Art and Visual History, B.A.
The combined bachelor’s course Art and Visual History aims to provide fundamental knowledge of the history of the forms and functions of artistic design from the Early Middle Ages to the present day. This includes the history of architecture and urban planning, sculpture, painting and graphic art, arts and crafts, photography and film, electronically generated imagery, scientific visualisations and installations. Besides the interconnection of Art History and Visual History, which is specific for this degree course, special foci in research and teaching at the IKB (Institut für Kunst- und Bildgeschichte) of Humboldt-Universität are the history of architecture and urban planning, exhibitions and museum displays, the relationship between art, sciences and technology, gender studies as well as the history of Central and Eastern European art. A non-program-specific emphasis is placed on the use of technical media for work organisation, research, presentation and scientific analysis.
Programme facts
| Degree | Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) |
|---|---|
| Duration | 6 semesters, 120 ECTS |
| Language of instruction | German |
| Study mode | Full-Time |
| Start | Winter semester |
| Application | Via uni-assist, winter semester until 15.07 |
| Admission | Admission restriction (NC): a competition of school grades |
| Tuition fee | €0 per semester for international students |
| Semester contribution | €381.80 per semester |
What the tuition fee consists of
Will I get in
The programme has an admission restriction: the average grade of your certificate, converted to the German scale, decides. The cut-off changes every year — last year's value shows the order of magnitude, not a promise.
How the selection works and how strong the competition is — we go through it against your certificate when we select programmes for you.
Programme selection →About the programme
Students will have the opportunity to gain insights into fields of practice such as museum work, monument conservation, the art market, journalism, etc. Training objectives also include knowledge of the history of the discipline and reflection on its methods, as well as the ability to analyze visual artefacts in a variety of historical contexts.
What you study
Program Contents
The focus is on researching the historicity of objects. This is based on the imparting of subject-specific methods, such as shape analysis, style history, iconology and current research concepts, which are based on newly emerging problem areas. It is also essential to practice the use of technical media for the organization of work, research, presentation and academic work, which is relevant across disciplines. In addition, the courses in the seminar for artistic-aesthetic practice introduce students to the practice and history of artistic techniques (printmaking and drawing). In addition, the students should get insights into the practical fields of art and visual history, such as museums, monument protection, the art market, mass communication media, journalism, tourism, etc. Knowledge of the history of the discipline and the reflection of its methods and forms of work are just as much part of the educational goals as the ability of the students to analyze visual artifacts in different historical contexts.
The full curriculum and the programme's parameters are part of programme selection: we compare them with your profile.
Pick programmesCareer
The training offered by the Art and Visual History bachelor’s course qualifies for activities in the fields of art exhibitions and conservation (such as museums, galleries or departments of monument preservation), public relations, museum education, the art market and the media. Furthermore, the bachelor’s course provides the prerequisites for continuing university education with the Art and Visual History master’s course.
Cost of study
| Tuition fee of the federal state (Berlin), international students | €0 |
|---|---|
| Semester contribution | €381.80 |
Requirements and application
| Previous education | Prospective students should be proficient in German and have skills in English and another modern foreign language in order to be able to consult international research literature and to have the opportunity to specialize in specific fields of art and visual history. |
|---|---|
| Application | Via uni-assist, winter semester until 15.07 |
The procedure and the set of documents depend on your certificate. We check the university's requirements against your documents and give you a list: what to submit, how to certify and translate it, where and when to apply.
Check the requirementsHow to get into this programme
- 1Check your certificate and its recognitionDirect admission, a year at a university at home, or Studienkolleg first — this decides the whole plan.
- 2Documents and translationsCertified translations of the certificate and transcript, an APS if required. 3–4 weeks.
- 3Application via uni-assist until 15.07uni-assist checks documents for 4–6 weeks — send them well before the deadline.
- 4Admission, visa, movingPlan 2–3 months for the visa and the blocked account in parallel.
How to apply
You can submit the application yourself or with our help — the university decides on admission in both cases.
Applications go through the university's portal or uni-assist. Typical mistakes:
- ×incorrectly made certified copies and translations
- ×a wrong set of documents
- ×the application submitted the wrong way
- ×errors or gaps in the application form
- ×the application submitted at the wrong time — too early or too late
An incomplete or incorrectly prepared application is excluded from the selection — it can no longer be corrected after the deadline.
StudyInFocus does not represent the university and does not influence the admission decision. We do not sell study places and do not guarantee admission — this is a service for preparing and submitting documents on the applicant's side.
If your level is not enough yet
The two most common stoppers are a language level below the requirement and a certificate without direct admission. Both can be solved, but they take months — plan them now, not after a rejection.
Questions about this programme
How much does the programme cost?
When do I need to apply?
Don't postpone the application
The deadline is 15.07.2027 (274 days left). Language, translations and the document check take months, not weeks. In 30 minutes we will build a plan backwards from the deadline and tell you honestly whether you can make it.