Mphil History of Art in Edinburgh United Kingdom | The University of Edinburgh

The History of Art department at Edinburgh College of Art offers a vibrant and nurturing research atmosphere for our extensive and varied postgraduate community. Our department stands out through its embrace of worldwide art histories, encompassing regions from Japan and China to the Islamic world and India, alongside an exceptional breadth of methodological approaches and period specializations in traditional fields. Our faculty features strong concentrations in Medieval, Renaissance, Early Modern, Nineteenth-Century, Modern, and Contemporary studies.

Potential research areas we supervise include:

Medieval Art History
South Asian Art History
Japanese Art
Renaissance Visual and Material Cultures
Eighteenth-Century Art History
Modern and Contemporary Art History
Islamic Art
Nineteenth-Century Art
Curatorial Theory and Practice
Scottish Visual Culture
Early Modern Studies
Contemporary Art History and Digital Culture
Contemporary German Art
Chinese Art

Our PhD program involves three years of full-time study (or six years part-time) with guidance from a specialist in your selected History of Art research area, culminating in a thesis not exceeding 100,000 words.

The MPhil program consists of two years of full-time research (or four years part-time) under expert supervision, resulting in a thesis with a maximum length of 60,000 words.

You'll receive personalized guidance through regular one-on-one meetings with your supervisor throughout your research journey.

We recommend participation in research methods courses at the start of your studies.

Annual progression reviews are mandatory for all enrolled students throughout their program duration.