | U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E C T U S
S T U D E N T S T O R Y | U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E C T U S
cultural centres. When studying the History
of Art, the advantages of being able to see
great works on your doorstep are immeasurable – I
can’t imagine doing it another way. With its collection
of world-class galleries and museums, London allows
you to see art from around the world through a vibrant
programme of exhibitions and shows throughout the
year. But London offers so much more for a student
than just galleries and museums. Great institutions like
the British Library and the University of London’s own
Senate House Library allow you access to some of the
best research resources in the country.
Outside academic work, there is always something
interesting and exciting happening in London. No matter
your interests there will be something for you, from the
London Jazz Festival to the Lord Mayor’s Show, the
BFI Film Festival to the Royal Opera House. The city is
home to hundreds of different musical venues offering
world-class performances of every genre and type. Even
just walking the city itself can be entertainment enough,
from its winding Victorian passages and grand Georgian
streets to the enchanting medieval corners seemingly
untouched by the advancing years – to explore London is
to explore history. And, if you want to escape the urban
sprawl, London has excellent transport connections to
help you escape to green spaces, whether that’s as nearby
as Hampstead Heath and Richmond Park or further
afield like Brighton or St Albans.
Studying in London is an education in itself.
24 25THE
COLLEC TION
T
he Courtauld Gallery collection stretches Masterpieces of Impressionism:
from the early Renaissance to the The Courtauld Collection
THE
twentieth century and beyond, and A major touring exhibition of 50 works from the
contains unrivalled Impressionist and collection will travel to Japan. This touring exhibition
Post-impressionist paintings, including has been developed in collaboration with the
T H E R E S E A R C H F O R U M | U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E C T U S
masterpieces by Manet, Van Gogh, Gauguin, and newspaper and media group Asahi Shimbun.
RESE ARCH
Cézanne. During the Courtauld Connects project, • Metropolitan Art Museum, Tokyo
T H E C O L L E C T I O N | U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E C U S
The Courtauld Gallery in Somerset House is currently 10 September–15 December 2019
closed for major transformation and will reopen in • Aichi Prefectural Museum, Nagoya
Spring 2021. 3 January–15 March 2020
FORUM
• Kobe City Museum
The Courtauld is committed to ensuring as much 28 March–21 June 2020
of our collection as possible remains on public view
during the transformation. We have partnerships Illuminating Objects
both nationally and internationally to provide unique The Science Museum London
opportunities for more audiences to engage with June 2019– Early 2021
T
our collection.
he Research Forum offers an extensive We hold around 4 events per week, which largely Precious and Rare:
programme of fellowships, lectures, consist of research seminars for individual specialist Our collection can be seen at the following Islamic Metalwork from The Courtauld
conferences, workshops and seminars sections and groups, and lecture series catering for partner institutions: • Royal Cornwall Museum, Truro
supporting advanced inquiry in History a wider public analysing interdisciplinary topics. 27 September 2019–12 January 2020
of Art, Conservation and Curating. We annually hold the Frank Davis Lecture Series, Courtauld Collection: • Cartwright Hall Art Gallery, Bradford
and the Spring Series. Last year’s Frank Davis A Vision for Impressionism 18 January–10 May 2020
We hold around 150 events per year, from research was called ‘Art History: De-centred/Re-centred’. Fondation Louis Vuitton, Paris • Holburne Museum, Bath
group seminars to activities involving visiting scholars For this, four international scholars are invited to 20 February–17 June 2019 20 May– 6 September 2020
from around the world. In addition, we also run the share research that addressed visual and material • Museum of the History of Science,
Open Courtauld programme, which embraces a wide witnesses to colonialism, migration, and indignity. The Courtauld at the National Gallery University of Oxford
and diverse audience. The National Gallery, London 11 September 2020 –3 January 2021
In the coming year we are excited to be introducing 27 March 2019–19 April 2020
Open Courtauld’s flagship event is RES|FEST, an new cross-sectional clusters which include groups A significant number of works from The Courtauld Works from The Courtauld
evening festival celebrating why Art History matters such as Courtauld Asia, and Gender and Sexuality. Gallery Collection will be on show at the National Herbert Art Gallery and Museum, Coventry
to all of us. Activity on the night includes pop-up talks Gallery in a dedicated room and throughout the Autumn 2019– January 2020
from leading art world figures, poetry performances We post details and recordings of our events online, permanent displays.
and craft classes. The festival has also travelled and so be sure to follow us on social media at Works from The Courtauld
connected with institutions beyond The Courtauld, @CourtauldRes or visit courtauld.ac.uk/research/ Braintree Museum, Essex
last year taking over the Belfast Ulster Museum. research-forum February 2020 – May 2020
Impressionist Prints from The Courtauld
Royal Holloway, University London – Exhibition
January– March 2020
26 27T H E C O L L E C T I O N | U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E C U S
T H E C O L L E C T I O N | U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E C U S
Edouard Manet (1832–1883)
A Bar at the Folies-Bergère, 1882,
The Courtauld Gallery, London
Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472–1553)
Adam and Eve, 1526,
The Courtauld Gallery, London
Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890)
Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear, 1889,
The Courtauld Gallery, London
Detail: Bag, Northern Iraq, 300–1300,
Brass, inlaid with gold and silver,
The Courtauld Gallery, London
28 29T H E CO U R TAU L D B O O K L I B R A RY D I G I TA L R E S O U R C E S
Students have access to a significant collection of The Courtauld’s ‘eMuseum’ contains more than
some 200,000 books, exhibition catalogues and 130,000 images covering painting, sculpture
journals, focussed on Art History and related subjects. and architecture to illuminated manuscripts,
The library has been based at Vernon Square as of prints and decorative arts. The Courtauld’s Art
January 2019 and will remain there throughout the and Architecture website features The Courtauld
Courtauld Connects refurbishment project. The library Gallery’s complete collections of paintings and
includes individual study spaces as well as areas for drawings, and over 40,000 images of world
collaborative work and also contains computers, architecture and sculpture from our Conway
scanners and printers. Students have access to Photographic Library. A programme to digitise
numerous electronic resources to help their studies, the collections in their entirety is underway.
including electronic journals, databases and e-books.
Librarians are available to answer enquiries, help
S T U D E N T R E S O U R C E S | U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E C T U S
S T U D E N T R E S O U R C E S | U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E C U S
students to find library resources, teach students how AC A D E M I C S U PP O R T
to use library databases, and offer guidance about
referencing. Courtauld students also have access to the All students are allocated a Personal Tutor to assist
printed collections and electronic resources of Senate them throughout their degree, and who usually
House Library, the library of the University of London. provides the first point of contact for academic
and personal issues. Students also have access to
an Academic Support Tutor who can help with time
STUDENT
PR I N T S A N D D R AW I N G S S T U DY R O O M management, research skills, reading techniques
and other study skills. Further help with essay
The Courtauld Gallery houses one of the most writing is provided by two Royal Literary Fund
significant collections of works on paper in Britain, Fellows. The Fellows are published authors who
with approximately 7,000 drawings and watercolours offer students help with all aspects of writing,
RESOURCES and 26,000 prints ranging from the late Middle Ages
to the twentieth-century avant-garde. This includes
masterpieces by artists such as Dürer, Leonardo da
Vinci, Michelangelo, Rembrandt and Turner, and
and do so in a friendly and confidential fashion.
I T FAC I L I T I E S
provides coverage of major national schools and
periods. Students will continue to have access Vernon Square provides access to computers,
to the collection at Vernon Square, as well as scanning and printing facilities. Wi-Fi is available
the Study Room, which is also used for collections- across the Vernon Square and Somerset House
based teaching. sites. The Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) allows
students to access our digital image resources
and texts, participate in forum discussions for
T H E W I T T A N D CO N WAY courses, see a calendar of events, and download
PH O T O G R A PH I C L I B R A R I E S key course materials.
The Witt Library, a collection of over 2 million
photographs and reproductions of Western
paintings, drawings and engravings from c 1200 to
the present day, and the Conway Library, a collection
of photographs of world architecture, architectural
drawings, sculpture and manuscripts will both remain
open and accessible to students and the public
during phase one of Courtauld Connects from 1pm
to 5.30pm Monday to Friday (except days on which
The Courtauld is closed).
30 31The Courtauld has a dedicated Careers Consultant
to support its students’ paths into careers in the art world
and beyond, and offers unique opportunities to
develop your skills and experience.
C AREERS
T H E CO U R TAU L D C A R E E R S
C A R E E R PR O S PE C T S PR O G R A M M E
A
degree in Art History makes you highly The Courtauld has a dedicated Careers Consultant The Courtauld Careers Programme is a outside of the arts. The Courtauld Association is
employable, and opens paths to to support its students’ paths into careers in the art comprehensive careers education programme membership organisation for all current and former
careers in all sectors of the economy, world and beyond, and offers unique opportunities to designed to help students to explore their career staff, students and alumni. The Courtauld also has
not just the arts. As a Humanities develop your skills and experience. The Courtauld’s options, receive practical tips from and network various opportunities internally, such as assisting in
C A R E E R S | U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E C U S
C A R E E R S | U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E C U S
subject, it gives you skills in critical graduates continue to fill prestigious positions around with alumni and employers, and develop their the Prints and Drawings Study Room and providing
thinking and writing, and the ability to express the world as: employability skills. The programme consists of general services in the libraries. In addition, a
yourself succinctly and persuasively. Uniquely, a wide variety of events, including: carefully selected listing from the University of
however, it also gives you the ability to understand • Art Historians London’s jobs board is posted on the each week
the visual world around you and the ways in which • Curators • Panel sessions led by alumni in a range of careers. which offers a range of vacancies across various
images, buildings and objects have an effect on • Heads of major Museums and Galleries • Talks by recruitment and careers professionals. industries. The careers service provides support
society. This has a strong vocational element, • Art Dealers and Auction House experts. • Employability skills workshops on a range of and guidance in finding and applying for work
particularly if you are interested in a career in the arts. • Lawyers topics, including career management, interview experience opportunities, using all or any of these
• Entrepreneurs techniques and networking. and other sources.
• Publishers
TR ANSFER ABLE SKILLS • Media professionals All current students are encouraged to attend
• Teachers the events which benefit them most. Those who T H E CO U R TAU L D S T U D E N T
The BA programme is designed to produce • Banking and Finance demonstrate commitment to their personal and AMBASSADOR SCHEME
graduates with highly transferable skills, which • Business professional development by either attending five
prepare them for a wide range of employment • Marketing and Communications. one-to-one careers guidance appointments/ five The Student Ambassador scheme is looked after
opportunities, or further academic study. Our careers events or through a combination of one-to- by The Courtauld’s Public Programmes
graduates are not only equipped with a detailed one sessions and careers events are invited to an department, which runs public events and
knowledge and understanding of the History of Art, I N D I V I D UA L C A R E E R S S U PP O R T exclusive alumni networking event. This gives them opportunities for adults, young people and schools.
but they also learn how to: the opportunity to meet a wide range of alumni Our Public Programmes are aimed at connecting
All students can access bespoke, one-to-one careers and build valuable professional contacts. Each year, new and diverse audiences to The Courtauld and
• Analyse visual imagery and articulate sophisticated guidance throughout their studies. The Courtauld students are able to secure work opportunities the Collection, and Student Ambassadors can get
arguments in formal writing. careers service offers advice and support on through attending this event. involved through outreach programmes in schools,
• Read critically and economically. exploring career and further study options, finding events for teachers, full-day workshops for young
• Assimilate complex material. internships, enhancing employability, understanding people, and our week-long Summer University.
• Formulate and express a broad range of and navigating the jobs and self-employment market, WO R K E X PE R I E N C E By taking part, Ambassadors will gain valuable
different ideas. and making successful applications. The Courtauld’s skills, develop their professional practice, and help
• Present research to a varied audience. Careers Consultant also offers a tailored interview Many students work part-time to gain valuable to promote Art History as a subject and the work of
• Develop independent research skills. practice service, with detailed feedback, enabling work experience and supplement their income. The Courtauld more widely.
• Experience collaborative work in groups. students to prepare effectively for interviews. They may also embark on full-time internships
during the holiday periods. Some find jobs in
Galleries, Museums, Auction Houses and other
arts institutions to complement their studies,
while others gain internships to explore sectors
32 33ALUMNI MEET
OUR ALUMNI
T
he Courtauld is small but mighty – and C A R E E R S S U PP O R T NICHOL AS CULLINAN
our alumni are testament to that. Our (B A 2 0 02 , M A 2 0 0 3 , PH D 2 010)
graduates have gone on to have a We offer a careers and professional support service to
tremendous impact not only in the art all of our graduates for up to two years after graduating, Nicholas Cullinan is an art historian, curator
world but also in politics, law, journalism and all alumni can make regular use of our active and current Director of the National Portrait
and media, technology, marketing, finance and in jobs board on the alumni website. Many of these job Gallery, London. He completed his BA, MA and
many other areas. Many of these ground-breaking opportunities are offered exclusively to Courtauld PhD at The Courtauld. During his student days
alumni have attributed their development, and alumni, from prestigious institutions. Our alumni are Nicholas worked as a visitor services assistant at
the cultivation of their interests, to their time at always eager to help current students by participating the National Portrait Gallery, little knowing that
A L U M N I | U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E C U S
A L U M N I | U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E C U S
The Courtauld. in The Courtauld Institute Careers Programme. Each he would later become its director, aged just
year, a large number of alumni contribute their time 37. Nicholas has been responsible for leading a
to careers panel discussions and networking events £35.5m transformation of the gallery, with the
S TAY I N G CO N N E C T E D for our students. aim of making it “more relevant, more open and
more accessible.”
One factor that makes The Courtauld unique is
the close connection that we are able to maintain D I D YO U K N OW ? Prior to taking the helm at the National Portrait
with alumni. After graduating, our students B E T H G R E E N AC R E Gallery, Nicholas worked in some of the most
automatically join the active and highly-engaged We are constantly celebrating alumni success stories (B A 19 97) prestigious museums and galleries in the world,
alumni community. We have alumni in 83 countries – here are just three examples of inspiring BA alumni including the Guggenheim museums in Bilbao,
across the world and we are continuously expanding achievements from the past year: Beth Greenacre is a leading force in the British New York and Venice and curatorial roles at Tate
our international groups. contemporary art world. A curator and art consultant Modern and The Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Nancy Ireson (BA 1999, MA 2000, PhD 2007) curated specialising in Modern British and International in New York.
Our alumni receive regular communications through the blockbuster exhibition Picasso 1932: Love, Fame, Contemporary art, early in her career she worked
our monthly alumni e-newsletter, annual Courtauld Tragedy at Tate Modern. as David Bowie’s art consultant. Bowie’s collection
News publication and through our social media included works by Frank Auerbach, Peter Lanyon and
community. We are also currently in the process of • Author Max Porter (BA 2003) had his award-winning Graham Sutherland. Together with Bowie she curated
creating an exciting new alumni website, which will novel, Grief is the Thing with Feathers, transformed several exhibitions and also launched and directed
provide a central hub for alumni news, forthcoming into a play at the Barbican Theatre, starring actor Bowie Art, a ground-breaking online platform for
events, digital content, career support and inspiring Cillian Murphy as the lead. supporting young artists and promoting their careers.
alumni stories. In 2005 Greenacre established an independent
• Tech entrepreneur Alex Moss (BA 2014) won numerous gallery, ROKEBY, with the same aims. After Bowie’s
awards (including Women in Technology ‘Startup death in 2016, Greenacre oversaw a series of
EVENTS Entrepreneur of the Year’) for her ground-breaking worldwide exhibitions of works from his collection,
medical earpiece device used by NASA in space travel. attracting almost 60,000 visitors, before overseeing
We host a wide range of alumni events in London, the final sale of Bowie’s collection at Sotheby’s.
across the UK and around the world. Our events are
attended by alumni of all ages, and range in scale Greenacre is currently curator for The AllBright, an
from our annual Summer Party to more intimate association and female members club which creates
curatorial tours and exclusive talks. opportunities for women to thrive in business.
34 35THE S TUDENT S’ A NOTE FROM THE
UNION PRESIDENT OF THE
S TUDENT S’ UNION
The Students’ Union are a student-run T H E CO U R TAU L D I A N On behalf of The Courtauld Students’ Union, I’d All Courtauld students become members of the
representative group within The Courtauld. They like to warmly welcome you and thank you for Union at their enrolment, and so can access all that
represent the student body at three levels. The The Courtauldian is the student-run publication considering studying at The Courtauld Institute the Union has to offer. This ties them not only to
largest group are the Course Representatives, of The Courtauld Institute of Art. With magazines of Art. The student experience offered by The Courtauld Student Union and our social
elected early in the Autumn Term, who bring published termly, and online content published The Courtauld is one that is truly unique, and networks, but also to those of the University of
forward the issues facing their cohort to monthly continually, the publication features articles, I am excited to be able to share it with you. London. These facilities give our students a way
S T U D E N T S ’ U N I O N | U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E C T U S
S T U D E N T S ’ U N I O N | U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E C T U S
meetings. Executive Committee members meet reviews, interviews, creative writing, and columns The Courtauld is defined not only by our to ensure that they can pursue their passions
more frequently and represent specific issues, for covering subjects from art & design, to current outstanding professors, teaching and rich by reaching out to people studying at other
example ‘Welfare’ or ‘Student Environment.’ This affairs, politics, student news, and more. research programme. Nor is it our location in the institutions in London. This year, for example, the
is all enabled by the SU President, a Courtauld heart of London, in walking distance from some University of London network has meant that our
graduate and full-time employee of the Union The Courtauldian was founded in 2012 by of the most stunning collections in the world. students acted in plays and in one case they have
whose job is to ensure students’ voices are heard undergraduate student Hannah Zafiropoulos, While all of these things are true, I believe that even directed a large production.
and that they are represented at the meetings and attracts contributions from alumni, staff, the experience of being a Courtauld student
held throughout and students at all levels of study from BA1 to is equally defined by the strong networks of If you’re interested in the Union, please consider
the Institute. PhD. It has become a much-loved fixture of life at student-led activity and support incomparable to visiting our website, www.courtauldsu.com.
The Courtauld, with each new magazine eagerly that of any other university. These stretch from Alternatively, we can always be reached at:
As well as campaigning on their behalf, the anticipated by all. To view the latest publication, before students have enrolled, through the SU- students.union@courtauld.ac.uk.
Students’ Union works to entertain our students visit courtauldian.com. enabled ‘parenting programme,’ to years after
through series of events and societies. The Union one’s graduation through our thriving alumni Having recently been an Undergraduate student at
Committee itself organises such events as the network. More than anything, it is enabled by The Courtauld myself, I understand the excitement
Freshers’ Week and the Summer Ball, however our small-size, which helps to make us a really and apprehension that applying to University can
the majority of our events come from the students tightly-knit community. entail. What I would like to say to you is that I have
themselves. Our Union is unique in only asking found The Courtauld to be not only extremely
for as few as five students to form a society for welcoming, but also engaging and exhilarating.
it to be eligible for Union funding. This is why we
can boast three times more student-run societies
than other universities of a comparable size. These B E S T,
CHARLOT TE OSBORNE
can be large projects, like our student publication
‘The Courtauldian’ and the ‘East Wing Biennial,’
a contemporary art exhibition spearheaded
by Courtauld students. Alternatively, societies
might take the form of weekly lectures, like
those organised by our ‘Business of Art Society,’
or creative self-expression as in ‘Art Society’ or
‘Sculpture Society.’
36 37ACCOMMODATION HE ALTH AND
WELLBEING
DUCHY HOUSE I N T E R CO L L E G I AT E H A L L S H E A LT H A N D W E L L B E I N G T H E G OW E R S T R E E T PR AC T I C E
Duchy House accommodates 64 undergraduate Intercollegiate Halls are mainly located within We have a dedicated Wellbeing Manager The practice is located a short walk from
and postgraduate students and is located next to walking distance of Vernon Square and most of the who provides confidential, unbiased, non- Vernon Square, offers a full range of medical
the north side of Waterloo Bridge. All rooms are rooms offered are en-suite rooms in catered halls. judgemental listening service to students and services, including a travel clinic, lifestyle clinics
single occupancy and most have en-suite facilities. signposts them to appropriate support services. and counselling services. Information is provided
There is a communal kitchen on all floors and Students who live in Intercollegiate Halls are The Wellbeing Manager is a first point of call to students at the induction week to help them
H E A LT H A N D W E L L B E I N G | U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E C T U S
access to a common room on each of the three housed with students from other University of for students who are experiencing any form with registration process. For further information
A C C O M M O D AT I O N | U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O S P E C T U S
floors. There is also a laundry room on the lower London colleges, which is a great way to meet a of personal, health, financial or welfare issues on student support and wellbeing visit:
ground floor. Free wired and wireless internet diverse community of neighbours studying a wide which may be affecting their studies. courtauld.ac.uk/student-support
access is provided within all bedrooms. range of subjects. University of London halls are
mostly catered and offer both single and shared The Wellbeing Manager also provides guidance CO U N S E L L I N G
accommodation. Laundry and some cooking for students with a disability, mental or long-
facilities are also available on-site. term health conditions. They can help students The Courtauld has professionally qualified and
apply for Disabled Students Allowance (DBA), experienced in-house counsellors, with whom
which may, for example, include the funding students can either book an appointment or
A L L O C AT I O N S P O L I C Y for a Mental Health Mentor. The Manager can attend a drop-in session. In addition, the University
also arrange for reasonable adjustments such of London offers a range of counselling and
Applications are accepted from candidates who as extra time in assessments and exams, access advice services.
have a conditional or unconditional offer only for to specialist equipment and assistive software,
a full academic year course at The Courtauld. library assistance in the form of extended
Rooms are prioritised both to those students book loans, assistance to locate and/or collect D I S A B I L I T Y S U PP O R T
who live furthest away from The Courtauld, research materials, access to course materials
and to those who are engaging in their first year in alternative formats and advocate special The Courtauld will take all reasonable steps
of study in the UK. circumstances to be considered during periods to make adjustments and provide necessary
of illness. facilities to enable any students with disabilities
to attend a course for which they have been
accepted on academic grounds.
38 39You can also read
