Exciting new PhD programme in Art History and Visual Culture is launched

This builds on the College’s interdisciplinary research culture and is part of the College’s continuing investment in Art History and Visual Culture, first introduced to the College in 2012.

The Art History and Visual Culture research programme draws upon the expertise of core art historians, but also of colleagues from across the Humanities disciplines with research interests in Visual Culture. The College’s diverse research specialisms include: art and architectural theory, historic and contemporary arts practices, museology and curatorship, art and technology, photography, performance, popular culture, visual representations of ethnicity, gender and sexuality, and visual cultures from the classical era to the present. PhD supervision is offered on a range of topics: from the old masters to contemporary practitioners, from the traditional arts to new media and technologies and from elite production to popular culture.

Professor Sam Smiles, Programme Director of Art History and Visual Culture comments, "We wish to encourage investigations that examine the presence of the visual in society (prehistoric, historical or contemporary), that explore the value placed upon works of art and their creators in different eras and places, and that consider the mediation of ideas in visual form. The growing recognition of the visual contribution to the Humanities, the social sciences and beyond has opened up many promising areas for interdisciplinary collaboration and our aspiration is that Exeter will become known for such research."

The addition of an Art History and Visual Culture PhD follows the development of an undergraduate programme of study in the subject developed in 2012.  Academic staff within the College have worked extensively to expand this subject area and create external partnerships related to this field.

Professor Andrew Thorpe, Associate Dean of Research and Knowledge Transfer for the College of Humanities adds, “The establishment of the PhD in Art History and Visual Culture is an exciting development which once again demonstrates Exeter’s commitment to a broad and inclusive view of the Humanities. This initiative is being supported by the appointment of further staff to ensure that postgraduates working in this field receive a very positive experience. We are really looking forward to welcoming students in this area to our lively and engaged intellectual climate at one of the UK’s top universities.”

The College is pleased to be able to offer applicants to its interdisciplinary Art History and Visual Culture PhD a number of exciting funding opportunities. The details can be found on The College of Humanities postgraduate funding webpage.