Art History studies at the Institute of Art History of the University of Warsaw are aimed at people interested in art and broadly understood visual culture, open to learning about past and present artistic phenomena, curious about the world around them, and willing to broaden their knowledge.
Education at the Institute of Art History includes two-stage full-time and part-time studies in the field of history, theory and research methods of fine arts, architecture and urban planning, applied arts, and to a limited extent modern visual and photographic media and film. Classes take the form of lectures, tutorials, conversatories and seminars. Depending on the type of course, the effects of learning are verified and evaluated on the basis of exams, credits, annual assingments, essays or projects. Detailed information on learning outcomes can be found in the study programs and in the course syllabuses available in the USOS system.
The three-year first- cycle programme provides a basic humanistic education and solid, comprehensive knowledge of the history of art from the early Middle Ages to the latest art, including selected issues related to ancient and non-Western art, as well as its methods and terminology. Direct contact with artworks constitutes an important part of the courses conducted at the Institute. The academic staff holds regular classes in museums and art galleries. Fieldwork practices are mandatory components of the second-year course of studies and third-year students do internships in cultural institutions. Graduates of the first-cycle studies, after presenting their bachelor’s thesis and passing the diploma examination, receive the title of Bachelor of Arts in Art History.
The two-year second cycle studies are aimed at preparing graduates to work as art historians. They offer the opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge of art history methodology, specialised terminology, and most influential research avenues. During their master’s studies, students practice methods of analysis, interpretation, evaluation, and problematization of various cultural products and acquire basic knowledge about cultural institutions and an orientation in contemporary cultural life. After submitting their master’s thesis and passing the diploma examination, graduates receive the title of Master of Arts in Art History.
Graduates of the art history program have extensive humanistic knowledge, knowledge and understanding of historical and artistic phenomena, and are prepared to work in scientific and academic environment, museums, galleries, and educational and popularization institutions.
Since 1994, the Institute has also been running the Postgraduate Studies in Museology program. It aims to provide Polish museum professionals with the opportunity to improve their qualifications, deepen their specialized knowledge, and update it, which is necessary in the face of rapidly changing organizational structures of cultural institutions in Poland, as well as in the face of deep transformations in museum theory and practice world-wide. The program of the Studium is adapted to the needs of employees of museums and art galleries of all types.
Since the academic year 2022/2023, the Institute has been running full-time second-cycle studies in the field of History of Culture in the Age of Digital Humanities. The curse offers general humanisties education, with a particular focus on digital humanities tools and their relevance across humanities disciplines (art history, history, archaeology, cultural and religious studies).
The studies are designed to prepare for future scientific work, as well as to equip graduates with qualifications that will empower them to seek professional employment in a range of sectors of the global job market. The profile of the graduate corresponds to the competencies required in work in the non-academic environment and beyond formal education at workplaces in cultural institutions, public administration (central and local), as well as in public benefit institutions dealing with culture in the broadest sense. Skills acquired over the course of studies will be useful in professions related to journalism, knowledge and cultural resource management, as well as marketing, advertising and social communication.