The Courtauld Institute of Art for BA History of Art 2022

Original post by kierachantel

Hey everyone! I got an offer from The Courtauld to study BA History of Art in 2022, I was wondering if there are any applicants thinking of going to The Courtauld? I'd love to hear from everyone

Hi,
I am ! I’m currently trying to choose between Courtauld, Edinburgh and Exeter and it’s so overwhelming so I’m not sure what to do. Is the Courtauld your top choice?

Reply 2

OP

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by Wosuxuwj

Hi,
I am ! I’m currently trying to choose between Courtauld, Edinburgh and Exeter and it’s so overwhelming so I’m not sure what to do. Is the Courtauld your top choice?

Hey! The Courtauld is my top choice. I feel like London is the perfect place to study Art History since you can go to all the museums and everything is very accessible

Reply 3

artful_lounger

21

Hi, I've moved your thread to the history courses forum (as apparently we don't have a Courtauld forum specifically!) as the art and design forum is more for creative arts courses :smile:

Reply 4

matildaakay

Original post by kierachantel

Hey everyone! I got an offer from The Courtauld to study BA History of Art in 2022, I was wondering if there are any applicants thinking of going to The Courtauld? I'd love to hear from everyone

I currently have it as my first choice but I don’t know whether I should go to St Andrews or Edinburgh instead. I have no idea which to choose!!

Reply 5

OP

Original post by artful_lounger

Hi, I've moved your thread to the history courses forum (as apparently we don't have a Courtauld forum specifically!) as the art and design forum is more for creative arts courses :smile:

Thank you!

Reply 6

cc8808

Original post by kierachantel

Hey! The Courtauld is my top choice. I feel like London is the perfect place to study Art History since you can go to all the museums and everything is very accessible

yes that's very true, although as someone already living in London, I kind of want to get away from it haha!

Reply 7

cc8808

Original post by matildaakay

I currently have it as my first choice but I don’t know whether I should go to St Andrews or Edinburgh instead. I have no idea which to choose!!

They're all really prestigious for Art History, maybe going to see them irl (if you are able to) will help your final decision.

Reply 8

alicefaye

Original post by kierachantel

Hey everyone! I got an offer from The Courtauld to study BA History of Art in 2022, I was wondering if there are any applicants thinking of going to The Courtauld? I'd love to hear from everyone

Hi! First of all, thank you endlessly for starting this thread - I’ve been searching unremittingly for some kind of a ‘Courtauld offer holder’ discourse to join!

Congrats on your offer - I also received my unconditional place a couple of weeks ago! I am equal parts delighted and thoroughly overwhelmed by the prospect of studying and living in London surrounded constantly by such kaleidoscopic vitality; far removed from my rural Scottish roots!

In natural accordance with my location, my final choices have come down to St Andrews and the Courtauld - the former I know well and have a deep, emotional fondness for, the latter is really one colossal invigorating adventure!

I’ve actually never been to London but I am heading down on the train tomorrow to get a tour of the Vernon Square campus and marvel at some of the sights. I’ll be sure to check back in here with the experience!

Alice🌻

Reply 9

Wosuxuwj

Hey!I hope you have a good first experience of London and a good look around of the campus, I did the tour last week so it would be interesting to hear your thoughts on the building. Weirdly I’m in the opposite position, I’ve never been to Scotland but am heading up to Edinburgh this week 😊👍

Reply 10

OP

You're welcome and I'm sure you'll make the right decision! Good luck with the tour, I'm going to the gallery tour next Friday so I get a better feel for the place. Thank you for replying to the discussion, it's so nice to hear back from everyone

Reply 11

Stellar_33

Hi everyone! Really happy someone started a thread like this! I just got rejected from UCL BA Art History and as it was my first choice. I didn't really look up much about the Courtauld. I've heard it's a fantastic place to study Art History, but I am not sure about the general vibe of the place. Would anyone like to fill me in? If anyone's been there in person?

Reply 12

alicefaye

Original post by Stellar_33

Hi everyone! Really happy someone started a thread like this! I just got rejected from UCL BA Art History and as it was my first choice. I didn't really look up much about the Courtauld. I've heard it's a fantastic place to study Art History, but I am not sure about the general vibe of the place. Would anyone like to fill me in? If anyone's been there in person?

Hi - I just visited the Courtauld for a campus tour last week so I‘ll try to give my most auspicious insight!

First off, all the teaching takes place at a dedicated site at Vernon Square (approximately a ten minute walk from Kings Cross station) which, despite being in central London, is actually in quite a secluded location. As such, it‘s surprisingly peaceful and a wonderfully airy building with an incredible stock of facilities from the extensive library, to lecture theatres, printing, scanning, and ICT suites, study and seminar rooms, and a multiplicity of student services (a union, common room, wellbeing teams etc). The staff I spoke to were also lovely, so accommodating (I‘m from Scotland so I had to arrange a visit off their tour schedule) and elucidated not only the practical aspects of the course but also the comprehensive support systems available (I am autistic) with clarity and compassion. It is important to note that the Courtauld has a very small specialist cohort (no more than 600 students from BA-PhD) but does have many links and privileges in connection with Kings College.

Obviously, the physical gallery space is just off the Strand at Somerset House, as is their dedicated accommodation Duchy House. However, I can‘t give much of a perspective on these places as the former‘s tickets were sold out and, obviously, people currently reside at the latter - the environment on the Strand though is, of course, thoroughly effervescent!

All in all, the institute made a great impression and seems wholly dedicated, welcoming and well-established in its aims. I‘m still considering my final decision between St Andrews and Courtauld (very different, haha!) but I hope this delineation was, in some way, useful.

Alice ☺️

Reply 13

alicefaye

Original post by Wosuxuwj

Hey!I hope you have a good first experience of London and a good look around of the campus, I did the tour last week so it would be interesting to hear your thoughts on the building. Weirdly I’m in the opposite position, I’ve never been to Scotland but am heading up to Edinburgh this week 😊👍

Hi! What a place London is - simultaneously exhausting, overwhelming and electric (particularly for someone who is autistic, haha!). It‘s only now I‘ve been back nearly a week that I feel as though I am able to take real stock of the experience and realise, truly, how much I ineffably relished it!

I thought the campus was really lovely (reminded me of some of the art school buildings in Glasgow) and the area was gratifyingly isolated so as to not feel suffocated by crowds and noise. The staff I spoke with were also exceptionally sincere, knowledgable and obliging - certainly, I left feeling very accommodated and appreciated, despite my neurodiversity and mental illness. My only concern is, perhaps, the cohort size because I don‘t know if that could prove somewhat limiting in the experience?

I hope you found the tour insightful as well and that you enjoy (or have enjoyed) Edinburgh - it‘s a beautiful place. I was actually just there for my birthday at the Van Gogh experience!
Alice ☺️

Reply 14

OP

Original post by alicefaye

Hi! What a place London is - simultaneously exhausting, overwhelming and electric (particularly for someone who is autistic, haha!). It‘s only now I‘ve been back nearly a week that I feel as though I am able to take real stock of the experience and realise, truly, how much I ineffably relished it!

I thought the campus was really lovely (reminded me of some of the art school buildings in Glasgow) and the area was gratifyingly isolated so as to not feel suffocated by crowds and noise. The staff I spoke with were also exceptionally sincere, knowledgable and obliging - certainly, I left feeling very accommodated and appreciated, despite my neurodiversity and mental illness. My only concern is, perhaps, the cohort size because I don‘t know if that could prove somewhat limiting in the experience?

I hope you found the tour insightful as well and that you enjoy (or have enjoyed) Edinburgh - it‘s a beautiful place. I was actually just there for my birthday at the Van Gogh experience!
Alice ☺️

Thank you so much for your insight! Hopefully everyone on this thread finds this useful. I have just firmed my place at the Courtauld☺️

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 15

user178482819

I love this thread! Im currently choosing between The Courtauld, CSM (culture criticism and curation) and Exeter. I think despite being slightly apprehensive about the cohort size I'm going to firm the Courtauld! Would anyone else who has firmed the Courtauld wanna share instas to connect further?

Reply 16

OP