Arts, Media and Society (BA)
Study programme
The Arts, Media and Society specialisation will let you explore some of the most pressing issues in today’s society, as seen from the many perspectives offered by art, artists, and (digital) media.
What you will learn
Arts, Media and Society is a three-year, English-taught specialisation within Leiden University's Art History programme. In the first year, Arts, Media and Society students and Art History students follow some of the same introductory courses. In the second and third year, you will study a wide variety of contemporary cultural manifestations, from artist collectives and community art to 3D printing, games and protest art. You will learn to place these in an art-historical context. You will also gain in-depth knowledge of new developments in contemporary art and media forms, and you will explore the cultural roles that arts and media play in today’s society.
Learn academic and professional skills
You will also acquire academic and professional skills. These include a wide variety of competences such as academic writing, presentations, research, working in teams and communication. Many of those skills are sought after by employers and will be of use to you in your further career.
Some of the courses in short
Year 1
World Art Studies
This course shows that art history is a truly global enterprise. Artworks often reflect the confluence of different cultures, languages, worldviews, and ideas. You will learn to analyse the interactions between a selection of modern and contemporary artworks and broader societal, political, and environmental issues. In doing so, you will learn how artworks move in the world.
Arts in Europe
Three courses concentrate on art in Europe. We study art from before 1800, but we put the emphasis on the most recent histories of the visual and decorative arts and architecture. We deliberately choose to study this rich variety of arts together, because we believe that only by not separating them can we gain maximum insights into their functioning in modern societies.
Media, Theory and Society
Television, games, the visual arts, literature and the Internet can be regarded as major forces in western contemporary society. In this course we will discuss the social and cultural implications of the introduction and advance of (new) media. As part of this course, you will research the changing context for these media, and how they influence our views on art, popular culture, power and aesthetics.
Year 2
Framing AMS Case Studies
In this course, you will become acquainted with and try out different theories and methods that are common in research specifically into the visual arts, media, and in the humanities. Presented with case studies, you will discuss how these are approached from a specific scholarly perspective. Doing so, you shall develop the ability to make an informed and motivated choice about research approach and method.
The History of Museums
The central theme of this lecture course is the history and development of museums. You will learn about the intellectual ideas that drove early modern collectors and modern museum founders as well as the political and theoretical issues that informed the rise of modern museums, in terms of their architecture, mission, collecting goals, colonial and postcolonial practices and other important social issues.
AMS on Site: Curating the City
In this course, the urban environment will serve as both the site of our work and the object of our critical reflection. This course aims to anticipate the most pressing issues that are shaping (and will continue to shape) contemporary, globalised, curated cities. As part of a team of students, you will explore a subtheme that relates to 'Curating the City'. Your team will develop a framework and a research question that you will investigate in a (partly) out-of-the-classroom setting, from the multiple angles of art, media and society.
Year 3
Electives, internship and thesis
The third year offers you the flexibility to pursue your interests. You can either follow electives or a minor from another programme in Leiden, do an internship in the Netherlands or abroad, or study abroad at a university in our network. Our Career Services can support you in finding a position as an intern.
As a final step in the learning trajectory on academic skills, you will learn about the art of academic publishing. To conclude the programme you will write a thesis, choosing your own topic on the basis of your chosen seminar’s theme.
Detailed programme
See below for an overview of the curriculum. For a detailed description of the courses, please check the Prospectus.
Please note that both the schedule below and the prospectus apply to the current academic year, which means that the curriculum for next year may slightly differ.
Electives
Leiden University offers you the opportunity to tailor your programme so that it suits your interests and ambitions.
During the third year, you can choose a minor, several elective courses in Leiden or at other universities in the Netherlands or abroad. You could also opt to do an internship, or to study a semester at an international university.
Minor
A minor is a cohesive set of courses on a specific theme or subject. You can take a minor at the Faculty of Humanities or at another Faculty. The minor will help you gain in-depth knowledge on a certain subject, method or discipline. Examples of minors offered at Leiden’s Faculty of Humanities are:
- Cultural Memory of War and Conflict
- Game Studies and Cultural Analysis
- Gender and Sexuality in Society and Culture
Internship: the first step towards a job
An internship is an ideal way to find out what really interests you and what kind of job would suit you. You can explore, for example, the sector in which you would like to be employed, or the kind of work you would like to do. Thinking about these issues during your studies will allow you to chart a more accurate course for the direction you want your career to take later on. An internship will give you work experience, additional skills and valuable network contacts. You could do an internship in a museum, an art gallery, education, a publishing agency, an NGO or in the public sector. Our Career Services can help you find a suitable position.