Yes! Students admitted to the programme do not need to have a first degree in the History of Art and will receive a thorough introduction to the subject. All students take a compulsory core module ‘Theories and Methods of the Global History of Art and Architecture’ which will survey key tools and intellectual frameworks for understanding the discipline.
We welcome a broad range of applicants, recognising that students may have come to the history of art via many different academic paths and through a variety of life experiences. You may have studied different academic subjects previously or come from a professional background with no connection to the history of art. We consider all applications holistically.
Yes! Students can study the MPhil in the Global History of Art and Architecture on a full-time (one academic year) or a part-time (two academic years) basis. The structure for part-time students is as follows:
Year 1: Students take the compulsory core module (‘Theories and Methods of the Global History of Art and Architecture’) across the Michaelmas and Lent terms and an (optional) language course across the Michaelmas and Lent terms. At the end of the Easter term of their first year, they begin work on their Dissertation.
Year 2: Students take their required Advanced Option papers across the Michaelmas and Lent terms and in the Easter term, continue their Dissertation research. They submit their Dissertation at the end of the Easter term of their second year.
Part-time students may elect to complete the Skills Training Programme in two stages across each academic year, or over a single academic year, as is most appropriate to their circumstances. Part-time students will be expected to work on the MPhil for 2.5 days per week throughout the two academic years of the part-time course.
The MPhil is organised into four geographic ‘streams’: Asia; Africa and the Transatlantic World; Britain and the Wider World; Europe and the Mediterranean. Applicants are asked to indicate a preferred stream at the point of application and will be expected to undertake dissertation research within that area.
The geographic streams of the MPhil are intended to be flexible and allow candidates to pick the stream which they believe best serves their research interests and focus. We understand that projects may fit in more than one stream and in such cases, the candidate should choose which broad geographic area has the most appeal to them academically and intellectually.
‘Britain and the Wider World’ relates to projects that have a strong or primarily British focus, which may include a significant cross-national or international dimension. This may include research into the British Empire.
‘Europe and the Mediterranean’ is for projects with a strong or primarily European and/or Mediterranean littoral focus. Projects do not need to have a specific link to the Mediterranean: for example, a project solely concerned with a single European country, such as France or Germany, would still be considered part of the ‘Europe and the Mediterranean’ stream. Projects focussed on the near East or Levant region would also fit into this stream.
For projects with a strong or primarily American focus, applicants should consider if ‘Britain and the Wider World’ or ‘Africa and the Transatlantic World’ would be the most appropriate stream, depending on the geographic areas of the Americas they wish to focus on and the overall balance of their research interests.
Yes! All MPhil students will complete two Advanced Option Papers, situated across the four streams of the MPhil. Some Advanced Option papers will sit in more than one stream as relevant to the course material. It is expected that applicants will engage with a broad range of geographic areas in order to study the history of art and architecture properly in its global contexts.
Applicants are asked to indicate a preferred stream at the point of application and will be expected to undertake their dissertation research within that area. We understand that research ideas can change and develop and will seek to accommodate this wherever possible, but acceptance of a change of stream cannot be guaranteed. Applicants are expected to be enthusiastic about their chosen stream and committed to the dissertation research proposal that they submit when applying.
No, there is no need to identify a specific supervisor to work with, contact them in advance of your application, or to name a supervisor in your online application form. Students on the MPhil programme may be taught and/or supervised by colleagues from across the University, including members of staff from Cambridge Collections. When you start your dissertation research and writing, you will be assigned to the supervisor whose research interests and expertise are most appropriate for your dissertation topic. This will not necessarily be someone who works in the Department of History of Art (e.g. it could be a curator or a colleague from elsewhere in the University). Our selection of supervisors is based on specialism rather than internal institutional boundaries.
Applicants to the MPhil in the Global History of Art and Architecture must submit an outline of no more than 1,200 words of their proposed dissertation topic which includes a rationale, literature review, statement of method and key references. At the top of your research proposal, you should submit the three key research questions that your dissertation seeks to investigate.
We recommend outlining your general topic area or rationale, specifying the chronological range and geographic area of your proposed dissertation. Describe the specific focus of your proposed dissertation research: what problems will you be exploring? What specific objects will you focus on? Discuss relevant previous literature and include a short statement of method as appropriate. Include a short bibliography or list of key references. Applicants must submit three research questions at the top of their dissertation proposal.
You do not need to identify a proposed supervisor to work with. However, you must specify your preferred geographic ‘stream’.
We understand that dissertation topics may arise from academic work written as part of previous studies (for example, undergraduate final-year dissertations or coursework projects). However, it is expected that such dissertation proposals will build on and develop previous undergraduate work. We recommend that these kinds of proposals explain how they will expand on and advance previously completed work. We also welcome new and original dissertation topic proposals, recognising that students may not have had the opportunity to study particular topics or areas in depth before.
Information about the material required for the application form can be found at: https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/ahahmphaa/apply
Information about the academic requirements for the course can be found at: https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/ahahmphaa/requirements
Information about funding opportunities at the University of Cambridge can be found at: https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/funding