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Art History

Bachelor's degree in full-time form. The language of instruction is Czech.

The programme can be studied as a single subject or in combination with another programme.

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Submission deadline until midnight 28 February 2025.

What will you learn?

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/

Career opportunities

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.

Admission requirements

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.

Minimum score and numbers of accepted applicants in past years

Deadlines

1 Nov 2024 – 28 Feb 2025

Submit your application during this period

Submit an application

Study options

Single-subject studies

Students have a pre-defined list of required courses, which are supplemented with selective and elective courses. The student pays full attention to the single field of study chosen.

Submit an application

Combined studies

In this type of studies, the students focus on the main degree programme (120 credits) supplemented with another, minor, programme (60 credits). The student enrols in the degree programme in which he/she majors. Both the programmes are stated in the university diploma. You will find possible combinations on the websites of individual degree programmes.​ An exception is programmes preparing students for teaching professions, where both fields of study are equal and the thesis may be written in any of them.

Combinations with programmes from Faculty of Arts

Combinations with programmes from Faculty of Economics and Administration

  • Art History (major), full-time studies
    + Economic Policy (minor) – Faculty of Economics and Administration
  • Art History (major), full-time studies
    + Economics (minor) – Faculty of Economics and Administration
  • Art History (major), full-time studies
    + Public Economics and Administration (minor) – Faculty of Economics and Administration

Combinations with programmes from Faculty of Informatics

  • Art History (major), full-time studies
    + Informatics (minor) – Faculty of Informatics

Combinations with programmes from Faculty of Social Studies

Art History as a minor degree programme

Combinations with programmes from Faculty of Arts
Combinations with programmes from Faculty of Economics and Administration
  • Economic Policy (major) – Faculty of Economics and Administration, full-time studies
    + Art History (minor)
  • Economics (major) – Faculty of Economics and Administration, full-time studies
    + Art History (minor)
  • Public Economics and Administration (major) – Faculty of Economics and Administration, full-time studies
    + Art History (minor)
Combinations with programmes from Faculty of Informatics
  • Informatics (major) – Faculty of Informatics, full-time studies
    + Art History (minor)
Combinations with programmes from Faculty of Social Studies

Submit an application

Courses – curriculum examples

An example of your study plan:

Single-subject studies

Combined studies

Combinations with programmes from Faculty of Arts

Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Aesthetics (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Ancient History (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Archaeology (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Chinese Studies (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Classical archaeology (minor) – Faculty of Arts

Bold – required courses
Normal – selective courses

Detailed information about courses in the study plan Art History
Detailed information about courses in the study plan Classical Archaeology
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Czech Language and Literature (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Dutch Language, Literature and Culture (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Ethnology (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + History (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Museology (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Pedagogy (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Philosophy (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Theatre Studies (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Theory and History of Film and Audiovisual Culture (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Archival Studies (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Auxiliary Historical Sciences (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Baltic Studies (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Catalan language and literature (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Combined Art Studies (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Computational Linguistics (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + English Language and Literature (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + French Language and Literature (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + General Linguistics (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + German language and literature (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Classical Greek language and literature (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Latin language and literature (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Information studies and librarianship (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Italian Language and Literature (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Japanese Studies (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Modern Greek Language and Literature (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Musicology (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Polish Studies (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Portuguese Language and Literature (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Russian Studies (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Social Education and Counselling (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + South Slavonic and Balkan Studies (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Spanish Language and Literature (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Study of Religions (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Theory of interactive media (minor) – Faculty of Arts
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Ukrainian Studies (minor) – Faculty of Arts

Combinations with programmes from Faculty of Economics and Administration

Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Economic Policy (minor) – Faculty of Economics and Administration
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Economics (minor) – Faculty of Economics and Administration
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Public Economics and Administration (minor) – Faculty of Economics and Administration

Combinations with programmes from Faculty of Informatics

Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Informatics (minor) – Faculty of Informatics

Combinations with programmes from Faculty of Social Studies

Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Contemporary History (minor) – Faculty of Social Studies
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Environmental Studies (minor) – Faculty of Social Studies
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + European Studies (minor) – Faculty of Social Studies
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Human resource development and employment (minor) – Faculty of Social Studies
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + International Relations (minor) – Faculty of Social Studies
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Media Studies and Journalism (minor) – Faculty of Social Studies
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Political Science (minor) – Faculty of Social Studies
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Public and Social Policy and Human Resources (minor) – Faculty of Social Studies
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Security and Strategic Studies (minor) – Faculty of Social Studies
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Social Anthropology (minor) – Faculty of Social Studies
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Social Work (minor) – Faculty of Social Studies
Art History (major), full-time studies
 + Sociology (minor) – Faculty of Social Studies

Follow-up studies

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.

Study information

Provided by Faculty of Arts
Type of studies Bachelor's
Mode full-time Yes
combined No
distance No
Study options single-subject studies Yes
single-subject studies with specialization No
major/minor studies Yes
Standard length of studies 3 years
Language of instruction Czech

Do you have any questions?
Send us an e-mail to

Mgr. Michaela Šeferisová Loudová, Ph.D.

Consultant

E‑mail:

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