Choosing a Course

Both courses can happily start with a rather broad outlook, and you'll tend to head deeper into the specialisations in the following years. But pay attention right now to what modules are available - and who will be teaching them. Look into the related departments, no matter how tenuous that link might seem at first. If you're into classical art, for example, check if the university has a healthy classics department. There's often some teaching crossover, which is always a good thing. And if you want to include languages or modules from other disciplines within your degree, check to see what provision there is for this, and also what scope there is for joint degrees.

Some courses demand a dissertation in the final year, which counts towards your assessment, while for others, the course is marked more on coursework and exams. Think about what suits your method of working. Exam technique has got many a historian through school, but it may be a bit of a shock to have to call on other skills.

There may also be the possibility of spending a year of your degree abroad. This opens up some exciting prospects and improves employability prospects no end - the extra maturity that living abroad suggests always looks good on a CV.

Studying in a city that is home to a range of galleries and museums is an obvious advantage, and on the days when you wonder why you're doing it at all (which you get on every course), it can be invigorating to go round an exhibition to remind yourself just why you were so enthused in the first place. They can also be valuable for work placements, which some courses operate in your third year. Look out for these as they are a good chance to get work experience if you want a career in that direction.

Also, if you're heading for the history of art, check if the department has its own slide library. They mostly do, but some are better and easier to use than others. And remember that those big art books are also hideously expensive and some of the less well-off institutions might be especially penalised in this subject above others in the humanities.

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