Skip navigation Skip to main navigation for this site Skip to navigation for this section

  • Understanding Visual Arts (Certificate of Higher Education)
  • 2012/2013 entry
  • Contact us
  • Assessment

    • A variety of methods, including coursework, presentations and examinations. Individual and group support will be available for all forms of assessment.

  • Attendance

    • Usually one three-hour session a week.

      You will be expected to spend 6–10 hours a week on self-directed home study.

  • Duration

    • Normally two years. It is possible to take the programme over three–four years if desired.

  • Entry requirements

    • No specific qualifications are required, but you need good written and oral skills in English. If you are unsure whether your current English language level is sufficient, you should arrange for an evaluation through the My Birkbeck helpdesk. Once you have enrolled, we offer support for study skills and a range of academic English and language development modules.

      We will be holding information, advice and guidance sessions, which you are strongly advised to attend prior to enrolling. Contact us for dates of forthcoming sessions.

      This programme is designed for people who are new to higher education, and is not suitable for students who already have an undergraduate degree.

  • Fees and funding
  • Financial support
      • If you are a new student starting on a course in autumn 2012, you may be able to get a student loan to cover your fees and other Birkbeck financial support. Check if you're eligible.
      • If you are already studying with us and continuing on a course that you started before autumn 2012, find out about financial support and see if you are eligible.
      • Not sure if you are a new or a continuing student? See here for more information.
  • Location
    • Central London and Stratford.
  • Teaching

    • In the first year, all teaching will be done in small groups of no more than 20, and will include talks (often with audio-visual materials), group work, discussions and visits, as well as independent learning. In the second year, you may be taught in larger groups using informal lectures, combined with teaching in smaller groups. 

Need more help?

Leave your email address and get up-to-date information on finance and our free advice sessions.




By registering your email you are agreeing to receive emails from Birkbeck, University of London. We will not share your details with anyone else. Click here for Birkbeck data policy .

Understanding Visual Arts (Certificate of Higher Education) - 2012/2013 entry


  • Overview
      • Gain a University of London qualification – expand your knowledge and enhance your CV.
      • Flexible programme designed to meet the needs of students who have not previously had the opportunity to study at university level.
      • Provides a direct route into degree study in the history of art, arts and humanities, and arts and media management.
  • Why study this course at Birkbeck?

    • Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the sheer number and variety of images and objects there are to look at in our twenty-first-century world? You may already know a lot about one aspect of the visual through your own background and previous learning, but perhaps you would like to be able to connect that with a wider understanding of images, where they come from and how we can 'read' them.

      This programme takes your own experience and day-to-day surroundings as a starting point, developing the skills in visual analysis necessary to begin to understand images and then to analyse less familiar images from the worlds of art, architecture and visual culture.

      The other major emphasis is on context – how an understanding of history, economics and society enriches our understanding of specific images, as well as of larger questions, such as 'What do we mean by art?' and 'What are the connections between visual images and politics?'.

      The programme will help you turn your interest in art and the world of images into a university qualification, with direct pathways into study for degrees leading to a wide range of career options.

      At the same time, you will be provided with the study skills and approaches to learning that are necessary for university study, as well as a range of transferable skills in communication, visual understanding and critical thinking.

  • Course structure and modules
  • Further study opportunities

    • These degrees can lead to a range of career pathways in the arts sector, as well as in business and other professions.

  • How to apply/enrol

    • ME (modular enrolment): enrol for individual modules (see 'Course structure and modules').