Degree program Art History and Visual Culture Studies (Master)

Planned changes

Please note: starting in the 2026/27 winter semester, the program will be called Art History and Visual Culture Studies

Admission requirements

To be admitted, candidates must:
— have completed a Bachelor’s degree program lasting three years or longer – in Germany or one of equal status abroad – in Art History or a related field of study and
— provide proof of proficiency in English at the B2 level and
— be proficient in Latin at the middle school level (120 hours or 8 hours per week), or be proficient in another foreign language at the B1 level
Explanation of the required language proficiency

German language requirements

International applicants and German applicants with a foreign university entrance qualification are kindly advised to read the requirements for German-language courses.

Notes on the application process

If, at the time of application, proof of the first degree qualifying the applicant for a profession is not yet available, the application will be considered under the precondition that 80% of the credit points attainable for the degree have already been achieved based on completed module examinations or the final thesis and the colloquium (if applicable). A certification from the awarding institute of higher education (examination office) serves as proof of the above-mentioned academic achievements. You can find the appropriate form on the Admissions Office website.

General information about the degree program

This research-oriented Master's degree program covers the history of art from late antiquity to the present day, with a particular focus on European and American art. The range of subject matter extends from architecture and classical visual arts to film and new media.

The degree program is closely tied to practices in art history and Visual Culture Studies beyond the university level. This is achieved especially through close collaboration with the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden (Dresden State Art Collections) and the State Palaces, Castles and Gardens of Saxony as well as with other high-caliber institutions of culture in Dresden. Students learn about museum work and the research conducted on collections and monuments.

They acquire the skills needed to develop their own research-relevant topics and to analyze and interpret works of art on a sophisticated level. They select their own concentration in theory or practice and expand on their knowledge in interdisciplinary focus courses of their own choosing.

Study contents

The Master’s degree program in Art History and Visual Culture Studies serves to expand on and consolidate the specialist and methodical knowledge acquired in a Bachelor’s degree program, and it equips students with the ability to analyze and interpret works of art at an advanced level. The degree program is divided into four semesters. Upon completion of six modules, a Master’s thesis and a colloquium, students will earn the 120 ECTS credit points necessary for graduation. The degree program comprises three areas: a compulsory field of the core courses, a specialist elective compulsory field of the core courses, and an interdisciplinary elective compulsory field.

— Within the compulsory field, the “Theory, Methodology, Historiography” module reflects on the theories, concepts, positions, structures and problems of the subject and its subject of research and analyzes these within their historical dimensions. In the “Practice and Work Analysis” compulsory module, students analyze and interpret exemplary individual works or groups of art and structural works.
— The content of the degree program’s elective compulsory field enables students to select concentrations based on their topical and professional interests; the art history modules “Theory” and “Practice” expand on the knowledge and skills imparted in the corresponding compulsory modules.
— The interdisciplinary and cross-faculty focus courses of “Gender and Culture,” “Media and Publicity,” “Regional Identity and Cultural Transfer,” “Religion and Society” as well as “Knowledge and Technology” link together topics in the humanities and social sciences.
— Free modules offer students the opportunity to expand on knowledge they have acquired in the area of history, linguistics and literature. Additional qualifications can be acquired in the realm of natural science.
— An excursion of at least one week at the end of the second semester is an integral component of the degree program.

View the module descriptions

Structure

Core courses (90 ECTS credit points)
Focus courses (30 ECTS credit points)

For the focus courses, students can choose between

— Studying abroad
— An internship
— Interdisciplinary studies

or combine the internship with interdisciplinary studies.

Further information on the elective compulsory field of the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Science

Stay abroad

Would you like to spend a semester abroad? Whether it is a semester, an internship or a language course abroad, you will definitely benefit from the international experience. You can improve your subject and language skills, establish new contacts, make friends, get to know other cultures, and much more. You can find more information on the International Office’s website.

Double degrees

Further information can be found on the website for the Dual Master’s Program.

Occupational fields

Graduates of this degree program receive the general qualification needed for all classic and modern areas of work in art history – at universities and museums as well as in preservation of historical monuments, gallery and exhibition work, image archives, art dealing, journalism (press and publishing, radio broadcasting, television, online services), art consulting, culture management, tourism, adult education, project management, marketing, etc.

The subsequent doctorate is often required as a prerequisite to the “classic” occupational fields which are more research-oriented (universities, museums, preservation). This can be completed in Art History at TU Dresden.

Study documents

The official announcements of TU Dresden include all published regulations . Please use the search bar to find the document you need: Official proclamation

The regulations are also available on each institution’s website.

Contacts

Admissions Office

Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Science

International Office

Additional information