History of art
Study art history part-time with Oxford
Gain a global perspective of the History of Art with a part-time course
Our part-time qualifications in the history of art recognise the globally diverse range of users, makers, and viewers, offering you the chance to join a group of peers eager to learn more about visual cultures, voices, and experiences. Discover the latest debates in the history of art, through flexible learning and visits to Oxford’s world-leading museums and collections.
What can you gain?
- Get up to speed with the latest debates and methods to interpret works of art, particularly in the areas of politics, society, gender and identity, material culture and decolonising practices.
- Exchange ideas and develop questions with a group of like-minded peers.
- Gain practical knowledge and develop your interpretative skills through museum and gallery visits in Oxford and London.
- Fit study around your commitments and responsibilities by combining online digital learning with in-person teaching.
Short courses for adult learners
Explore a new topic or revisit a favourite subject over the course of a few days, a few weeks or a term. Our short courses run in person or online, with some offered in both formats – so you can choose the best study option.
Upcoming courses
Online - live • Short courses
Medieval art glitters and enthrals. Medieval architecture elicits wonder and awe. In this introductory course you will learn about its breadth and diversity, from great cathedrals and imposing castles to sacred icons and subversive marginalia.
- Wed 15 Apr 2026 – 24 Jun 2026
- 10 meetings
- 3:00 – 4:00pm
In-person weekly • Short courses
Discover the richness and diversity of Oxford's art collections. Explore first hand the many facets of world-class museums and galleries, such as the Ashmolean, History of Science, Natural History, and Pitt Rivers museums.
- Tue 21 Apr 2026 – Tue 19 May 2026
- 5 meetings
- 2:00 – 4:00pm
Online - flexible • Short courses
Deepen your understanding of Early Renaissance to High Renaissance art, the role of patronage, and how the Renaissance continues to influence modern creativity.
- Wed 22 Apr 2026 – 03 Jul 2026
In-person weekly • Short courses
Experience and learn the art of Renaissance drawing and printmaking. Combining studio practice with art history, this course explores Renaissance drawings and prints through hands-on study, varied techniques and a visit to the Ashmolean Museum.
- Thu 23 Apr 2026 – Thu 25 Jun 2026
- 10 meetings
- 2:00 – 4:00pm
In-person weekly • Short courses
Gustave Courbet was one of the most radical artists of the nineteenth century. Learn about his exemplary works, such as the large 'Burial at Ornans,' painted after the 1848 revolution, and the portraits and controversial nudes he exhibited at the Salon.
- Fri 24 Apr 2026 – Fri 22 May 2026
- 5 meetings
- 12:30 – 2:30pm
Online - flexible • Short courses
Explore Impressionism and modern life in nineteenth-century France through the work of Monet, Manet, Degas and their contemporaries. This course examines Impressionist techniques, women Impressionists, critical responses to the exhibitions, and the moveme
- Mon 27 Apr 2026 – 10 Jul 2026
Sign up for course news
Receive email updates about our History of Art courses
Undergraduate Certificate in the History of Art
The part-time Certificate in the History of Art teaches students about the production and provenance of works of art in museums, as well as key skills such as how to view and describe works of art.Undergraduate Diploma in the History of Art (2027 entry)
A two-year part-time course in which you study two modules from a choice of four, each of which allows you to immerse yourself in a specific period of art history. Taught at second-year undergraduate level.MSt in Literature and Arts
An interdisciplinary programme which encompasses literature, history, art, architectural history, political thought and the history of ideas.MSt in the History of Design
This two-year part-time master's degree explores how ordinary things and places created since 1851 reveal fascinating traces of historical experienc