Art History (BA)

You want to know what else is special about the Tower of Pisa except that it is tilting to one side? Why Michelangelo's David was erected outside Palazzo Vecchio in Florence? Why Dan Brown's theories about mysterious codes in Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper are nothing but fiction? And why people have long given up discussing Mona Lisa's smile? Then art history is the right subject for you.
We study, discuss and analyse painting, sculpture and architecture and unearth the motives behind the creation of artworks and define their places in art history. You will learn research methods and acquire in-depth knowledge of different objects which enables you to understand and analyse even unknown artworks.
The occupational fields listed below are only a small selection of potential areas to start a career in with a degree in art history. These are:
- collections and exhibitions, museums (curator)
- institutions related to art and culture
- public administration, private foundations and associations
- journalism, publishing, communications
- public relations, event management
- monument conservation
- art trade and auction houses
- archives and libraries
- research and teaching
- tourism
- cultural and art education
Art history is suitable for you if you
- are interested in art, culture and visual media.
- are interested in history and science.
- want to study academic texts thoroughly and critically.
- want to understand the world's history.
- have good observation skills.
- are interested in other related subject areas (interdisciplinary work).
- enjoy attending exhibitions and travelling.
- are confident enough to speak in front of other students.
- You can forge connections with the working world in the Nuremberg Metropolitan Region thanks to co-operations with the museums here.
- All genres of art (architecture, sculpture, painting, graphics, art trade, photography or new media) are investigated, from the Middle Ages to the present.
- There is an even distribution between theory and practice (excursions, placements).
- It is not all studying paintings, you also compose and edit texts.
- You have to participate actively (in excursions, presentations, exhibitions).
- Only if you work hard (meticulous preparation and follow up work) can you successfully complete the degree programme.
A complete list of exchange possibilities for the degree programme is available at the Art History website (in German).
Can be combined*
Archaeological Sciences (BA), Book Studies (BA), English and American Studies (BA), German Language and Literature (BA), History (BA), Hispanic Studies (BA), Indo-European and Indo-Iranian Studies (BA), Islamic-Religious Studies (BA), Italian Studies (BA), Japanese Studies (BA), Cultural History of Christianity (BA), Latin Philology (BA), Business and Economics (BA), Oriental Studies (BA), Education (BA), Philosophy (BA), Political Science (BA), Chinese Studies (BA), Scandinavian Studies (BA), Theatre and Media Studies (BA)
*These courses are scheduled in such a way that the subjects can usually be combined without overlapping.
Can be combined after consulting a study advisor*
Computational Linguistics (BA), Digital Humanities and Social Sciences (BA), French Studies (BA), Cultural Geography (BA), Greek Philology (BA), Medieval Latin and Neo-Latin (BA), Sociology (BA)
As it is not guaranteed that there will be no overlap between teaching times in this combination, you will be required to submit proof of consultation with a study advisor when enrolling. Please contact the Student Advice and Career Service (IBZ) or the Student Service Centre of the Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Theology.
Archaeological Sciences (BA), Book Studies (BA), Protestant Religious Education, Protestant Theology, History (BA), History (MA), History (teaching degree), Islamic-Religious Studies (BA), Catholic Religious Education, Cultural History of Christianity (BA), Art, Medieval Latin and Neo-Latin (BA), Oriental Studies (BA)

Would you like to get a better idea of the topics, questions and methods you can expect in a degree program? If so, you can take a short test here with example questions about your chosen degree program and studying in general. The test will help you to see how interested you are in the subject and whether the content of the degree program is right for you.
Please note: To complete the test, you will be redirected to StudOn. StudOn is FAU’s official teaching and learning platform which you will be using during your future studies.
The FAU website provides an overview of the current application deadlines as well as information on the selection process and how to apply.
Start date of degree program: Winter Term

Degree type: Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Type of study: Two subject Bachelor's degree programme
Location: Erlangen
Standard duration of study: 6 Semester
Start date of degree program: Winter Term
Size: (currently 50-150 Students)
Faculty: Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Theology
Admission: No Admissions Restrictions