History of Art

The Course

With its built environment, museums and libraries, Cambridge offers a unique opportunity to study the History of Art. The Department is relatively small: six full-time teaching officers, between fifty and seventy undergraduates and about twenty-five postgraduate students. It is located in Scroope Terrace, near the Fitzwilliam Museum. Most lectures and seminars take place there, and its facilities include the Faculty Library.

It is possible to study the History of Art for three years at Cambridge. Because of the two-part Tripos system, it is also possible to combine History of Art with other courses. This is done by taking the first part of one course and the second of another. History of Art can be taken either as a Part 1 (one-year) or Part II (three-year) subject in this way.

Part I is a one-year course which offers a broad introduction to the making and meaning of art. Part II involves the study of special subjects, which range from the art and architecture of medieval Europe to the modern period.

Further details about History of Art are available from the Cambridge University Guide to Courses, or direct from the Secretary, the Department of History of Art, 1-5 Scroope Terrace, Cambridge CB2 1PX, Tel: 01223 332975, Fax: 01223 332976, or the Faculty website at www.hoart.cam.ac.uk.

History of Art Admission to Clare

Offers are based on A2-level (or equivalent) examination results; a typical offer to read History of Art would be A*AA at A2 level or 7,7,6 (40+ overall) in the IB or the equivalent in other educational systems. Candidates are not expected to have a particular combination of subjects at A2 level (or equivalent).

Interviews

To give you a further way of showing your potential, we also invite you to submit two pieces of school work. One of these can be a project as opposed to an essay, and one can be in a related Arts subject, such as History or English Literature. We will write to you to ask for this work to be sent to us by the middle of November, preceding the December interviews. We like to see school work because it does not involve candidates in any extra preparation, and it gives us a chance to see how you work under everyday, as well as examination, conditions.

Studying History of Art at Clare

Because of the comparatively few undergraduates reading History of Art at Cambridge, most of the teaching, including supervision, is organised on a subject basis by the Department. Students aim to cover one paper/subject each term. For most subjects there is a core course of lectures, and, given the visual nature of the material presented, attendance is important. Each student meets weekly with his or her supervisor for the term, to plan and execute an individual programme of study, which includes the writing of essays, discussion of issues raised in the lectures and suggestions for further reading.

Fellow in History of Art

Dr Timothy Potts directs studies in the History of Art for Clare, and is Director of the Fitzwilliam Museum. His research interests are Ancient Near Eastern art history, archaeology and history; museology; the classical tradition in western art