Admissions Policy

The Admissions and Enrolment Manager is responsible for updating The Courtauld’s Admissions Policy. The policy, including any changes, is approved by the Admissions Committee, and subsequently by the Academic Board. Applications to research degrees and the related admissions policy are considered by the Research Degrees Committee.

• Director (in the chair)
• All members of faculty
• President of the Students’ Union
• Postgraduate student if the above is an undergraduate and vice versa
• Co-opted members of whom at least 2 shall be both
  (a) from other Colleges or Institutes of the University of London and
  (b) co-opted subject to the agreement of the Governing Board

Members of the Admissions Committee include (based on Admissions and Widening Participation pre-2019/20 – membership to be confirmed Autumn Term 2019):

• Head of Admissions (in the chair)
• Academic Registrar
• Admissions and Enrolment Manager
• Dean & Deputy Director
• Head of Public Programmes & 1 members of department
• Head of Human Resources
• Head of BA and Courtauld Graduate Diploma Programmes
• Head of History of Art Programme
• Representative from Conservation
• President of Student Union
• External member with relevant expertise

Members of the Research Degrees Committee include:

• Head of Research Degrees (in the Chair)
• 3 professors of the Institute
• 3 members of academic staff
• 2 external members, one from another college of the University of London and one from a
  museum or gallery

• To advise on admissions and selection criteria and processes for all programmes.
• To monitor the implementation and effectiveness of the Institute’s policies on admission,recommending admission targets for all programmes in the light of OfS policies.
• To advise on the marketing and promotion of all programmes.
• To advise on collaboration in this context across the Institute and outside.
• To advise on funding for current programmes and new initiatives.
• To consider and advise on proposed and actual changes of policy and major changes of procedure made by UCAS, OfS and other relevant bodies.
• To report termly to the Academic Board.

The Research Degrees Committee (RDC) oversees and monitors the registration and progress of research students at the Institute and to make recommendations on related matters of policy. In terms of admissions, the RDC:

• Considers applications for PhD registration.
• Approves such applications and appoints the supervisor(s), or rejects such applications.
• Nominates students for CHASE AHRC consideration.
• Reports termly to the Academic Board.

Subject to the responsibilities of the Governing Board and of the Director, the Academic Board is responsible for the following matters, having regard at all times to the educational character and objectives of the Courtauld as determined by the Governing Board. With regard to admissions, the Academic Board is concerned with:

• Matters relating to the teaching, courses, scholarship and research of the Courtauld, including the criteria for the admission of students; the appointment and removal of internal and external examiners; policies and procedures for the examination and assessment of the academic performance of students; the content of the curriculum; the quality of courses, academic standards and the validation and review of courses; provisions relating to the expulsion of students for academic reasons;
• In particular the Academic Board is responsible for organising an institutional academic review every five years.

Staff training and support is provided to academic and administrative staff involved with admissions:

• An annual review of individual training needs for academic staff is conducted by their line manager.
• The Student and Academic Services Department, of whom the Admissions and Enrolment Team are a part of, advises Committee members of relevant changes to external regulations and any additional training required as a result.
• Annual appraisals highlight any training needs which are then addressed.
• The UCAS correspondent within the The Student and Academic Services Department receives and distributes regular information from UCAS to the relevant staff.
• Staff members attend external Conferences and Training Days specifically aimed at Admissions Professionals (e.g. SPA, UCAS, HEFCE).
• Meetings held by intercollegiate groups for University of London admissions professionals are attended by The Student and Academic Services staff.

Standard Entry Requirements

All entry requirements listed below are standard. We accept equivalent international qualifications and will assess applications from mature students with relevant experience though accreditation of prior learning/accreditation of prior experiential learning (APL/APEL).

International Students

For all programmes:

International applicants are considered on the basis of UK NARIC international equivalent qualifications.

For an applicant whose first language is not English we require an IELTS score of 7.0 overall (with no less than 6.5 in Reading and Writing) or recognised equivalent as laid out in our English Language Requirement guidance.

BA History of Art

Successful applicants have usually gained three A levels at grades AAB or equivalent.

We have a commitment to widening participation and reserve the right to make contextual offers to applicants from socio-economic groups that are under-represented in Higher Education.

Graduate Diploma in the History of Art

Successful applicants have usually gained a 2.1 or international equivalent in a first degree.

Candidates with qualifications in unrelated disciplines and those with equivalent professional qualifications will be considered.

Postgraduate Diploma in the Conservation of Easel Paintings

Successful applicants have usually gained a 2.1 or international equivalent in their first degree,  normally in arts, humanities or sciences. Candidates should be able to describe their understanding of and commitment to professional conservation.

MA History of Art

Successful applicants have usually gained a good 2.1, considered to be an overall average of 65% or above, or international equivalent in a humanities subject.

MA Buddhist Art: History and Conservation

Successful applicants have usually gained a good 2.1, considered to be an overall average of 65% or above, or international equivalent.

MA Curating the Art Museum

Applicants should have a good 2.1 in an undergraduate degree or a postgraduate degree with a Merit (or international equivalent) with at least one specialist module in the history of art.

MA Conservation of Wall Painting

Successful applicants have usually gained a 2.1 or international equivalent in their first degree, normally in arts, humanities or sciences. Candidates should be able to describe their understanding of and commitment to professional conservation.

Research

Applicants are normally expected to hold a Master’s degree in a subject relevant to their proposed research with at least 70% in the dissertation or thesis, or international equivalent.

All aspects of an application – both from UCAS for undergraduate applicants and our online application portal for postgraduates – are considered equally, looking at academic qualifications, statements and reference(s) equally.

Interviews are used for some postgraduate programmes. Discussion with candidates allows academic staff to assess merit further than the application and supporting documents allow if considered alone.
Interviewers do not expect students to know about art history. Instead, they should show an intelligent interest in the visual, and an enthusiasm for looking at and thinking about art.

Our guidelines for maintaining consistency in interviews involves:

• having two interviewers – thus balancing opinions
• pairing more experienced interviewers with less experienced staff
• making sure that these pairings are not repeated in the interview sessions through the year. This means that interviewers will be paired with the maximum variety of other interviewers, and come to appreciate the median standard.

BA History of Art

Candidates are assessed using the following:

1. Qualification predictions and results
2. UCAS personal statement
3. UCAS reference
4. English proficiency certificate (if applicable)

The most promising 175-200 candidates are then made offers.
In our assessment, we look not for knowledge of art history, but for interest in the visual, care in looking, genuine enthusiasm for art (i.e. have applicants visited their local gallery or played important roles in the school’s cultural societies?).

Applicants should also show at least an elementary pleasure or interest in the intellectual in the broadest sense: in ideas, in the imaginative, in the need to be critical.

The Courtauld no longer interviews candidates for the BA History of Art programme, though may get in touch with the applicant where there are questions arising the contents, or lack thereof, of an application.

Graduate Diploma in the History of Art

1. Application form
2. Written work
3. Transcript of predicted/achieved grades
4. Two confidential references
5. English proficiency certificate (if applicable)
6. Interview (unless otherwise indicated)

Applicants to the Graduate Diploma normally apply from a discipline other than art history. For this reason, they may not have an example of written work which focuses on art history; therefore, we ask applicants to write a short piece (about 2,000-4,000 words in length) on a historical or art historical subject to submit with their application. Applicants may submit papers from other humanities disciplines, provided they are relevant in some way to art history.

Postgraduate Diploma in the Conservation of Easel Paintings

1. Application form
2. Transcript of predicted/achieved grades
3. Two confidential references
4. English proficiency certificate (if applicable)
5. Interview

Selected applicants will be invited to an on-site interview that lasts for a full working day. Admission to the course is dependent on the outcome of the interview, and places are not offered without interview. Candidates invited for interview will be asked to bring a portfolio of their own art work, and during interview they will be asked to carry out a series of tasks to check colour vision, assess manual dexterity, and problem-solving skills. There will also be a short slide test to assess powers of observation. Please note that this is not an assessment of prior knowledge, but rather an opportunity to demonstrate your observation abilities.

MA History of Art

1. Application form
2. Written work
3. Transcript of predicted/achieved grades
4. Two confidential references
5. English proficiency certificate (if applicable)
6. Interview (unless otherwise indicated)

The MA History of Art is a specialised MA degree, in which the students concentrate on a particular topic (special option) for the entire duration of the programme. There are a number of options available each year across the art history periods. Applicants are asked to apply for up to three options in order of preference and will be considered for these options by the special option tutors accordingly.

Applicants may or may not be interviewed (in person or via Skype or telephone), according to the preference of the special option tutor. All applications will be considered according to the same time scale, regardless of the option under consideration.

MA Buddhist Art: History and Conservation

1. Application form
2. Transcript of predicted/achieved grades
3. Two confidential references
4. English proficiency certificate (if applicable)
5. Interview (in person or Skype)

Applicants may or may not be interviewed (in person or via Skype or telephone), according to the preference of the Head of Programme, but all applications will be considered.

MA Curating the Art Museum

1. Application form
2. Written work
3. Transcript of predicted/achieved grades
4. Two confidential references
5. English proficiency certificate (if applicable)
6. Interview (unless otherwise indicated)

Applicants are initially assessed on their application form and, if considered suitable, invited to interview. Applications are assessed on qualifications and relevant experience. Applicants may join this course directly from undergraduate study or after a postgraduate course or work in a relevant field.

MA in Conservation of Wall Painting

1. Application form
2. Transcript of predicted/achieved grades
3. Two confidential references
4. English proficiency certificate (if applicable)
5. Interview

Applicants invited for interview will be asked to bring examples of work that they consider relevant to their applications. This may include a wide range of material, including written work (such as a dissertation or project report), and may, but is not required to, include examples of practical or
creative work. During interview applicants will also be asked to carry out a series of tasks to check colour vision, assess manual dexterity, and problem-solving skills. There will also be a short slide test to assess powers of observation. Please note that this is not an assessment of prior
knowledge, but rather an opportunity to demonstrate your observation abilities.

Research

1. Application form
2. A substantial piece of written work
3. Transcript of predicted/achieved grades
4. Two confidential references
5. English proficiency certificate (if applicable)
6. Interview
7. Assessment by the Research Degrees Committee

Applicants to research degrees must make contact with a member of academic staff in advance of making an application to discuss their proposed research. Following this discussion, the proposed supervisor will provide a short report of the application to the Research Degrees Committee.

BA History of Art

Applications are made via UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). All applications must be received by the UCAS deadline in January. No applications received after this deadline will be considered.

Applications received by the January UCAS deadline are given equal consideration. Whilst some early offers may be made, the majority of applications are considered under a “gathered field” approach. This involves deferring final selection on some applicants until all on-time applications have been received and considered.

At every stage of the selection process, Institute staff use the following criteria for assessing applicants. Successful applicants will demonstrate:

• Potential for developing the skills used in humanities subjects, (such as History, English Literature, and Religious Studies). Skills required in the study of Art History include critical thinking, and the ability to analyse texts, debate ideas, and write with clarity.
• Potential aptitude for visual analysis. The ability to translate what one sees into words, and ultimately into coherent discussion as well as into succinct verbal and written presentations. Successful applicants will demonstrate the desire to develop these skills, and be willing to extend and diversify their approaches to objects and images under the guidance of their tutors.
• Potential to thrive in the environment offered by a specialist teaching institute. Their level of maturity should be such that they can negotiate both large lecture courses and small seminar groups, managing tasks such as oral presentations and group discussions. A potential for teamwork as well as individual contributions to the community is desirable.
• Openness to new ideas, and a tolerance for the ideas of others. Successful applicants will demonstrate both a desire to learn and the potential to be ‘teachable’, in terms of that openness and tolerance.

Courtauld Graduate Diploma in the History of Art

Applications are made directly to The Courtauld, and are considered by the Head of Programme.

Applications should be made before the end of March, although applications received after the deadline will be considered as long as there are places available on the course. Applications are usually considered in April and May, and interviews are normally held in late May. Final decisions on unsuccessful applications may be made without interview. Strong applicants may be interviewed in person or via Skype or telephone usually by two members of academic staff, or offers may be made on the basis of the application and supporting documents alone.

Postgraduate Diploma in the Conservation of Easel Paintings

Applications are made directly to The Courtauld, and are considered by the Head of Conservation and Technology and one other member of academic staff. Selected applicants will be invited for interview on site, and no offers of a place will be made without interview.

MA History of Art

Applications are made directly to the Courtauld and are considered for each option in order of preference, with unsuccessful applications for each round being passed to the next.

Candidates may be interviewed in person or via Skype or telephone usually by two members of academic staff, or offers may be made on the basis of the application and supporting documents alone.

Successful candidates will be notified by the the Admissions and Enrolment Team of their offer by the end of March.

Any candidates not made an offer by the end of Round 3 are forwarded to MA Clearing. Applicants should indicate whether they wish to be considered for MA Clearing in the appropriate place on the application form.

Candidates wishing to be considered in MA Clearing are considered for alternative options which may still have places available and to which the candidate may be suited. The Head of Programme decides which applications to pass to which tutors, according to the number of places
on each option and the suitability and interest of each applicant to the available options. Final MA Clearing decisions are usually available at the end of May.

MA Buddhist Art: History and Conservation

Applications are made directly to the Courtauld. Candidates may be interviewed in person or via Skype by two members of academic staff. Successful candidates will be notified by the the Admissions and Enrolment of their offer by the end of April.

MA Curating the Art Museum

Applications are made directly to The Courtauld, and are considered by the Head of Programme and one other member of academic staff. Final decisions on unsuccessful applications may be made without interview. Strong applicants are usually interviewed in person or via Skype or telephone usually by two members of academic staff. In exceptional circumstances, offers may be made on the basis of the application form and supporting documents alone.

MA Conservation of Wall Painting

Applications are made directly to The Courtauld, and are considered by the Head of Programme and one other member of academic staff. Final decisions on unsuccessful applications may be made without interview. No offers are made without an on-site interview.

Research

Applications are made directly to The Courtauld, and are considered initially by the proposed supervisor, which must be indicated by the applicant. The supervisor’s decision is then considered and ratified by the Research Degrees Committee (RDC) in March each year. Applicants must make direct contact with their preferred supervisor before submitting their application in order to discuss their research proposal and the suitability of both applicant and supervisor to the topic. The proposed supervisor will submit a report on the application to the Academic and Enrolment Team in preparation for the next scheduled meeting of the RDC. The RDC considers the research proposal, transcripts, references and proposed supervisor’s report for each applicant and make recommendations, either to accept or to reject the application. The RDC may also suggest other possibilities (i.e. a change to the research proposal or supervisor in order to accept the applicant).

• General policies on the qualifications required for entry are provided in the prospectus and online at: www.courtauld.ac.uk/degreeprogrammes/
• Candidates who have achieved an overseas qualification should contact UK NARIC (www.naric.org.uk), an organization which calculates equivalent qualifications
• Applicants may be given credit for prior learning (either certified or experiential) if it is judged to be appropriate in terms of content and level. In such cases, the student may be allowed entry to the programme without meeting the standard entry requirements. Requests for assessment of prior learning (APL) or assessment of prior experiential learning (APEL) will be considered on an individual basis
• Enquiries should be made to the Admissions and Enrolment Team
• English language requirements: Applicants whose first language is not English are required to submit an English proficiency result to demonstrate that they have reached a minimum standard in the English language
• All applicants are asked to achieve the same score, regardless of the programme or level of programme they are applying to
• As government policy on English language proficiency test providers is subject to change throughout the year, the Courtauld Institute of Art website provides the most up-to-date information on which tests are accepted, and what may exempt a student from needing to take a test
• If a candidate’s first language is not English, but s/he has studied at degree level where English is the language of instruction, s/he may be considered upon approval without an English proficiency result. (If such an institution is based in a non-English speaking country, a letter from the institution confirming the language of instruction should be submitted.)

On the basis of the information given on the application and gathered through the selection process, the selector normally marks each application with a recommendation to either (i) accept unconditionally (ii) accept subject to specified conditions being satisfied or (iii) reject. The application is then returned to the Admissions and Enrolment team for checking and processing.

Postgraduate Taught and Research programmes may also (iv) place an applicant on a wait list, whereby a place (unconditional or conditional as above) may be offered to the applicant at the selector’s discretion should a place on the programme become available. A wait list may be considered up to the end of August preceding the start of the programme. Wait lists are not ordered numerically, and are consulted on a holistic basis, and as such Admissions and Enrolment staff are not able to confirm an applicant’s position on the wait list.

Selectors for the MA History of Art programme may in certain circumstances also elect to (v) recommend an applicant for the Graduate Diploma programme, in cases where the applicant is deemed to be in a position to benefit from direct prior study of History of Art, and (vi) recommend an applicant qualifies for the MA History of Art programme, but ultimately reject from their option on grounds of lack of space.

Appeals relating to admissions decisions should be put in writing and sent to the Academic Registry. The appeal will be logged and passed to the Head of Admissions for the programme and the Dean for reconsideration.

If either member of staff was involved in the original decision, then the application will be passed to another suitable member of academic staff. The final decision will be sent to the applicant by the Academic Registry on behalf of the tutor. The Courtauld is not obliged to change a decision at appeal. Appeals will only be considered on the grounds that formal admissions procedure was not followed. All decisions are final, and no member of staff will enter into conversation regarding an appeal except to inform appellants of the proper procedure.

Complaints about admissions policy or procedure should be addressed to the Academic Registrar within the Academic Registry. The response will be sent to the applicant from the Academic Registrar.

We cannot respond to complaints on behalf of an applicant without the written permission of the applicant concerned to do so.