Undergraduate award: Diploma in History of Art: British Visual Culture

landscape painting, of Chatsworth House.

Take your knowledge of art history to the next level with an in-depth look at notable periods of British visual culture– all in the company of expert tutors and fellow enthusiasts. After core units on British art in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the changing unit 3 for 2026 to 2027 will be ‘Art for the Tudors: Paint and Politics’.

Why choose this course with us?

Access Cambridge teaching in a flexible format: part-time and online
Gain a credited, Cambridge award: boost your learning and career opportunities
Join our peer-learning and Cambridge alumni communities: connection and support, for life

Course Dates

Course information

During this part-time online Diploma course, you will:

study one of 2 complementary level 5 courses in history of art
develop academic skills in research, analysis, evaluation and problem-solving
prepare for further study at Advanced Diploma or postgraduate level, or simply boost your knowledge of these specialist subject areas.

Course highlights

Explore British visual culture within a global context from the end of the 15th century to the start of the 18th. We will discuss the interaction of arts of all media with aspects of wider culture, from the literary to the historical and political.

As part of our learning community, you will:

enhance your understanding of British visual culture through a range of topics including the influence of the court and wider culture, and the sites of royal palaces and aristocratic house
examine arts of all media, from architecture, painting and sculpture to gardens, murals, miniatures and tapestries
consider to what extent we can talk about ‘British’ art when, in fact, many of the artists and craftsmen of the period were migrants from the Continent
investigate the emergence of new hierarchies of genres during the ‘golden age’ of British art
look at notions of Britishness in the context of imperialism
address current issues around the interpretation of art in museums and heritage sites

Course breakdown

The course will run from 9 October 2026 to 9 June 2027.

Each term's teaching usually takes place on Wednesday evenings, with occasional Saturday afternoon sessions. Exact teaching dates and times will be confirmed in the course guide upon enrolment.

Michaelmas term: British Art in a Global Context: The long seventeenth century

Course (unit 1) start date: 9 October 2026
Unit 1 end date: 6 January 2027

This unit will examine British visual culture in a global context from the end of the sixteenth to the start of the eighteenth centuries. It will focus on the influence of the court across each of the Stuart monarchs, looking at the interaction of arts of all media with aspects of wider culture including literary, historical and political. The sites of the royal palace and aristocratic country and town house in particular will serve as foci for the examination of architecture, painting, sculpture, gardens, mural painting, miniatures and tapestries. The course will consider the extent we can talk about “British” art when, in fact, many of the artists and craftsmen of the period were migrants from the Continent.

Lent term: The Eighteenth Century: The ‘golden age’ of British art?

Unit 2 starts: week commencing 4 January 2027
Unit 2 end date: 24 March 2027

This unit will begin with the shift from a British Baroque to the beginning of what is traditionally seen as the “Golden Age” of British art, a period that saw the birth of the Royal Academy and the huge popularity of British-born artists such as Hogarth, Constable, Turner and Reynolds. The course will look at the divergence of the arts from the previous period and the emergence of new hierarchies of genres, including an exploration of the evolution of history painting and the predominance of the neoclassical in architectural projects. It will consider notions of Britishness in the context of imperial dominance and its impact on visual culture at home. Current issues in interpretation in museums and heritage will be addressed, for example around slavery and the historic house.

Easter term: Art for the Tudors: Paint and Politics

Unit 3 starts: week commencing 29 March 2027
Unit 3 end date: 9 June 2027

The Tudor period is an iconic episode in English history, yet despite the fame of Holbein’s portraits, art might not be the first thing that comes to mind when we think of the Tudors. Nonetheless, the artistic world of the Tudor viewer was a rich and fascinating one. In this unit we will uncover the art and architecture of the sixteenth century, from portraits to tapestries, from great houses to elaborate entertainments. We will attempt to get inside the mind of the Tudor viewer, reconstructing their attitudes towards and experiences of the images and objects that surrounded them. We will explore issues such as the extent of Renaissance influences at the court of Henry VIII, the revival of medieval and neo-chivalric themes under Elizabeth I, and the lesser-known artistic atmosphere during the reigns of Henry VII, Edward VI and Mary I. Through the lens of visual art, will discuss the upheavals of the Reformation, the politics of the court and the intimate relationships of those who lived and died through the turbulent sixteenth century.

After this course:

This course gives you an insight into specialist areas of art history and equips you with visual analysis skills that you can go on to apply in your life, whether personally or professionally.

Want to learn more? Consider moving on to the Undergraduate Diploma in History of Art: Renaissance and Baroque. On completion of both diplomas, you can apply for the award of Undergraduate Diploma of Higher Education in History of Art. You may decide to study at a higher level, including the Advanced Diploma, and we would be happy to advise on this.