University of York

York

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York 2009 - History of Art

~radonoghue~

Hello! Anyone else applied here for History of Art? Where else have you applied? All the usual questions really!

Reply 1

parkergirl

Hello! I've just started HoA at York - it's fab! Good luck with the process :smile:

University of York

York

Reply 2

bella90

hey, parkergirl. what exactly do you like there? hows teaching? i got an offer from york last week, so i might see you there!)
bella
x

Reply 3

~radonoghue~

me too! yes please tell us more about it x

Reply 4

Cath0123

I've applied to York to read HoA too, no offer yet though, but no rejection either... *fingers crossed*

Reply 5

RachieBat

York were the first uni to get back to me with an offer. I love York, and both the uni and course sound wonderful, so I really hope I get the grades! I've really set my heart on going. :smile:

(Also, am I just making it up, or does HoA at York accept General Studies..? Their offer letter didn't specify the subjects I needed to get ABB in, unlike my offers from other unis.)

Reply 6

MJai

York is amazing for History of Art - I'm a last minute clearing decision (English wasn't for me afterall) and I haven't regretted it since :smile:

Reply 7

peachmelba

Hey
Coming to the end of my final year reading HoA at York. Ask if you want to know anything specific.

Reply 8

tree12

hello! I'm considering between York and UCL for HoA. Can't decide! >.< York seems like a pretty historical place, and I like that. As an international applicant I don't get a chance to visit before making a choice, unfortunately. It'll be great if someone could tell me about the lecturers, teaching, the course... anything really. Thanks in advance! =)

Reply 9

RachieBat

Hey there! I'm going to the open day for History of Art at York on Wednesday. They'll be giving out some mini lectures on the day, so I can tell you how they go, if you like. :smile:

Reply 10

MrsValensi

RachieBat

Hey there! I'm going to the open day for History of Art at York on Wednesday. They'll be giving out some mini lectures on the day, so I can tell you how they go, if you like. :smile:

Hey! i've put history/ history of art at york down as my firm!
i'm from belfast and unfortunately can't make the open day tomo.
It would be so great if you could maybe give me a brief update of how it goes afterwards?

Reply 11

RachieBat

I'd be more than happy to! :smile:

Guess I better head to bed and get a good night's sleep now...

Reply 12

peachmelba

(Also, am I just making it up, or does HoA at York accept General Studies.

Did when I applied, much to my surprise.

It'll be great if someone could tell me about the lecturers, teaching, the course... anything really

The course structure is changing a bit next year I understand. At the moment we have one module a term, which means you can study a subject in huge depth but restricts the breadth of things you can study. In future, there will be a mix of bigger and smaller modules.

Teaching is almost entirely in 3 hour seminars of 15 students, twice a week (though my module this term was only 8 people), with individual tutorials for essay feedback. You are expected to do a lot of reading for each seminar and also make presentations several times a term. History of Art is very demanding at York in terms of what they expect of undergraduate students. Most modules involve study trips, sometimes local or regional, sometimes to London and sometimes abroad. I've been lucky enough to go to Amsterdam, Florence & Venice. Flights and accommodation are paid for by the uni, but you have to pay for food, museum entrance fees, train fares and so on.

Most of the lecturers are excellent with teaching based on their own research topics, though there is the occasional duff one (probably true of every uni). York is strong on medieval, Georgian and twentieth century art and particularly architecture. This is reflected in the modules, although there is a huge number to choose from. You have to do at least one option in pre-1500, middle and later periods. First year modules are compulsory with no options.

UCL is also a very well respected HoA department and has the advantage of some of the best museums and galleries in the world in London. The city also offers a very cosmopolitan, multi-cultural, fast pace environment. York is obviously smaller, slower but great in terms of its friendliness and the way in which you can soon feel at home. York is also considerably cheaper - you can live comfortably on £6-7k a year, compared to £10-12k in London.

Good luck with your decision and exams. For those of you who have already chosen York, I can honestly say that you won't regret it. The only bad thing is how quickly the three years go.

Reply 13

tree12

peachmelba

Teaching is almost entirely in 3 hour seminars of 15 students, twice a week (though my module this term was only 8 people), with individual tutorials for essay feedback. You are expected to do a lot of reading for each seminar and also make presentations several times a term. History of Art is very demanding at York in terms of what they expect of undergraduate students. Most modules involve study trips, sometimes local or regional, sometimes to London and sometimes abroad. I've been lucky enough to go to Amsterdam, Florence & Venice. Flights and accommodation are paid for by the uni, but you have to pay for food, museum entrance fees, train fares and so on.

Most of the lecturers are excellent with teaching based on their own research topics, though there is the occasional duff one (probably true of every uni). York is strong on medieval, Georgian and twentieth century art and particularly architecture. This is reflected in the modules, although there is a huge number to choose from. You have to do at least one option in pre-1500, middle and later periods. First year modules are compulsory with no options.

UCL is also a very well respected HoA department and has the advantage of some of the best museums and galleries in the world in London. The city also offers a very cosmopolitan, multi-cultural, fast pace environment. York is obviously smaller, slower but great in terms of its friendliness and the way in which you can soon feel at home. York is also considerably cheaper - you can live comfortably on £6-7k a year, compared to £10-12k in London.

Good luck with your decision and exams. For those of you who have already chosen York, I can honestly say that you won't regret it. The only bad thing is how quickly the three years go.

Thank you so much! That was really, really helpful. Just wanted to know what are the resources (i.e. libraries) are like? Especially since we've got to do a lot of readings. Will there be enough texts to go around?

York being cheaper is definitely an attraction. Besides, a teacher of mine who had studied in York at least 20 years ago said that I wouldn't miss out that much on the galleries since London is a train ride away. I wonder if there's enough time for that though! Haha.

Reply 14

peachmelba

ust wanted to know what are the resources (i.e. libraries) are like?

There are 3 libraries you may use. the main library on campus, the library at King's Manor (a mainly jacobean building in the city centre where you may have some of your seminars) and the York Minster library (amazingly atmospheric resource for all things to do with church art and architecture). You also get a pack of readings for each seminar which contains copies of all the journal articles on the reading list. Although some books are in high demand, the library operates a key texts policy which restricts use to the library building. This means you don't have to wait 2 weeks for someone to return a book that you need for an essay due in 3 days! Oh forgot to mention the departmental slide library, which is extensive and gradually being digitised, which you will use for images for your seminar presentations.

Resources are genuinely not a problem at undergraduate level. I can see that the libraries in London could be an advantage for postgrad, depending on your research topic.

York is just under 2 hours from London by train, so it is possible to visit in a day and have plenty of time for exhibitions and so on. It's not too expensive with a railcard, although the cheaper tickets are only available at certain times. Most of my visits to London have been during vacations, unless it was a departmental study trip.

Reply 15

tree12

Phew. Was worried that I'll have to buy lotsa books to complete assignments and stuff. Haha. Have definitely worried too much on my part.

I have another question... if you don't mind. Was just wondering what are opportunities for internships/work attachments like? I was thinking that being able to gain some work experience in the museum sector etc. would be good. A really practical concern, especially since there's the economic crisis now. I worry about the prospects when I graduate, although as usual, i might be worrying too much. Haha.

I am eternally grateful, peachmelba! =) York really seems like a nice place to be at.

Reply 16

peachmelba

as just wondering what are opportunities for internships/work attachments like? I was thinking that being able to gain some work experience in the museum sector etc. would be good. A really practical concern, especially since there's the economic crisis now. I worry about the prospects when I graduate

I've done voluntary work with the Castle Museum which was good fun (presenting Victorian clothing and textiles to visitors and visitor research). Since York has more than its fair share of museums/sites, there are probably more opportunities than in many places.

You are right to be worried about long-term career prospects. The art world is notoriously hard to break into, years of unpaid volunteering, masters and phd and even then no certainty of employment and relatively poor pay. Unless you are wealthy, I think this has to be a real vocation: you couldn't possibly spend your life doing anything else.

If anything, I think prospects will get worse in the next few years. The UK public finances are in terrible shape and the debt is going to have to be paid off. Expect cuts in funding for museums, heritage and the arts. Also the bubble in art as investment has well and truly burst, so jobs with auction houses, galleries and art advisors to Russian/Chinese oligarchs are going to be thin on the ground.

The good news is that the skills from a HoA degree are transferable and you can look at other career avenues. Mind you, the prospects in most other sectors are also looking grim. But things will hopefully have improved by the time you graduate.