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Studying for the MPhil in History of Art at Cambridge was a truly enriching experience. I came to the MPhil after having completed a BA in Modern and Medieval Languages and after having taken a year out to gain some work experience in the art industry. I was initially afraid that, coming from a different discipline, my academic performance would suffer from knowledge gaps in the field. Instead, I found a supportive and stimulating environment that enabled me to carry out my research in an interdisciplinary manner, while it also provided me with the tools to build a solid knowledge base of the discipline. The broad range of time periods and topics covered in the MPhil and graduate research seminars allowed me to explore areas outside of my own research interests, while I also had the opportunity to audit undergraduate courses and lectures.
I particularly appreciated the project-based nature of the MPhil that enabled me to explore a wide variety of topics, from feminist moving image art, to socially engaged practice and performance art. I benefited greatly from access to the courses provided by other faculties, such as the Centre for Film and Screen Studies and the Centre for Gender Studies, where I could familiarise myself with different perspectives and methodologies and gain a more in-depth understanding of topics that fell outside of a more specifically art historical specialism. Student-led reading groups also provided a stimulating, alternative space for conversation to test out ideas in a more informal setting and come into contact with students from different disciplines. These interdisciplinary connections are what makes Cambridge a unique and stimulating environment for research and what convinced me to pursue my PhD studies in the Department.
Elisabetta Garletti - King's (July 2019)
Studying for the MPhil in Cambridge has been a hugely gratifying experience. The weekly MPhil reading groups, graduate research seminars, Camille Society and Rickman Society reading groups, one-on-one supervisions and termly peer-led presentations opened my eyes to the breadth and depth of the field, fostered in an open and informal space. It allowed me to express and exchange new ideas with truly extraordinary people. The vocational emphasis offered in the transferable skills training programme also provided an excellent introduction and valuable advice for advancing a career in academia or art institutions.
Although the Faculty Library, the University Library, the Fitzwilliam Museum and College libraries offer a wealth of research material, I am particularly grateful for the Department’s encouragement to pursue research in London and further afield, thanks to the generous support from the Kettle’s Yard Travel Fund Awards.
As new art spaces such as the Heong Gallery are being established, this is a really exciting time to live and work in Cambridge. The History of Art and Architecture Department’s warm community atmosphere makes for a socially and intellectually rewarding year and the beginning of an enduring relationship with the Department.
Lizzie Marx - Peterhouse (April 2016)