BA English and History of Art 

Start Date:September 2020

Explore the ways in which the visual and literary arts have engaged with society over time and the ways in which they are evolving our world.

Discover visual and literary culture through a broad range of perspectives, such as social history, global art, philosophy, anthropology, feminism and religion. You will have access to original works, a dedicated fine art library and collection of resources in the Barber Institute of Fine Arts, our acclaimed public gallery on-campus. Here you will find works by artists such as Botticelli, Van Gogh, Monet, Magritte, Vigée LeBrun and Rodin. You will also have access to our Special Collections, which contains over 60,000 rare and early printed books, and over 2 million manuscripts and archive items.

Study trips play an important part in your degree. For History of Art this includes a week-long, University-funded trip to a major European centre of artistic importance, where you have the opportunity to examine works of art and architecture in situ. For English, this includes the possibility to partake in our study residential in Stratford-upon-Avon. Our Shakespeare Institute, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, is a world-leading centre for international Shakespeare scholarship.

Why Birmingham?

• World-leading academic experience – English Language and Literature at the University of Birmingham ranks in the Top 35 in the QS World University Subject Rankings 2019.
• Outstanding student experience - Over 93% of our students gave their course an overall satisfaction rating in the National Student Survey 2018.
• Artistic Resources - You will have access to original works, an extensive library and collection of resources in our on-campus Barber Institute of Fine Arts. Here you will find works by such major artists as Botticelli, Picasso, Gainsborough, Monet, Degas, Gwen John, Vigée-LeBrun and Rodin.
• Shakespeare Scholarship - You will have access to the Shakespeare Institute, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, a world-leading centre for international Shakespeare scholarship. You will also benefit from our exciting five-year collaboration with the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) which has seen the reinstatement of the iconic studio theatre, The Other Place. You will be able to access creative and teaching spaces at The Other Place, as well as the expertise of RSC artists and practitioners; you will also have the opportunity to attend RSC productions and events. 
• Excellent opportunities - You can join BEDSoc (Birmingham English Department Society) and HartSoc (History of Art Society), write for The Golovine blog, and enjoy social events such as end-of-term parties and summer balls. We also host regular guest speakers and readings from visiting writers, art historians, and those working in these areas. Previous guests have included novelist David Lodge, poet and writer Jackie Kay, poet Simon Armitage, playwright Simon Stephens, and poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy.

Entry Requirements

A-Levels

Typical offer:

ABB

Required subjects and grades:

A level English Literature or English Language and Literature grade A.

IB Diploma:
6,5,5 in Higher level subjects plus 32 points overall.

BTEC qualifications:

• BTEC Extended Diploma: DDM, plus an A at A-level in the required subject/s mentioned above.
• BTEC Diploma: DD, plus an A at A-level in the required subject/s mentioned above.
• BTEC Subsidiary Diploma: D, plus AB at A-level, including an A in the required A-level subject/s mentioned above.

English Language Requirements

• You will need to demonstrate a certain level of English language, either through an English test such as IELTS, TOEFL or PTE, or we may be able to accept your previous or alternative qualifications as evidence.
• For study on our Foundation and Undergraduate programmes, English language at grade C or above in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) is sufficient to meet the standard English language requirements.
• For Postgraduate programmes, Kenyan nationals with a degree from Kenya or another English speaking country (as on the University's approved list) are not required to submit an English Language test.

Careers

You will develop skills including visual and textual analysis and interpretation. You will also acquire skills that are highly prized by employers in many sectors such as:

• Great communication skills;
• An awareness and appreciation of other cultures;
• The ability to identify and target key audiences;
• Strong attention to detail
• Researching, analysing and interpreting information;
• Handling complex information;
• The ability to critically analyse information and form concise, articulate arguments;
• Managing your time and prioritising your workload.

Throughout your degree you will have the opportunity to gain valuable work experience in museums and galleries, both on and off campus.

You will benefit from organised events in both departments whereby our graduates return to campus to talk to current students about their careers, how to find opportunities and the variety of roles available. Graduates that returned to speak at our biennial Art History Careers Fair hold positions at the Wallace Collection, BMAG, Sotheby’s Institute, Manchester’s Craft and Design Centre and the White Cube Gallery.

Other employers that our graduates work for include:

• Kettle’s Yard,
• the BBC,
• Headline Publishing Group,
• the Bodleian Library,
• Cath Kidston,
• Historic Royal Palaces,
• The National Portrait Gallery,
• Oxford University Press,
• Christie’s,
• Mirror Group Newspapers,
• National Museum of Wales,
• the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Their roles include:

• Archivist,
• Curator,
• Gallery Coordinator,
• Events Officer,
• Account executive,
• Sales and events coordinator,
• Exhibitions Assistant,
• Learning and Access Officer,
• Programme Coordinator,
• Editorial assistant,
• Marketing assistant,
• Researcher.

Other English and History of Art graduates choose to forge a career outside the Arts sector. Recent graduates have obtained graduate positions in sectors such as teaching, media, law, sales, local / central government, management, accounting, horse-racing, real estate and business or entered post-graduate education in a variety of areas.

Are you interested in Studying BA English and History Of Art at Birmingham University??Arrange a free consultation with SI-UK in Nairobi or Mombasa today to start your application.