Art & Design History and Musical Theatre BA

ART & DESIGN HISTORY

As the UK city with more museums and galleries than any other outside of London, alongside the country’s largest contemporary art biennial, Liverpool will provide a vibrant cultural backdrop for your studies. Utilising Hope’s exclusive partnership with Tate, visiting speakers from the creative industries and the University’s own collections/gallery programme, students gain a wide-ranging understanding of theoretical perspectives in Art & Design History and how these are expressed through the workings of cultural organisations. Through our cultural partnerships and collaborations, students will be offered privileged access to important collections in Liverpool and experts working in the field.

Encompassing the study of visual and material artefacts, museum and gallery practices and the production and circulation of meaning around art and design. This degree provides a systematic understanding of art and design practices and theories with a strong emphasis on critical thinking. There is also the possibility to participate in overseas study tours – in recent years the department has visited Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bilbao, Milan, Paris, Florence, Venice, Berlin and New York.

In your second and third years, you will also take ‘Professional Practice for Art and Design History’. These courses look at theoretical approaches to museology, as well as more practical considerations such as conservation, exhibition planning and design, curatorial practices and educational activities. These components address pathways into the creative industries and address the range of roles today’s cultural organisations demand – equipping students with the skills and knowledge necessary to secure future professional opportunities. 

Hear from student Bryony Large about what it's like to study Art & Design History at Hope. 

MUSICAL THEATRE

Liverpool is a vibrant city, tapping into the momentum and energy of a diverse creative scene that stems from a long history as an international port city. Musical Theatre continues to play an integral role in its ever-changing theatrical landscape.

This degree allows the study of Musical Theatre from performative, as well as directorial/production points of view. With us, you will study the creative and conceptual interactions that exist between words, music and movement, that underpin the threefold performative relationships between music, dance and acting that communicate and express the art form of Musical Theatre.  

You will explore core repertoire themes and historical context, and small-group practical seminars will allow you to develop dance and acting techniques. These will be underpinned by student-led tutorials and one-to-one singing lessons.

The course is led by a team of Musical Theatre specialists, who have first-hand production and performance experience - both in the West End and regional theatres - ensuring our students receive up-to-the-minute insights and guidance.