Art History

The Art History study programme offers students the opportunity to understand visual objects in all areas of the discipline of art history (architecture, sculpture, painting, applied arts, and visual culture) in their various historical and contemporary forms, styles, and functions.

The World is Dominated by Images (History of Art)

The three-year Bachelor’s degree program in Art History aims to prepare its graduates to make use of their knowledge of architecture and the fine arts in a wide area of professional positions in the artistic, cultural ,and public spheres.

The subject of art history is concerned with the understanding, analyses, and historical comprehension of works of art. It studies their artistic formation, style, and function, and their later critical reception. It also examines the creators - artists and patrons, art movements, and 'the operations of art history' (gallery institutions, monument care, and art criticism). In terms of the most general spectrum of interests, art history currently provides a general historical study of images and hermeneutics of visual images.

The central focus of the Bachelor’s degree study program involves obtaining basic knowledge and practical skills concerning understanding works of art from the late Classical period to the present. This culminates in the student having the ability to provide descriptions and analysis of visual works of art and comprehend them in all areas of the discipline of art history. The subject is conceived in a fashion that provides students with a complete overview of the area of art creation and also a basic overview of those skills required for working in the field of art in practical operations of cultural institutions.

Graduates from program develop not only a basic knowledge of the history of architecture, visual arts, and visual culture but also exercise the primary principles of the art-history ‘craft’ when interpreting works of art, depending on independent work with theoretical literature and finally making use of their knowledge and skills.

Great emphasis is put on 1) the ability to communicate the results of the research to specialized as well as large audience; 2) the passive knowledge of at least four foreign languages (English, German, French and Italian) ; 3) on important skills in team-working.

Practical training

For students of Art History as unique field, a series of courses related to communication with specialized and public audience is obligatory. Part of the study will be a (collective) curatorial experience of an exhibition for the public and its professional and media presentation. Students can participate, as non obligatory courses, to internships at home and abroad.

Further information

http://dejinyumeni.phil.muni.cz/

Graduates of the Bachelor’s degree programme of Art History will be able to work in all professions requiring the application of a basic knowledge of the history of works of art both in the past and at present. These kinds of professions primarily consist of lower work positions in museum and gallery institutions, in monument care, and in additional cultural and educational institutions, or even in local administration bodies.

As a result of the knowledge and skills acquired during their studies, graduates will be able to work first and foremost in administration and documentation of artistic artefacts (for example, as an assistant to a curator, documentalist, or custodian of a historical building) or in mediating art (as a guide in the area of tourism or a cultural editor in the area of the media, television, or radio).

Although the degree in art history prepares students for careers in the art world, it also equips them with intellectual and practical skills applicable to many different spheres of employment. At present when visual culture and an understanding of it play an increasingly important role in society, graduates can make use of their abilities in a range of additional professions (for example, in trade in art and antiques or in presentation and propagation of art work, and in publicity).

Bachelor students having very good results have the opportunity to continue with the Master’s degree program of Art History.

The criteria for admission for studies are the results of the Field of Study Examination. Applicants may also be admitted based on other criteria, see Admission without the Entrance Examination. The Faculty of Arts of Masaryk University disregards the results of SCIO National Comparative Examinations.

You can file your e-applications for studies from 1 November to 28 February.
Field of Study Examinations will be held from 22 April to 27 April.
The date and time of the examination will be stated in the electronic invitation for the examination, which will be uploaded to your e-application. The faculty will not be sending paper invitations. Applicants applying for the major study plan and minor study plan in a combined study must comply with the conditions for admission into both plans.

Learning Potential Test (TSP)

For admission for studies in this degree programme, you do not need to take the TSP.

Field of Study Examination

This examination is intended to check the applicants’ knowledge of the given field of study. This is done in the form of a motivation letter and oral interview.

Basic description of the Field of Study Examination:
Please enter the motivation letter directly to your e-application, in the section "Doplňující text", no later than 13 March.
Details of the motivation letter: length of 1800 characters including spaces. Answer the following questions in the motivation letter:

• a) Why would you like to study art history in Brno? What interests you about the Department of Art History? Which suggested courses caught your attention and why?
• b) Which book from the field of art history, appart from recommended literature, have your read during the past few years (e.g. from the titles published by the Department of Art History or any other scholarly institution)? What did this book show you about the field of study?
• c) Which "work of art" or exhibition have you seen recently?
The oral interview: applicants are required to show a basic and general overview of fine art history in Europe from the Middle Ages until now. Visual memory, ability to recognize key works of European art history from the Middle Ages until now. Basic knowledge of historical context, mainly European history. General cultural overview and interest in the field of study, being familiar with significant museums and art galleries, contemporary exhibitions, experience with reading field of study literature. The interview will be conducted in Czech, however, a part of the interview might be conducted in English, in order to check the knowledge of this language necessary to study the programme.

Admission without the entrance examination

You may be exempt from the entrance examination based on participation in a national round of Students’ Professional Activities (SOČ) in the field of History, Theory of Culture, Arts, and Artistic Creation, or participation in the History Olympiad (regional or national round).
Please upload the officially certified documents directly to your e-application in the section Application for the Exemption from the Entrance Examination no later than 28 February.

Criteria for evaluation

• Applicants, who pass the limit for successfully passing the motivation letter (5 - 10 points out of maximum 10 points) will be sorted into the admission order based on these points.
• The top 100 applicants will be invited to the oral interview. Applicants will be sorted into the final admission order based on the evaluation of the oral interview.
  • Total number of points in the oral interview: 20
  • Limit for successfully passing the oral interview: 15

Recommended literature

• Ivan Foletti, Martin F. Lešák, Sabina Rosenbergová, Veronika Pichaničová, Je (středověk) doba temna? Umění, migrace a moc, Brno 2021.
• Ondřej Jakubec (ed.), Pavel Suchánek (ed.), Mariánský sloup na Staroměstském náměstí v Praze: Počátky rekatolizace v Čechách v 17. století, Praha 2020.
• Taťána Petrasová - Rostislav Švácha (eds), Dějiny umění v českých zemích 800 - 2000, Praha 2017.
• James Elkins, Proč lidé pláčou před obrazy: příběhy lidí, které obrazy dojaly k slzám (Pictures and Tears, A History of People Who Have Cried in Front of Paintings), Praha 2007.

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Minimum score and numbers of accepted applicants in past years

A graduate of a Bachelor's degree program may, after fulfilling the conditions of admission, continue in any Master's degree course at that faculty.