Bachelor of Arts in Art History, Musicology and Theatre Studies
Ghent University’s Art History, Musicology and Theatre Studies programme has a concept that is unique in Flanders. A broad basic education covers all the art disciplines, and gradually deepens depending on your choice of one specific discipline: Visual Arts and Architecture, Performing Arts and Media Studies, or Musicology.
What
The unicity of Ghent University’s Art History, Musicology and Theatre Studies programme lies in its broad, general education in Art Studies in combination with the possibility of specialization in a specific artistic discipline, but without losing touch with the other disciplines. The basic training starts from a general framework and progresses into the specific disciplines and a study of inter-artistic confrontations.
The Artistic Disciplines Covered by the Programme:
- Visual Arts and Architecture
The Visual Arts and Architecture major offers the opportunity for an in-depth specialization in the study of architecture and the plastic arts. It encompasses visual arts and architecture from all periods up to the present day, and highlights various visual forms, such as painting and sculpture, drawing, graphics, photography, film, design, historical interior, etc. The interaction between architecture and the visual arts is an important focal point.
- Performing Arts and Media Studies
As is usually the case in programmes abroad, Ghent University has integrated Performing Arts and Media Studies within the broader programme of Art Studies. In this major you investigate the performing arts in their broadest sense: text theatre, performance, music theatre, dance and even new forms of circus and puppetry. The media aspects of performing arts and film are regularly discussed as well.
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Musicology
The Musicology major provides you with the broadest possible musicology-related knowledge and skills, with a focus on the history and current events of European music. Systematic Musicology explores meaning of music to man. The I.P.E.M, the Institute for Psychoacoustics and Electronic Music, works with state-of-the-arts technologies and is one of the world leaders in the field.
For whom
You are interested in art and its many manifestations. You have artistic sensitivity, you are curious, you want to ‘see, hear and feel’ how art works, you are critical, you go to museums and attend exhibitions, theatre, concerts of your own accord, and you are fascinated by architecture and monuments. Not prior knowledge but your intrinsic interest and commitment are decisive success factors. Since the programme requires quite a lot of memory work, a good memory is another welcome asset. An important requirement for Musicology is an active knowledge of music theory. In addition, you must at least have a passive knowledge of English, French and German to go through specialist literature.
Structure
Bachelor
The successive years of the BA programme develop the artistic disciplines in a balanced way.
By means of general, introductory course units, the first year offers a broad framework that facilitates acquiring the necessary basic knowledge and insights of the humanities (philosophy, literature, archaeology, historical criticism, anthropology). In addition, you will receive a historical and theoretical introduction to the different artistic disciplines (Visual Arts, Architecture, Performing Arts and Media Studies, Musicology), which will enable you to make an informed choice of discipline in the second year. The essential historical basic knowledge is further explored in the cross-disciplinary course units. Basic research skills are taught as well.
Specialization starts in the second year by choosing one of three majors: Visual Arts and Architecture, Musicology, or Performing Arts and Media Studies. A choice of minors offers a complementary study track. The third year focuses on further specialization in your choice of major, and on putting previously acquired knowledge into practice. Also part of the third year, is the Bachelor’s dissertation: a test in independent, critical thought as a preparation for the Master. The Bachelor’s years also contain a mobility window for studying abroad.
Master
The Master of Art History, Musicology and Theatre Studies aims at establishing in its graduates a burgeoning expertise in order to prepare them for research-oriented or policy advisor positions. Targeted tutorials, organization of symposia and study days (with or without the cooperation of third party specialists), collaborations with museums and academic institutions, and a focus on these interactive dynamics should help you to specialize in discipline of your choice. Research-wise, you are able to formulate problem statements independently, and to deliver research results that are at once well-considered and critical. In addition to the (domain) Master’s programme described above, you can also choose a Master’s Programme in Teaching (in Dutch: Educatieve Master (120 sp).
Labour Market
Our study programme offers a wide range of career opportunities depending on the chosen major (specialization), and our graduates enter a rich and diversified labour market. You are eligible for positions in the broad artistic and cultural field: in museums, concert and theatre houses, libraries, archives associated with art history, archaeology or music studies institutions, in the preservation of monuments and historic buildings sector, heritage institutions and centres of expertise on cultural heritage, cultural dissemination, etc... .
Quality Assurance
At Ghent University, we strive to educate people who dare to think about the challenges of tomorrow. For that purpose, we provide education that is embedded in six strategic objectives: Think Broadly, Keep Researching, Cultivate Talent, Contribute, Extend Horizons, Opt for Quality.
Ghent University continuously focuses on quality assurance and quality culture. The Ghent University's quality assurance system offers information on each study programme’s unique selling points, and on its strengths and weaknesses with regard to quality assurance.
More information:
Unique Selling Points
- Multiperspectivism: our unique concept brings together various artistic disciplines (Visual Arts, Architecture, Musicology, Performing Arts and Media Studies) in one and the same Arts Programme. Keeping in mind the (audio)visual and performance component as a common factor, we study these study disciplines from different angles and academic approaches. Among other things, we stimulate cross-disciplinarity by allowing students to take up course units from other majors.
- Collaboration with the professional field: our lecturers have close ties to the professional field (e.g. the museum, heritage, concert and music sectors). These regular stakeholder contacts not only translate themselves into topical teaching contents, but also into various teaching methods such as guest lectures, excursions, assignments and exercises, and references to exhibitions and academic publications.
- Clear curriculum structure: our new curriculum (introduced in the academic year 2018-2019) boasts a clear structure that facilitates a step-by-step accumulation of (broad, specific, and theoretical) knowledge, insight, and (research and practical) skills. After completing the broad first year containing a number of faculty-wide course units, our students can choose one of three deepening majors from the second year onwards. In addition to their choice of major, students take a number of general course units and elective course units from other majors. The Master’s programme allows for further specialization and a strong focus on research.
- Integration of theory and practice: in addition to lectures, our programme also offers more practice-oriented knowledge and hands-on experiences through work placement, an international excursion, seminars and practicals, research seminars, the “joker week” in collaboration with the Architecture programme, and future plans concerning the Vanden Hove pavilion. We use these formats to whet our students’ critical thought, and creative and problem-solving abilities. Upon graduation, our students are critical professionals who are able to work in team.
- Research-based education: our lecturers combine their teaching assignment with conducting (inter)nationally acclaimed research. Our teaching practice contains topical (inter)national research. As the curriculum progresses, lecturers’ own research is increasingly present in the choice of topics, specific angles, and assignments. Our research also focuses on social applicability.
Strengths
- Our programme boasts a dedicated team of lectures from various disciplines, all of whom combine their research expertise with a passion for teaching. Our lecturers all invest heavily in the quality of their teaching practice, ensuring a balanced mix of lectures and other didactic methods.
- From the second year onwards, our programme gives students a certain degree of freedom in tailoring the curriculum according to their own interests. There is a choice of three majors and five minors, and from the third year onwards there is room for electives as well.Our programme structure enables students to put together their own study trajectory, either by opting for one specific specialization, or by keeping several options open.
- Approachability: during lectures we are open to questions and debate. As students progress in the programme, we stimulate this interaction further by, among other things, interactive teaching methods, presentations and oral exams. We stimulate this actively throughout the entire programme.
- Although student groups are large, we are committed to a diversified assessment practice throughout the programme. In our variety of assessment methods there is a clear evolution from mainly written exams (multiple choice, essay questions, and image-based questions) to oral exams, papers, seminars based on reading assignments, group work and individual assignments.
- By way of preparation for the professional field, our curriculum also includes opportunities for acquiring practical skills, of which work placement makes up an essential component. In addition, practical skills are honed during our international excursion, the “joker week” and the Master’s seminars.
Weaknesses
- Students rightly point out that feedback on assignment is sometimes scarce, or that they are not always informed of feedback opportunities. We are committed to address this problem structurally, and to communicate clearly on existing feedback opportunities.
- Social entrepreneurship: such skills as taking the initiative, being active and creative, and being able to work autonomously and hands-on, so feedback by work placement supervisors has taught us, are highly valued on the labour market. We therefore wish to invest more in strengthening our students’ entrepreneurial spirit by incorporating it in several course units and in extracurricular activities.
- Students are in the habit of postponing their Master’s dissertation to the resit exam period, or even to an additional term or year. The Master’s dissertation process in our programme therefore needs stricter following up. We are committed to address this problem together with the students.
This study programme is accredited by the Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (Dutch: NVAO). Accreditation was extended following the positive outcome of the institutional review in 2017. Programme quality was validated by a quality review, i.e. a screening of the Education Monitor by the Education Quality Board. The Quality Assurance Resolution (in Dutch) can be found here.
This information was last updated on 01/06/2021.
In case of questions or suggestions with regard to the publicly available information, please contact the study programme.